Racing
Strathalbyn - 18th February 2026
BEST BETS
Uptown Monk (Race 2, No. 9)
Aitch D'Amico (Race 3, No. 1)
RACE 1 - 1:40PM Sauna King Maiden Plate (1600 METRES)
Pretty Perky comes off a solid effort, beaten 2.59 lengths behind Belongtojill at Morphettville on Jan 31. She draws out, but should be hard to beat here. MIKKI TANGO has been close to winning this time around, running 3rd behind Light The Night on the Parks on Dec 6, and was beaten 5.69 lengths in the Belongtojill at Morphettville. He gets Campbell Rawiller from a good barrier. CORNERBACK was runner-up here two starts back behind Stranded and then beaten 9.32 lengths behind Orlova at Gawler last time. VALUED is a former Victorian who was good at his local debut, beaten 1.62 lengths behind Hazy Daze here. CAPTAIN LOVE resumes and was beaten 0.59 lengths behind Annanda here before a break. LILLIKINS was beaten 5.66 lengths at Clare last week and can improve from an inside draw.
SELECTIONS: 10 PRETTY PERKY, 2 Mikki Tango, 4 Cornerbeck, 5 Valued
PLAY: Backing PRETTY PERKY.
RACE 2 - 2:15PM Fleurieu Community Bendigo Bank Maiden Plate (1200 METRES)
Uptown Monk was good on debut, finishing hard from the back when beaten 1.64 lengths behind Prestige Ka Ying at Morphettville. He draws a nice gate and looks the horse to beat. ELITE THUNDER comes through the same race and was good, late beaten 2.5 lengths. ARAMOSO is a 28-start maiden who has placed 12 times and gets Campbell Rawiller from a middle gate and can run a big race. NO BAIL debuts for the Blanch stable and looked good winning a recent 1050m Morphettville trial. CAUSEWELUVADELAIDE was good first-up from a break when beaten 0.4 lengths in 3rd behind Tenterk here. She draws a nice gate. MY IVA was OK in the same race, beaten 1.92 lengths, and should be better for the outing. Stablemate JEWELS CAPTAIN has been placed at four of 10, the latest at Bordertown on Dec 14. STEEL SAVIOUR is on debut for the Andrew Gluyas stable and wears blinkers. He has been down the track in two recent trials, but must be respected. SIR CASTLETON is on debut for Paul Carey and has been around the mark in recent trials at Murray Bridge.
SELECTIONS: 9 UPTOWN MONK, 1 Aramoso, 6 No Bail, 10 Causeweluvadelaide
PLAY: Keen on UPTOWN MONK.
RACE 3 - 2:50PM Sportsbet Jockey Watch Benchmark 56 Handicap (2050 METRES)
Aitch D'Amico has been racing well and made good ground here two starts back when 3rd behind Savsonic before he was beaten 4.65 lengths in 9th behind Kirkliston Blu in the Cup here last time out. He gets his chance from a middle barrier. WARRANDYTE ROAD continues to race well and was a 1 lengths winner over FLYING ASSASSIN at Gawler last time. BADONKIDONK has been in the money at four of seven starts here and was beaten 0.82 lengths behind Just A Brother last time. SHADOW HAWK was beaten 4th by 5.15 lengths in the same race and runner-up behind Savsonic prior.
SELECTIONS: 1 AITCH D'AMICO, 2 Warrandyte Road, 3 Flying Assassin, 6 Badonkidonk
PLAY: Staying with AITCH D'AMICO.
RACE 4 - 3:25PM AJW Security Rating 0-56 Handicap (1600 METRES)
Joviale appreciated the rise in trip when an impressive 2.72 lengths winner over Oui Oui Ma Cherie at Gawler last time. Going to the mile should suit, and he'll take a beating again. TOFFINO covered ground throughout when beaten 2.67 lengths behind Crown And Anchor at Clare last week. RUBINI was runner-up at Murray Bridge three runs back and beaten 5.44 lengths behind Royal Fox last time at Morphettville. THE ICE CUTTER made good ground when beaten 2.1 lengths in 4th behind Somewhere Soon here last time. GIN RIMMY was only beaten 2.92 lengths in 10th behind Dirty Old Town at Morphettville and has a handy record here. AUGUSTA ROCK was placed at Oakbank before winning at Ceduna last time as a $3.80 fav.
SELECTIONS: 5 JOVIALE, 6 Toffino, 3 Rubini, 9 The Ice Cutter
PLAY: Backing JOVIALE.
RACE 5 - 4:00PM Victor Harbor Motor Co Class Two Handicap (1350 METRES)
Beachbarbeckons ran well first-up from a spell beaten 3.3 lengths behind Arabella Star at Gawler and was then beaten 5.79 lengths behind Light The Night at Morphettville last time. He's trialled well since and should be in the mix. RIGHT OF VETO was $3.90-$2.40 first-up for her new stable when beaten 1.91 lengths in 5th behind Scandalize at Murray Bridge. TENTERK comes off a return to winning form here, beating Mahaler by 0.22 lengths and should run well. SILVER LIFESTYLE is a winner here and was solid first-up from a spell when beaten 1.5 lengths in 2nd behind Tough Talk, who has won since, here. VANITEUX broke her maiden here two runs back and was then beaten 0.21 lengths in 2nd behind All Too Mysti here. BE BRAVE won a maiden here back in 2023 and hasn't raced since Feb 2024, but was 2nd in a recent Murray Bridge trial and must be respected from a good barrier.
SELECTIONS: 1 BEACHBARBECKONS, 5 Right Of Veto, 4 Tenterk, 3 Silver Lifestyle
PLAY: Tricky race and keen to see early markets.
RACE 6 - 4:35PM Red Capp Cleaning & Property Services Class One Handicap (1600 METRES)
Bargain Boy won his maiden at Murray Bridge two runs back and jumped to the mile and was good beaten 2.12 lengths in 7th behind Dirty Old Town at Morphettville last time. He'll need some luck from the gate but should take some beating. ROUSING REFRAIN was a winner here three starts back and wasn't beaten far when 2.6 lengths 9th in the Dirty Old Town race. He maps to get a good run. ORLOVA was placed twice at Oakbank before breaking her maiden at Gawler over the 1500m last time, beating Torria, who has won nicely since. She draws the middle and looks well placed again. HAMNER SPRINGS was placed twice before being beaten 4.8 lengths behind Warrandyte Road at Gawler last week. THEODOR can improve here from a good barrier.
SELECTIONS: 2 BARGAIN BOY, 1 Rousing Refrain, 5 Orlova, 6 Hamner Springs
PLAY: Something on BARGAIN BOY.
RACE 7 - 5:10PM Sportsbet Set a Deposit Limit Rating 0 - 56 Handicap (1350 METRES)
Ironbar ran well first-up for a new stable, beaten 1.78 lengths in 3rd behind Big Brute here. Stablemate MANIDNO is first-up for Luke O'Connor and was 4th in a recent Morphettville trial. He has been in the money at two of four starts here. IN YOUR WORDS ran well behind subsequent city winner Tough Talk two runs back and was placed in that race, beaten 0.72 lengths behind Rubiquity at Naracoorte. He draws a good barrier. HARD LEAF is another who ran well first-up for a new stable, beaten 1.93 lengths behind Rubiquity at Naracoorte. RIKKI RIKKARDO has two wins and 2nd from five runs here and was placed in a recent Murray Bridge jump-out ahead of his return. FLEURIEU FLIPPER has been placed at four of five runs here and also three of five fresh outings. He won a recent Murray Bridge jump-out. IN THAT MODE has been back to the trials and run 2nd since he was beaten 6.1 lengths in 8th behind Grinzinger Ace here on Jan 14.
SELECTIONS: 3 IRONBAR, 10 In Your Words, 4 Hard Leaf, 8 Rikki Rikkardo
PLAY: Something on IRONBAR.
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