Geelong Betting Tips for July 12, 2024 - Bracarde to break maiden

Martin Pennington

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Last updated: 10 Jul 2024

Martin Pennington 10 Jul 2024

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Top picks for Geelong's nine-race program on July 12
'Bracarde' for Steamatic Maiden Plate (Race 3)
'Maxxi Bon' for The Jai Roderick Memorial Race (Race 7)

Expired

Nine races feature on Friday's Geelong meeting. (Getty)

Geelong hosts a nine-race program on July 12 and our free betting tips are included below.

Geelong Tips July 12
Steamatic Maiden Plate Tips (Race 3)
ACT Insurance Solutions Handicap Tips (Race 5)
The Jai Roderick Memorial Race Tips (Race 7)
Crawford & Company Handicap Tips (Race 8)

Geelong Tips July 12

Steamatic Maiden Plate Tips (Race 3)

Geelong Next Best Bet - Race 3 No. 1 Bracarde

The youngster demonstrated improvement in his final jumpout prior to debuting when winning over 800m at Cranbourne in early May.

The gelding came close to making the perfect start to his career when runner-up over 1108m at Werribee eleven days later.

The selection lost out by one-and-a-quarter-lengths when ridden from off the pace in the early stages when partnered by his jockey here, Ben Allen, that day.

A change of jockey and tactics saw the son of Brazen Beau race closer to the speed under Mark Zahra when beaten half-a-length stepped up to 1200m at Mornington subsequently.

The pick raced on a soft 5 track on each occasion and he is expected to encounter similar underfoot conditions in this contest.

A number of the beaten horses at Mornington have placed since while the twelfth home Boom Bang has won a metro maiden at Sandown in the interim.

The gelding has a good barrier and he looks up to breaking his maiden for the Ciaron Maher team.

ACT Insurance Solutions Handicap Tips (Race 5)

Geelong Roughie - Race 5 No. 4 Catalina Black Cat

The five-year-old won three times in 2023 with two of those victories coming at the Benchmark 64 level he is set to race at here.

The second of those Benchmark 64 handicaps saw the gelding triumph by a narrow margin when racing on a wet track at Traralgon in December.

While the pick has been unable to win since he delivered a respectable effort when fourth over 1000m when apprentice-ridden at Bendigo first up this prep.

The selection jumped at $26 having started from a wide barrier in that contest and he has a good alley in six here.

The step up in distance is a positive with the five-year-old expected to have improved for his return to action.

Jockey Beau Mertens boasts a 25% strike-rate (10/25) when teaming up with the David Brideoake & Matt Jenkins team and they may prove up to improving on that with a surprise victory.

The Jai Roderick Memorial Race Tips (Race 7)

Geelong Best Bet - Race 7 No. 4 Maxxi Bon

The son of Bon Aurum won twice at Cranbourne last prep following up a victory in a 1600m maiden with a triumph in a Benchmark 64 handicap over the same distance next time.

The four-year-old was unable to win in two subsequent starts however he delivered a good second when racing over 1427m at Sale when resuming just over a month ago.

The selection was beaten two lengths on that occasion and he registered another big effort when a close third in a 1717m Benchmark 64 handicap at the same venue just over two weeks later.

The gelding raced on wet tracks on each occasion and he has forecast underfoot conditions to suit in this event.

Wendy Kelly’s representative has underfoot conditions to suit with an inside alley giving jockey Blaike McDougall options with regard to tactics.

The step up to 1741m is expected to suit and the pick looks capable of recording the third win of his career.

Crawford & Company Handicap Tips (Race 8)

Geelong Value Bet - Race 8 No. 13 Dustland Fairytale

Lindsey Smith’s galloper has recorded three solid efforts in defeat since resuming with a ninth over an inadequate 1200m at Warrnambool at the end of April.

The pick was beaten less than two lengths when fourth in a 1760m Benchmark 64 handicap subsequently with the first, second and fifth all registering subsequent victories.

That five-year-old raced on a soft 5 surface that day and again acquitted herself well when third over 1600m on a heavy 8 track at Werribee subsequently.

The daughter of All Too Hard caught the eye when coming from off the pace having jumped from a wide barrier to finish fifth in a highweight event over 2000m back at Warrnambool last time out.

The mare was scratched from a race at Warrnambool on Sunday and the decision to head here can pay dividends.

The selection is expected to be ridden with restraint and racing off a low weight she looks value to return to winning ways.