Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wyong

An Annabel Neasham-trained blue blood will make her debut in the first of the rich Super Maidens at the Wyong Cup meeting on Friday.

Annabel Neasham saddles up the well-bred and talented Jawharat Dubai at Wyong on Friday.

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race at Wyong on Friday.

The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!

BEST BET

Race 5 No.13: JAWHARAT DUBAI

Lonhro half-sister to Pride Of Dubai on debut here in the Super Maiden off some super trials.

NEXT BEST

Race 3 No.1: JEDIBEEL

Rock solid every start so far; he nearly held off Dancing Alone at Kembla at his most recent one.

VALUE BET

Race 2 No.6: MISS ARTFIRE

Trained here. Been almost a year between runs but trials like a horse bound for better.

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella: Race 4 Nos. 3 & 4

QUADDIE

Race 5: 13

Race 6: 2,3,5,6

Race 7: 4,7,8,13,16

Race 8: 1,2

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Dylan Gibbons could potentially tally up enough points to take out the TAB Jockeys Challenge.

Dylan Gibbons has some good rides at Wyong on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Blackcomb is the seventh foal of Wakeful Stakes winner Rocha, also known as the dam of Dark Jewel winner Rocha Clock. All 18 of Blackcomb’s starts so far have been for Danny O’Brien – start 19 will be for Kris Lees who has done his bit by finding her the perfect race. Her danger could be her stablemate Oakfield Prince in the Bruce Mackenzie colours. This son of So You Think is ready for the mile again and barrier one might well see him in a very favourable spot throughout. Silkvakia has won from 1300m to 1850m but she’s pretty good at the mile.

Bet: Blackcomb to win

RACE 2

Miss Artfire hasn’t been seen since her even debut here on the Cup/Mona Lisa card in 2022. She has been in and out since then without racing again of course, but she looks primed for a big return on Friday off some really nice trials. That said, the market will tell the story better. You sense that 1350m is going to be perfect for Drialle who faded a wee-bit late over 1400m at Newcastle but to be fair to the horse, he drew 10 of 13. Monopoly Girl gives the distinct impression she is going to peak on Friday third off two closing seconds over 1200m this preparation.

Bet: Miss Artfire to win

RACE 3

Jedibeel is a Savabeel four-year-old from the Brad Widdup camp whose record thus far is a win, two seconds and a third from only four starts. Couple of points to make. Firstly, when he won, he bolted in and secondly, those placings were in deep races. How about that last start second to Dancing Alone for instance. Jedibeel has drawn, where his maiden rival (IMHO) has drawn 12. That’s Betsy’s Flag, the Astern mare who ran them off their legs to win at Hawkesbury at her first run for Joe Pride. remains a huge player. Speedy filly Tracy’s Spirit (box four) is a market watch.

Bet: Jedibeel to win, exacta 1 to beat 3

RACE 4

French Endeavour has drawn six of eight and eight of nine at Hawkesbury on Saturday so trainer Matthew Smith has a decision to make. This one looks the harder of the two (maybe) but most of these other trainers would be desperately hoping Smith saves her for Saturday. Razors didn’t win by far when he won but there was some authority in the win and on top of that, it was here at Wyong. Only needed another stride and he wins at Hawkesbury after that. J-Mac, barrier four – tick, tick. Peace Officer is a million times more talented than his 62 rating. There’s a decent race in this horse.

Bet: French Endeavour to win, quinella 3,4

RACE 5

Jawharat Dubai blew like a tornado in early betting, admittedly Balkans went up $11 and should have always been closer to $3. Always have to respect the market but if you’re going on trials, breeding and looks and barrier draw, Jawharat Dubai is even stevens with Balkans. Just a little note for the pedigree buffs, Jawharat Dubai is out of the stakes-winning Danehill mare Al Anood who is herself the mother of Pride Of Dubai. Balkans, also by Lonhro has been trialling the house down and gets all the favours from gate two and McDonald. Best of the rest are Dreambender and maybe the huge longshot Ahead Of The Game.

Bet: Jawharat Dubai to win, quinella 4,13

RACE 6

Olentia may well be saved for the Tramway at Randwick on Saturday. Me? I think Randwick suits her better than Wyong from a wide draw but got her on top both venues myself given her Winx-like win first-up. It would be no surprise to see Short Shorts run these mares off their collective legs. You should have seen her when she won the 1400m Provincial Championship Qualifier at Kembla! If she does that around here, good night to all. Wollombi is set for a very lucrative campaign in her four-year-old season. If something charges late, and it is not Olentia, it will likely be Wollombi or maybe even Speak Up.

Bet: Olentia to win or id scratched Short Shorts to win, Wollombi each-way, Speak Up to place

RACE 7

Hosier’s last four of his 17 career starts have been for Mark Minervini and each one was better the last, all in good races too. The son of Camelot was monumentally emphatic when he won the Premier’s Cup last start at Randwick. He really put a gap in them with a well-timed sprint at the end of the 2000m. You would imagine 2100m is perfect for him, same jockey, and I can’t see why Wyong wouldn’t suit him so long as the luck goes his way early. Bois D’Argent was closing fast when third to Hosier in the Cup. How about this for a stat? Bois D’Argent has finished on the podium at 17 of his 19 starts. Amazing.

Bet: Hosier to win, quinella 4,7

RACE 8

Flying Destiny is from the in-form Michael Freedman stable. This son of Flying Artie has been the very model of consistency evidenced by his CV of two wins, three seconds and a third from just the half dozen outings. Keagan Latham reads the horse like a book and why wouldn’t they get the gun run (again) from barrier two on Friday? De Poet is a fast horse. He broke his maiden at this same venue back in March. If we had been on a Heavy track, he’s your horse. Major Murphy is never far away.

Bet: Flying Destiny to win

Originally published as Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wyong