Muswellbook Monday tips, inside mail: Dale’s chippin’ away for part-owner Matt Damon

Dale, the horse part-owned by Hollywood superstar Matt Damon, can take centre stage at Muswellbrook on Monday as he zeroes in on his first career win.

Actor Matt Damon will be hoping the horse he part-owns, Dale, can break his maiden at Muswellbrook on Monday.

Racenet form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selection, quaddie picks plus jockey to follow for Muswellbrook on Monday.

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MUSWELLBROOK TIPS

BEST BET
Race 2 No.6 DALE
A whisker off winning last start. Same draw, same jockey today.

NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.7 HELL OF A LAD
Only improved with each run last preparation. Market watch essential

VALUE
Race 7 No.11 IN SPADES
Won the Red Crown here as a 2YO. In great form again.

QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,2,4,7
Race 5: 7,9
Race 6: 1,2,5,12,14
Race 7: 1,11

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Aaron Bullock is edging closer to 1,000 wins; 151 of them are at Muswellbrook.

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MUSWELLBROOK INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: Class 1 Handicap (900m)

QUEEN OF A HAND (7) had her first five starts for John O’Shea and Tom Charlton and none of them were out-right bad. Still, she probably didn’t scream ‘midweeker’ so she was moved on. Enter Glen Milligan who bought her for $19,000 online in November and picked up $19,575 in 45.68s when she won first time out for the new regime. Harder here but can win again. Ditto that last bit for KANTISHNA (5) who ran a blistering time to win by a substantial margin at Tamworth. SAPPHIRE KISS (4) is a Wyong 1100m winner.

Bet: Queen Of A Hand to win, quinella 5,7.

RACE 2: Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1450m)

DALE (6) is more famous for his owner – actor Matt Damon – than his ability. Dale has more or less played a supporting role in his four starts but he almost stole the show last start when beaten by the barest possible margin in a 1600m Maiden here. Drawn 4 again and Bullock again. XERXES (7) turned in an honourable debut third of 14 in a Tamworth Maiden over 1200m. He is by American Pharoah so 1450m suits. SUNSET PANORAMA (10) remains winless after 21 but always raced well here at home.

Bet: Dale to win (best bet), exacta 6.7, box trifecta 1,6,7,10.

RACE 3: Country Boosted Class 1 Handicap (1450m)

PENSATIVA (7) wears the same colours as – and is a direct relation to – the late Guy Walter’s four times Group 1 winner Streama. This particular filly is trained at Scone by Lou Mary. Pensativa’s first two starts were both sevenths but eye-catchers and in the Miss Finland Stakes (here) and then in a very strong Woodlands Stakes. As you’d expect, being an Impending filly, she is starting to come good now. Could lose a fair few of these by post time but other chances include THE FAVORITE SON (3), NIGHT PATRA (2) and RICH STREET (8).

Bet: Pensativa to win.

RACE 4: Benchmark 58 (1250m)

HELL OF A LAD (7) boasts a fascinating pedigree. His first two dam-sires both ran in a Golden Slipper, namely Hinchinbrook and Flying Spur, while his third dam sire was the Champion New Zealander (Mr) McGinty. By the way, Hell Of A Lad’s fifth dam is Ajax. As for ‘the Lad’ himself, he was 321 in his first preparation. Market the ultimate guide with him today. Gerry Harvey’s mare CHIDIAC (2) is unbeaten in her two starts, both at Quirindi. Commands respect. ZAHDI (4) has a good draw. TAPA KICK (1) hasn’t missed a place in 10 starts!

Bet: Hell Of A Lad to win, box trifecta 1,2,4,7.

RACE 5: Maiden Handicap (1000m)

SHERIFF’S STAR (9) was third on debut to Dumebi at Kembla which he followed with a fourth at Scone (too far back) and a fifth at Hawkesbury to Darling Downs. That all reads pretty well for a country maiden, more so when you factor in two fantastic trials at Rosehill last month. STARSARISE (7) contested two uncommonly strong country maidens at her first prep and ran rather well in both. Well bred type, ‘Cav’ trains, Mikayla Weir rides. MONEY TEAM (1), a $1 million yearling bought as a tried horse in May for $55,000, won a Rosehill trial on December 10 for Brad Widdup.

Bet: Sheriff’s Star to win, Daily Double 1st Leg (9), 2nd Leg (11).

RACE 6: Maiden Handicap (1280m)

THURSAIN (14) has raced twice, both times finishing fourth, either side of a spell but notably in very strong Scone Maidens. HINUNE (5) has accepted for a wafer-thin Maiden at Duddo on Tuesday where she drew a lot better than she has here. Given both of those fillies could be absent, it could open the way for SPEED OF GOLD (2) to turn a ‘last’ into a ‘first’ but keep in mind, that ‘last’ was a Canterbury debut behind Tuileries no less. Expect much better today.

Bet: Thursain to win or if scratched Hinune to win or if scratched, Speed Of Gold each-way.

RACE 7: Benchmark 82 (1000m)

IN SPADES (11) lines-up for the 12th time here at his home track at Muswellbrook on Monday. In that space, he has won twice and placed twice. In fact, he broke his Maiden at Muswellbrook winning the covered Red Crown as a 2YO. In Spades hasn’t always enjoyed the best of luck in the time since but he can really unleash when circumstances permit. AKAKA FALLS (1) has got very solid city and provincial form; so much so that he rates 25 benchmark points above In Spades. Not sure that there is as much as that between in terms of a gamble today. YUKAN ROSE (6) is mighty fast.

Bet: In Spades each-way.

Originally published as Muswellbook Monday tips, inside mail: Dale’s chippin’ away for part-owner Matt Damon