Betting tips / Mathew Thompson / 30 August 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now

Grafton hosts a whopping ten races today to keep the punters busy as they count down to stellar race programs in both Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday.

The track is rated a slow seven with the weather fine for this Tuesday galloping marathon.

Best bet: R6 #10 Silencio

This lightly-raced daughter of Anabaa has tasted defeat just once in her career.

That was back in March when trainer Brett Dodson took her to the big smoke to contest a no metropolitan win race over 1250 metres at Canterbury. She started at 11-2 before being beaten by five-lengths and immediately spelled. That form is more than acceptable for a Tuesday country meeting.

Silencio had won by two lengths at each of her previous starts over 1000 and 1200 metres respectively at her home track at Grafton.

Put plainly, this four-year-old mare should be too progressive for her rivals. She has drawn the rails and jockey Matthew Bennett will most likely lead and control the speed. The current second and third favourites in this race have each had 30 starts.

The only slight concern might be the slow track, but considering the fine conditions, don't be surprised to see the Grafton surface race closer to dead than slow for the second half of the card.

First-up at 1000 metres, Silencio looks a good thing at around $3 on Betfair.

Next best: R9 #3 Cheer 'n Cheers

Another lightly-raced type that has recorded two wins and a second from eight race starts, Cheer 'n Cheers steps up marginally in grade to a benchmark 55 after winning by nearly four lengths at this same track and distance on August 20. The very slight class from a BM50 is offset by a half-kilo drop in weight.

Another on-pace runner, jockey Matt Paget will need a hint of luck to cross from barrier nine, but providing things go right in the first furlong, the John Sheldon-prepared son of Lago Delight should prove too strong at around $4 on the exchange.