Horse racing fans across the globe are in for a treat in April, with the upcoming calendar packed with a plethora of top-class races.
Australia gets the ball rolling with the Australian Derby at Randwick Racecourse on April 5 and bettors will be falling over themselves to wager on the race.
Respected pundits who provide the best horse racing tips in Australia have already started to predict who they think will emerge victorious in the $2 million showpiece.
The race will be the precursor to what promises to be a hectic month of betting on horse racing. With that in mind, here are our best horse racing tips for April 2025.
Australian Derby – Randwick Racecourse – April 5
Willydoit is on course to attempt a Derby double at Royal Randwick before joining leading Australian trainer Ciaron Maher’s all-conquering stable.
The New Zealand Derby winner was originally scheduled to join Maher after that race, but he will remain with current trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy.
Mongolian Khan is the only horse since the turn of the 21st century to complete the New Zealand-Australian Derby double in 2015.
Wiilydoit looks a good bet to add his name to add his name to that select list after impressing with the manner of his victory at Ellerslie Racecourse earlier this month.
Dubai World Cup – Meydan Racecourse – April 5
Attention will switch to the United Arab Emirates after the Australian Derby is run as the prestigious Dubai World Cup is run at Meydan Racecourse later the same day.
With connections of wide-margin 2024 winner Laurel River deciding to swerve the race, the path is clear for Japanese raider Forever Young to claim victory.
He was a gritty winner of the Saudi Cup on his most recent outing, and is difficult to oppose now Laurel River has been withdrawn from the line-up.
Imperial Emperor will likely be the main threat to Forever Young at Meydan, but it would be a major surprise if he is able to upset the odds.
Dubai Turf – Meydan Racecourse – April 5
Forever Young broke plenty of hearts in the Saudi Cup when he battled back to claim a thrilling victory over one of the most popular racehorses in the world.
Romantic Warrior has won a ton of Group 1 turf races during his illustrious career, and looked set to add another to his tally when making his competitive debut on dirt.
He stormed into the lead around the final term at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, but was unable to resist Forever Young’s late surge in the final furlong.
The seven-year-old will switch back to his favourite surface in the Dubai Turf and is impossible to oppose under Sydney-based jockey James McDonald.
Grand National – Aintree Racecourse – April 5
The three-day Grand National meeting at Aintree Racecourse is one of the biggest betting events of the year in the United Kingdom.
The long-distance Grand National steeplechase on the final day is the standout race and always attracts a flurry of wagers from experienced and novice bettors.
Owner JP McManus believes Iroko is his best chance of winning the race from his several entries and he knows what it takes to claim victory in the National.
Jockey Jonjo O’Neill Jr recorded a couple of noteworthy wins at the recent Cheltenham Festival and can add another big-race success to his CV at Aintree.
Sydney Cup – Randwick Racecourse – April 12
Vauban initially made his name with his exploits in the UK and Ireland, before making two failed attempts to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse.
He was purchased by Australian connections last November and recently made a winning start to life in Australia with an eye-catching performance at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.
Adrian Bott, who now trains Vauban alongside Gai Waterhouse, has already confirmed that the horse will try to make it third-time lucky in ‘the race that stops the nation’ later this year.
The Sydney Cup at Randwick is one of Vauban’s short-term targets and he is good bet to add another victory to his tally on April 12.
