3 minute read
Best lay bets in Australia for Thursday, January 18 brought to you by expert form analysts from the Betfair Hub.
Lay bets are an offering unique to Betfair in Australia where punters can bet AGAINST a particular outcome.
THOROUGHBREDS
Enters this race fourth-up so should be at peak fitness however I just don't think this horse is going as well as it can. Although he has a solid strike rate at the track 4: 1-3-0, I can't see him finishing in front of the short priced favourite Plus Fours.
Plus Fours produced a strong overall last start figure and with Damian Lane going on strikes at 22% when riding at Pakenham and has a 23% strike rate when combining with Stokes will make this runner extremely hard to beat.
Pakenham: Race 3; #7 Hot Gospel 
Gymkhana was put through the fence (not literally) last start in a harder race than this at Flemington, his ratings prior were as good as anything in this race and goes from A.Lynch to D.Lane. Taking on Hot Gospel, who ran well enough on debut, the recent Tatura trial was good but I think her two main rivals have equal amounts of ability and both have the race fitness edge on her.
Wyong: Race 5; #6 Diamond Lucy
Having not won when first-up in two attempts, I am happy to risk this runner at the price with jockey Brock Ryan striking at just 4% his last 50 rides.
GREYHOUNDS
Sandown: Race 6; #4 Hector Frawley
Hector Fawley may be below his best at the moment. He has been raced sparingly so he may have had an issue. He meets some dogs here who are in great form with plenty of match practice lately including Elite Alex and Shima Current. From Box 4 here he may not be able to keep up early and then your relying on his powerful finishing burst and I would want to see him get back to his best before I start backing him, so I'm going to lay in this event.
Sandown: Race 8; #6 Mepunga Shine
Mepunga Shine returns from an interstate campaign at Albion Park and Wentworth Park where he competes in Group races. He didn't have much luck in both starts interstate but they were both tough runs. It's a lot to ask of him to come back and win a race in town on a Thursday night off Box 6. There is plenty of pace here and Silky Sauce could prove tough to navigate. Mepunga Shine is a Group 1 winner and he really should be clearing Flying Redeemer in the early stages, but if he doesn't Flying Redeemer could lay out on him and drive him mad which adds another negative variable to Mepunga Shine's chances of winning .
HARNESS
Cranbourne: Race 1; #9 Yering Solo
Yering Soho has won last 2 starts well when leading. Zero chance of leading here so we'll be taking on Soho.
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