Albion Park betting preview, best bets & quaddie picks | Thursday, 15/6/23
Albion Park is set to host 12 star studded races on Thursday night from 6:39PM local time. It's origin night where Queensland will host New South Wales in four cracking feature events including the group 3 Series Sprint (520m), group 3 Series Distance (710m) and Series Match Race. With over $400,000 of prize money once again on the table, it's a brilliant time to be racing in Queensland.
Best Bet: Jay Is Jay (Race 9)
Cracking edition of the 2023 Origin Series Match Race with Jay Is Jay (QLD) versus Simply Limelight (NSW). This is the fifth edition of this concept and it has grown each year to what it is today. Both states sit on two wins which makes this contest even more intriguing. Both competitors don't get the attention some other stars in this space get; however, that doesn't take away their ability. Both dogs have top accolades with Simply Limelight being the 2023 Golden Easter Egg winner and Jay Is Jay holding the current track record (29.35) at the Albion Park 520m. Both dogs are suited to the match racing concept as their only flaw under race conditions would be being amongst fields and seeking luck in the early stages. Jay Is Jay should be able to cross and lead Simply Limelight heading into the first corner and from there he will explode down the back. Expect Simply Limelight to eat into the margin late; however, be valiant in defeat. The race programmers deserve a round of applause as this race on paper is mouth watering and the track record will be under threat given good racing conditions.
Best Bet
Race 9 – 
Jay Is Jay (3)
Form: 524111 | Career: 24: 11-5-3 | Trainer: Selena Zammit
Next Best: Atomic Bill (Race 11)
Top leading trainer, Cyndie Elson has a strong hand across the card and has two key chances in the penultimate. Happy to side with the three-year-old son of Fernando Bale x Cyndie's Special, Atomic Bill who's drawn ideally in the cherry. He gets some much needed grade relief tonight having raced in open company against Queensland's superstar sprinter Jay Is Jay. He lost no admirers in both races as he battled on gamely and simply just wasn't up to the grade. The map tonight looks terrific for Atomic Bill with Farmor Power drawn directly outside him. This runner will be fresh off a couple of 431m runs at Ipswich and has shown a tendency to run off early. Expect him to run cover for Atomic Bill and he'll only need a touch of luck early to show his devastating turn of speed to lead heading out of the first turn with greyhound bookmakers paying $13.00 for the win.
Next Best
Race 11 – 
Atomic Bill (5)
Form: 113346 | Career: 34: 10-10-6 | Trainer: Cyndie Elson
Best Value: Targod Shirley (Race 1)
Open race to kick off proceedings with plenty of value to be had. Targod Shirley has recently been relocated to Queensland (QLD) from Victoria and will be looking to strike at start number three in the sunshine state. The three-year-old daughter of Cutting Edge x Spin That Wheel made her debut in QLD in a heat of the group 3 Dashing Corsair where she was able to flash home for fourth only beaten four lengths by Zipping Whiskey. This was a terrific effort as she was the despised outsider and was racing well out of her grade. Last start, she began on terms before being shuffled back to the rear. She took some time to wind up and flashed home late for third, beaten just under four lengths by Emerald Eyes who is the current favourite in this affair. Judging by the section's registers, Targod Shirley has run home some seven lengths quicker than Emerald Eyes which shows her true staying prowess. Tonight's race is equal in strength to her last start; however, she will have to contend with a middle draw this time and a full field which are the negatives. Despite this, she will be thundering home and with any luck could cause a boil over.
Best Value
Race 1 – Targod Shirley (5)
Form: 528643 | Career: 56: 5-7-8 | Trainer: Jamie Hosking
