The Gong Preview and Tips 23/11/24

The Gong might not be one of the many Group One races on the calendar, but it has Group One-level prize money, that's for sure. Also, after recently being granted Group Three status, we are seeing a lot more interest in the race. So, we thought we’d put together a tips article for The Gong for our readers!

The Gong is a newly introduced race that takes place each year at Kembla Grange Racecourse. In 2024, we see a capacity field of 16 runners line up and there’s a lot of quality in there, so we’re in for an excellent showing, if you ask me! Alon with The Gong on Saturday, we also have the Railway Stakes, which takes place in Ascot.

Lucky for you, my Saturday tips have just landed here at OnlyRacing. I’ve done the heavy lifting for you, going through each runner and analysing their chances of success come Saturday. In the end, I have five best bets for you, so there is something for every type of bettor out there.

Don’t think there will be a lot of speed in this one. Berkshire Shadow looks to have the barrier speed as well as the likes of Converge and Lion’s Roar, who will look to push forward. I reckon Steparty in particular will get into a good stalking position, thanks to a positive barrier draw.

The current equal favourites with PlayUp, Gringotts and Territory Express may very well run two different races. Gringotts has a little bit more early speed and should sit somewhere in the first half of the field. Territory Express, on the other hand, does his best work late and he’ll be looking to come through the field for a win.

Boy, I’ve surprised myself by tipping Territory Express as the best bet, he has burnt me before but I’m going to give him another chance (again!). It’s an open market for The Gong in 2024 and we see Territory Express currently the equal-favourite at odds of $4.80, thanks to our friends at PlayUp.

Territory Express has been good so far this prep but hasn’t graced the winner's stall. He was very unlucky in the Five Diamond Prelude two runs back, finishing second just 0.1L off the leader. Last time out in The Five Diamonds, the gelding was held up, yet still managed to race home, finishing just 1.5L off the winner, Pericles, in fifth.

I do like the look of Gringotts and I think the gelding will run a good race. I don’t think we are getting a lot of value for him though, considering he is not only carrying the top weight but jumps from a wide barrier. No winner of The Gong has carried more than 59kg so far in the history of the race.

In saying that, the 5YO has only missed the minor placing once so far in his 16-start career. He has won eight of those 16 races as well, so he is clearly a class horse and if anyone can overcome the curve balls thrown at him, it’ll be Gringotts. Gringotts is currently going around as the $5.00 equal favourite with Bet365.

Steparty almost got my vote for the safe bet in this one, but I think there’s a lot of value to be found with the gelding, so he slots in as my value bet. I’m seeing a lot of things that I like with Steparty, including the price, where he is currently going around with odds of $7.00, thanks to Dabble.

He rose through the grades quickly, winning his first five races before a third in the Group One Caulfield Guineas. That was a tough act to follow and in his next prep, he didn’t live up to the standards he had set. This prep, however, he has been gelded and looks back to his old self, including back-to-back third places at Group Two and then Group One level.

Lekvarte gets my vote as the danger for The Gong in 2024 and is the only mare to feature in my tips. We last saw the 6YO in a tough edition of the Group One Empire Rose Stakes where she finished sixth, 2.7L off the leader. In her run before that, she was a winner in the Group Two Angst Stakes.

At the time of writing, Lekvarte is paying $9.25 for the win in The Gong, with QuestBet. She has a decent record at the 1,600m and I think she’s been overlooked a bit in the market, but is certainly good enough for a top-three finish. Jockey Joshua Parr lines up with her once again and hopefully, the pair can make some magic.

Last but not least, Encap! The 4YO gelding slots in as by best roughie for The Gong and is currently going around with odds of $14, thanks to Bet Right. It took me a while to nail down Encap as there were a few others that I seriously considered. Encap gets my vote due to some of his more recent performances and he looks to be as fit as ever.

Last time out, Encap was racing in The Golden Eagle and he finished middle of the pack, 4L off the winner. It was this run earlier this prep, though, that got my attention. He won the Group Two Theo Marks Stakes in September. Encap draws a wide barrier, which is probably one of the reasons we’re getting double-digits, but he is fit so I’ll be having a small play.

All my The Gong horse racing tips and their odds can be found here:

Bookmaker	Tip	Odds
	Territory Express (win)	$4.80
	Gringotts (place)	$2.15
	Steparty (place)	$2.50
	Lekvarte (place)	$3.20
	Encap (place)	$4.20