Rockhampton tips, top odds & quaddie | The Archer Day 2023
| What | The Archer Day |
| Where | Rockhampton Racecourse – Reaney St, North Rockhampton QLD 4701 |
| When | Sunday, April 30, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:24pm AEST |
The Central Queensland Amateur Racing Club will host a very competitive eight-race card at Rockhampton Racecourse this Sunday afternoon, highlighted by The Archer. The track is currently rated a Soft 5, but with no rain on the forecast for Saturday and Sunday, we expect to be racing on a perfect Good surface for the entire program. The rail will be in the +2.5m position for the whole circuit, with racing set to get underway at 12:24pm AEST.
The Archer Tip: Startantes
The feature event is a 1300m slot-race for the sprinters, with $750,000 on the line. The Robert Heathcote-trained Startantes was very good in the Listed Ascot Quality Handicap last start at Eagle Farm on April 15. This four-year-old mare will be second-up on Sunday afternoon coming through the Ascot Quality Handicap, where she clocked the fastest last 600m of the entire meeting at Eagle Farm. Stepping up to 1300m should suit this daughter of Star Turn who won the Group 1 Tattersalls Tiara over 1400m at the back end of the last Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. This girl has drawn barrier 17, but with five emergencies in the race and some scratchings to come out, she will get into barrier 12 at the very least. James Orman will have his first ride on this mare, and if he can settle her at the rear of the field before pulling wide and use all the space down the Rockhampton straight, Startantes should be running home strong over the top of the leaders late.
The Archer
Race 7 – 
#11 Startantes (17)
4yo Mare | T: Robert Heathcote | J: James Orman (57kg)
Best Bet at Rockhampton: Deep Breath
The third race of the day is a 1600m Open Handicap, where we will be siding with the Nick Walsh-trained Deep Breath. The six-year-old gelding comes off a close second behind Age Of Innocence, before winning his last race over Scappose at Mackay last start over 1300m on April 11. He has a very good record at the track and distance, recording one win and one placing from three starts, while he also has a very good record of three wins and a placing from five starts at the 1600m. This son of Choisir is coming off a nice win as a long odds-on favourite, and now that he rises to 1600m, where he has won a third of his cares throughout his career, this race appears to come up at a perfect time third-up. Ryan Wiggins has ridden this guy at both starts this preparation and has chosen to stick on Sunday. If Wiggins can get Deep Breath to jump well and settle outside the leader, he should prove too good for this field in the concluding stages.
Best Bet
Race 3 – 
#1 Deep Breath (7)
6yo Gelding | T: Nick Walsh | J: Ryan Wiggins (60kg)
Next Best at Rockhampton: Villa Villekulla
The $75,000 Fitzroy Open will be the consolation race for The Archer. We will be siding with the Nick Walsh-trained Villa Villekulla, who will be looking to improve his record to nine wins from 24 starts. This six-year-old gelding carried 60kg last start over 1100m and was just beaten by Age Of Innocence; however, in this race on Sunday, he will meet that horse 6kg better off in the weights, only having to carry 54kg. The race favourite, Ucalledit, is also first emergency in The Archer, so if he gets into that race with one scratching, that will vastly improve Villa Villekulla’s chances. Samantha Collett will have her first ride on this son of Kuroshio, and if she can get him to bounce and hold a prominent position upon settling, Villa Villekulla should get the run of the race and prove too strong for this field.
Next Best
Race 6 – 
#7 Villa Villekulla (1)
6yo Gelding | T: Nick Walsh | J: Samantha Collett (54kg)
Next Best Again at Rockhampton: Better Rain
The fifth race of the day will be a QTIS 3YO Handicap over 1100m, where Better Rain from the Tom Smith yard looks to be a great bet after running fourth in the $500,000 QTIS Jewel at Doomben on March 18 last start. This three-year-old gelding has finished in the top two 11 times from his 15 starts, and he has never finished outside the top two at Rockhampton over 1100m. Even though this son of Better Than Ready will be off a six-week freshen on Sunday, and given he entered the QTIS Jewel of a four-week break, we are not worried about the gap between runs. Les Tilley has ridden this gelding at 13 of his 15 starts, so he will know Better Rain well and have him in the best possible position to record his fifth career win.
Next Best Again
Race 5 – 
#2 Better Rain (4)
3yo Gelding | T: Tom Smith | J: Les Tilley (58.5kg)
Sunday quaddie tips for The Archer Day
Rockhampton quadrella selections
Sunday, April 30, 2023
- 1-2-3-8
- 1-2-3-7
- 3-5-8-11
- 2-3-7-10-12
Investment: $320 for 100%