Gundagai races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail

Gary Colvin heads to Gundagai in search of a double with a lightly-raced seven-year-old and a mare on debut.

Gary Colvin sends two runners to Gundagai on Sunday

Country Championship winner Another One is both ready and able to add the Kosciuszko to his resume if and when he gets the call-up.

Gundagai-bound trainer Gary Colvin is naturally eager for the newly announced Kosciuszko slot-holders to select Another One in this year’s $2m feature on Everest day, October 14.

“Everyone is keeping pretty quiet but they do forget,’’ Colvin said.

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“He just wasn’t at his best when he had a go at the Kosciuszko last year. That’s when we had all those floods here and he was never, ever right.

“He has had a jumpout and Danny Beasley was very, very impressed with him. He will be riding him of course if he gets in the Kosciuszko.

“Another One will trial at Wagga (next Saturday) and he may go to Randwick on Epsom day for the 1200m Benchmark 94.’’

Colvin’s immediate focus will shift to Gundagai on Sunday where the Wagga-based trainer is represented by the lightly-raced seven-year-old Bubbler and first starter Kurokaren.

Four-year-old mare Kurokaren sent out some encouraging signs ahead of her debut in this weekend’s 1000m maiden when a close third in her Wagga trial 10 days ago.

“She is pretty quick so we expect to be up there in the firing line,’’ Colvin said.

“You have got to get a decent barrier at Gundagai because it is a very tight turning track so (barrier five) makes it a bit easier there for her.

“She’s not very big. She’s a sister to a horse called Kurocaine that we had who used to go pretty good.’’

Gary Colvin is eager to send a reminder of Another One’s Kosciuszko credentials.

Stablemate Bubbler, meanwhile, boasts some compelling numbers to suggest he can play a role in the Darby Wood Memorial Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m).

The son of former Riverina stalwart stallion Zariz has visited Gundagai twice, returning home with a second and third.

On top of that, Bubbler has raced over 1400m no less than seven times with two seconds and two thirds to show for his efforts.

Granted, Bubbler was underwhelming when he resumed at Wagga on August 31 ago where he managed to beat just one other horse home in the field of 13.

“He will improve on that last run,’’ Colvin said.

“He probably won’t be at his best until he gets over a mile but he will be very competitive in that race on Sunday I think.

“He has had a hoof injury, like a quarter crack for a long time, and it has just been a nightmare to try and keep him going but he had a good spell this time and we have had no problems with him so touchwood, he just holds up.

“There are a few good races coming up that will suit him so I said to the owners, we will get him back in and we will have a bit of fun with him.’’

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No.11: TICKLEBELLY

Did enough in her two trials to suggest that she could be a force here on debut from the good alley.

NEXT BEST

Race 3 No.1: PRETTY VEGAS

Placed here at her only visit; ran well in a Randwick Highway last start and handles the slop.

VALUE BET

Race 6 No.5: TOUGH JAMES

Reliable type whose five career wins include two here at Gundagai. Gets through all conditions.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1,3,4,9

Race 5: 1,2,5,13

Race 6: 4,5,9

Race 7: 1

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Apprentice Ruby Haylock will ride leading chances Pretty Vegas and King Gutho for trainer Joe Cleary.

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Ticklebelly is trained by Mogo Magic’s trainer Scott Collings who led in a double at home at Goulburn on Friday. This filly is scheduled to make her debut in what looks a winnable race for her judging on what she showed in her trials last month. Kayla Nisbet is a big plus, so too – under normal circumstances – is barrier three at Gundagai. Kurokaren is another one having her first start. She has trialled up OK. Drawn well herself. Little Complicated has had a lot of chances but has done some good things at times in her 17 starts.

Bet: Ticklebelly to win

RACE 2

Wave Function is such a well-bred mare that it requires mention. She is by Savabeel while her third dam is the aptly-named Bravery who won the Queensland Oaks/Derby double in her era. Wave Function ran very well indeed at Narrandera first-up and the extra metres are perfect this time. Former Michael Freedman trained gelding State of Light will find this easier than his Warwick Farm, Newcastle and Kembla visits. Daicos is very close to a win. Better still, he is fast and has drawn box two.

Bet: Wave Function to win

RACE 3

Pretty Vegas rolled the dice in a TAB Highway at Randwick on August 19 and ran rather well. She raced handy and kept to the task late when probably on the worst part of the track that day. A Class 1 at Gundagai is considerably weaker of course, it will probably come down to how she handles the slop. Fil is a lightly-raced five-year-old whose record reads as six starts for a win and two thirds as well as a couple of fourths there too. First-up in a long time but he is with a very astute trainer and he has won on heavy going before.

Bet: Pretty Vegas to win, Fil to place

RACE 4

Garros is a nine-year-old son of the French Derby winner Lope De Vega and ticked over to 80 starts when we last saw him in action at Berrigan on August 26. That was where and when the Andrew Dale trained chestnut posted his 11th career win and just by a lazy (almost) eight lengths with 63kg on board. One more thing; he’s a mudder. Dubai Showgirl handed in the best performance of the preparation last start when a nose runner-up at Moruya on quite a decent Benchmark 58. The Triple Crown owned mare is no Redzel but like him, she handles wet.

Bet: Garros to win, exacta 1 to beat 4

RACE 5

Inveterate is a Nick Olive trained gelding by Deep Field who has been a fair bit costly for his followers. To be fair – and to put wagering aside – the horse has been quite consistent throughout the lifetime of his 11 starts. You just sense that he is going to get there one day, just wonder what barrier 12 means for him here (before scr). Old Newmarket is overdue. That much is plain given that he is a 16-start maiden. Thing is, he actually didn’t run too badly on the Acton last starts and the most inviting aspect to him is that his best runs so far have been on Heavy tracks. Yet Tobe A Cod was beaten a nose on a Heavy 8 at Wagga first-up.

Bet: Inveterate to win. Old Newmarket each-way

RACE 6

Tough James is somewhat appropriately-named in as much as he is outwardly quite genuine and mostly competitive. Sure, he has only won five from 45 but he has placed 12 times. The son of Al Maher has won on a firm track and a heavy track which not every horse can claim. No one knows him better than his rider Teighan Worsnop who takes 2kg off again. Lady Tabloid is one for one at Gundagai. As well as that, the Nick Olive trained daughter of Press Statement has raced five times on heavy for three seconds, Drawn well and is third-up. Bubbler is a big improver second-up here – at odds.

Bet: Tough James to win

RACE 7

King Gutho has as many fans as the man he is named after – that’s Clint Gutherson from Parra by the way. This is a decent test for the Joe Cleary-trained gelding, with the big weight on the big track and all, but he can carry weight and his record on heavy is good enough to say that it won’t be the track that beats him. Free State is another one that handles the wet well enough without being an outright mudlark. He won at Goulburn on August 14 and almost made it back-to-back wins in that Kembla race two weeks later.

Bet: King Gutho to win, exacta 1 to beat 2

Originally published as Gundagai races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail