Scone races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail

Scone trainer Brett Cavanough needs three winners at his home track to hit 1000 and if everything goes to plan he could bring up the milestone in the last race.

Brett Cavanough could reach 1000 winners at Scone on Sunday. Picture: AAP

Trainer Brett Cavanough has given himself a realistic chance of reaching the milestone of 1000 winners on Sunday at his home track.

Cavanough has inched his way closer to four figures with a series of “singles” in recent times but could potentially clear the boundary thanks to the depth and talent of his scheduled Scone runners.

A Kosciuszko-winning trainer and five-times Champion NSW Country Trainer, Cavanough is headquartered in the nation’s horse capital as well as hosting a satellite stable at Ballina.

Cavanough’s first winner came at Wodonga, a stone’s throw away from his first base at Albury.

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!

“I was pretty lucky when I started training down south, there were a couple of big lures to chase, the Freyer stable and the Brian Cox stable, they were just dominant forces,’’ Cavanough said.

“I sort of got in their slipstream a bit and when I saw what they were doing, that’s what I wanted to do.’’

Training winners, almost 1000 of them, requires a mix of quality and quantity, the more of the latter the better.

“You have to have scale and a couple of trips I’ve had overseas, it’s all about scale,’’ Cavanough said.

“You go to any of those places around the world, the leading trainers have all got numbers.

“I love big numbers and hard work I guess and the reward is a lot of winners.

“Just keep (the horses) in their grade and if they are good enough, the cream will rise to top.’’

Cavanough saddles up seven runners in five races at Scone on Sunday and could easily be on 998 after the first thanks to the presence of first starter Hayaku and the Grand Syndicates filly, Choice Harvest.

Hayaku, a badly-faced son of Flying Artie, was hugely impressive winning a 1000m heat at Muswellbrook on July 30 by two lengths with Australia’s Leading Jockey for the 2022/23 season Aaron Bullock on board.

“Hayaku did everything right in his trial, Aaron was pretty impressed with it, so that sort of gives a heads-up there,’’ Cavanough said.

“He has a had a lot of preps and has been in and out of work a lot so he is fit and ready to go.’’

Stablemate Choice Witness, meanwhile, was a somewhat luckless fourth when she made her home town debut on July 20.

“They wanted to blame the ride, I blamed that she was a bit green,’’ Cavanough said.

“She has recovered well and is going to be spaced in between her runs so I expect her to run well.’’

Aaron Bullock rides Hayaku for Brett Cavanough in the first race at Scone. Picture: Getty Images

Cavanough will use Sunday’s meeting as an opportunity to unveil three of the stable’s blue-blooded debutantes namely Point Basse, Apparently and Too Many Stars.

Too Many Stars is a daughter of All Too Hard and boasts the great Toltrice as her fifth dam.

“She was a bit frail to run early so we just gave her that bit of time for a three-year-old prep and hopefully she can go on to something bigger in the spring,’’ Cavanough said.

“She’s no slouch either.’’

If Cavanough happens to be on 999 heading into the last, it will be up to the Highway-placed Baradas to bring it home.

“He just wants to get his toe in the ground and everywhere I go it is firm,’’ Cavanough said.

“We could be firm here on Sunday but there’s showers predicted and that’s why I nominated and accepted.

“We claim a couple of kilos him so he looks well placed.’’

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No.1: HAYAKU

Looked the part winning his trial by two lengths at Muswellbrook. At home here with Bullock on board.

NEXT BEST

Race 4 No.5: OUTISHKA

Locally-trained filly who set the scene for this with a near nine-length trial win. Placed on debut in a hot maiden here.

VALUE BET

Race 5 No.7: THIEF BY NIGHT

Flashy gelding who could run over the top of them and onto the podium fresh at the right track.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 5

Race 5: 2,3,7

Race 6: 3,7,12

Race 7: 1,2,5

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Aaron Bullock can fly out of the blocks with a win in the opener aboard Hayaku.

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Hayaku is a baldly-faced son of Flying Artie who showed pace – and was very strong through the line too – when he won a 1000m trial at Muswellbrook on July 30. Aaron Bullock rode him that day and not at all surprisingly, but obviously very heartening to see that he will be there again for the debut. Super Story has placed at four of his six starts, he has placed at three of four here at home and has some genuine excuses at Tamworth (shoe off etc). Choice Witness should have finished closer and higher up the order here on debut.

Bet: Hayaku to win

RACE 2

Clovelly has drawn nine of nine here as opposed to barrier one at Hawkesbury on Tuesday with Mitchell Bell booked. Assuming the horse is absent, it would certainly open the door for the Brett Cavanough-trained Yirrakala who will very much enjoy coming back home to race and the drop back in distance. Klum won on debut here at Scone in a 900m maiden on June 30 then went down to Goulburn and was beaten a neck in a 1200m Benchmark 58. This looks within her reach. Emerald Cut was a Gosford winner on debut last prep.

Bet: Clovelly to win but if scratched, Yirrkala to win

RACE 3

Modern Millie has won once in her 24 starts but she could just as easily be a multiple city winner. All indications are that the granddaughter of Galileo peaks on Sunday while third-up after a last-start fourth at Kembla over 1400m. Might get all the favours from the draw too. No excuses. Fine Example has started $21 and $61 at her two starts this time and has run accordingly. Just a hunch, but she might be better than that and could maybe do more here at the mile. Ideel Hero is a last-start Wyong winner at this trip. Omians has claims.

Bet: Modern Mille to win, Fine Example to place

RACE 4

Outishka is a very fast horse. That much is plain given that she won her July 30 heat at Muswellbrook by the best part of nine lengths beating Ezekeil and co in 57.70sec for the 1000m. Take note that she was spelled to be given time after her debut third here to Once Again My Girl no less. Cauvery is a Sepoy replica who flashed up late on her trial at Gosford. Big watch on the market. Apparently will be better later and over longer but ought to be running on at the end.

Bet: Outishka to win, Cauvery each-way, exacta 5 to beat 12, quinella 5,12

RACE 5

Thief By Night is a flashy chestnut like a lot of the males in his family (Star Witness, Starcraft, Made Of Gold), this Sam Kavanagh-trained gelding drew 14 of 14 one day at Port Mac, got back and ran right over the top of them to win his maiden. Trialled twice and was never, ever, put under any pressure. Golden Fighter, an equally flashy chestnut, has a favourable draw which could potentially, in fact, likely see him in the first three. Major player. Sightseer has no jockey at time of writing this preview.

Bet: Thief By Night each-way, Daily Double 1st leg (7), 2nd leg (1)

RACE 6

Domain Gardens could be the black booker out of the meeting. Rest assured that John Sargent would be thinking Oaks with her. She is by Savabeel out of a half-sister to Eclipse Stakes winner and Dubai World Cup runner-up Mukhadram. She is going to be running on it is just a matter of how many she gets past on the day. The other very nice three-year-old filly mid to longer term prospect is Too Many Stars who is a Brett Cavanough-trained descendant of Toltrice. Stablemate Point Basse is a watch.

Bet: Domain Gardens to win, Too Many Stars each-way, quinella 12.14, exacta 12 to beat 14

RACE 7

Barradas is a Brett Cavanough-trained galloper, if you have read the story above, you will know that Cav is on 997 winners, or was coming into the meeting. My point being, there is a chance that he will be on 999 with Barradas charged to take him to 1000. The horse’s Highway form says he can do it, the claim helps, a Soft track would seal the deal. Leggy Point gets back but can unleash. Master of Rewards is handy on his day. So too Musical Affair and Shikanic.

Bet: Barradas to win

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