Horse Racing Tips for Ballarat 7/12/24

Well, yet another bet lands!

It’s a shame there were upwards of $0.25 in deductions, so most punters ended up with $1.60 for the winner.

Nevertheless, here we are!

This Saturday, we head to Ballarat for their Cup Day, which promises to be a fantastic occasion for the local community.

Unfortunately as of Thursday the weather forecast isn’t looking great, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed that the rain holds off during the meeting.

Given the uncertainty around track conditions, my strategy will be to start by favouring on-speed runners, with the option to adjust if the pattern shifts during the day.

With that in mind, let’s dive into the selection:

Ballarat Best Bet and Tips from Jack Dickens

Ballarat Race 5 #1 Bigolino $6.50

Bigolino looks like a terrific bet on Saturday, and here’s why:

Quick Backup

This gelding put in a fantastic effort in the Wodonga Cup, a race that might not initially stand out but becomes much more impressive on closer inspection.

Bigolino was the only horse from the top five finishers in that race to place again, with the others finishing 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th next time out—essentially running in the tail-end positions. T

his highlights the strength and consistency of Bigolino’s performance.

T. Prebble’s Claim

While I typically favour senior riders, Tom Prebble’s 3kg claim is a significant advantage for Bigolino, especially on wet ground.

Prebble is currently outperforming his career strike rate, with his last 100 rides yielding an impressive 1.55 average over expected winners.

He's in great form and seeing them well right now.

The Map

As always, I’m looking for runners that will settle forward of midfield, and Bigolino fits the bill perfectly.

This gelding doesn’t race cold—expect him to bounce out of the gates and settle near the lead.

He’ll likely be either outside the leader or, if Kaizad pushes forward aggressively, even take up the front-running position.

At odds well above $6, Bigolino represents excellent value and is a strong bet for Saturday.

For those who like an each-way play, this is a fantastic opportunity.

Good luck for the weekend, and here’s hoping Ballarat Cup Day delivers plenty of winners!

There are loads of tips for today's racing in our Horse Racing Tips market at theGreatTipOff.com.