Best bets and inside mail for Scone and Wagga on Monday, February 17, 2025

Racenet form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selections and inside mail for Scone and Wagga on Monday.

Aaron Bullock has some outstanding winning prospects at Scone on Monday. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Racenet form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selections and inside mail for Scone and Wagga on Monday.

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SCONE TIPS

BEST BET
Race 2 No.9 SHUTTER: Ran a good deal better than it looks at the first two. Has talent.

NEXT BEST
Race 5 No.5 BRILLIANT KNIGHT: Dundeel colt who will relish the 1400m and (much) more.

VALUE
Race 3 No.5 ARAMBYS: Made ground in a solid race here last start. Getting close again.

QUADDIE
Race 4: 3,4
Race 5: 5.6.10
Race 6: 2,3,4
Race 7: 1,3,4

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Aaron Bullock will be short odds to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge

SCONE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 4: Country Boosted Benchmark 58 (1600m)

ZUCCHERO (4), who is bred on the same cross as Doncaster winner Celestial Legend, made his Messara/Gavranich stable debut (gelded too) on Feb 3 at Muswellbrook, justifying his $1.24 SP with an easy win. Steps to the mile quick enough in a much, much harder race; that’s all. NEED A MIRACLE (3) has been hitting the line well, in his last anyway, and is one for one here at Scone. GREAT POINT (2) has a fabulous record at the home track.

BET: ZUCCHERO (4) to win.

RACE 5: Maiden Plate (1400m)

BRILLIANT KNIGHT (5) is an Arrowfield Stud bred son of Dundeel lining-up in the Arrowfield Maiden Plate; not just a fitting race name, it is in fact the perfect scenario for the gelding who was powering through the line on debut at Tamworth over 1200m. PHAZED (10) is a three-quarter-sister to Verry Elleegant. Only going to get better in time but starts this new campaign off two trials, the last one was a beauty. Stablemate and blueblood CALL ME MAGNIFIQUE (6) is trialling well.

BET: BRILLIANT KNIGHT (5) to win, quinella 5,10 Daily Double 1st Leg 5, 2nd Leg 1.

RACE 6: Class 4 (1200m)

SIR REMLAP (4) is $8 to win the Country Championship Final at HQ on April 5. This race here and now is essentially a warm-up for the Qualifier at Tamworth on March 9. Every run has been a good one so far, in fact, you’d have to go as far as to say ‘great run’ and none better than his most recent. Brett Cavanough has three at the top of the order here and all have claims. HELLCIBELL (2) can run time and will be handy in transit. POINT BASSE (3) is 3 wins and a second from 4 here at home.

BET: SIR REMLAP (4) to win, trifecta 4 (standout), 2,3,7 (boxed).

RACE 7: Benchmark 58 (1000m)

SARATOGA POWER (1) has 2 wins and 2 thirds from 5 runs. One of the thirds was to Clear Thinking here at Scone when both were on debut. For the record, he got beaten eight-lengths. Spelled after an honourable fifth in a Highway at HQ in the spring. PLAY MY SONG (3) is ‘421’ in three runs for Rodney Northam and two weeks ago was an emphatic winner of a good-looking Benchmark 58. BORROWED LUCK (4) is 3 from 32 but one win was first-up and he hasn’t always had much luck.

BET: SARATOGA POWER (1) to win.

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WAGGA TIPS

BEST BET
Race 1 No.5 TURN LEFT: Debuts off a brilliant trial at home in Canberra recently.

NEXT BEST
Race 8 No.7 MISS MIKKI ISLE: Her form reads ‘superior’ to the opposition.

VALUE
Race 2 No.11 DARN HOT MISS: Has done more to impress than most others here.

WAGGA INSIDE MAIL

RACE 5: Class 1 Handicap (1300m)

LIGHT INFANTRY (2) is the 11th foal of Kisma whose offspring include the likes of Red Tracer, Shellscrape and Counterattack. This son of Snitzel aims to snap a sequence of three seconds, two at Orange, one at Dubbo. and all by pretty much ‘inches’ each time. HELLBERG (1) has two giant factors willing him to a potential victory today, namely barrier 1 and Blaike McDougall. GURU TWO (3) is a handy horse; this is the ideal race for him.

BET: LIGHT INFANTRY (2) to win.

RACE 6: Benchmark 58 (1600m)

NOTES (2) has a win and four placings from his only six starts for Scott Spackman. His only unplaced run was a sixth at Riverside to subsequent Highway winner, Urafiki. Notes beat Big Time Charlie at Albury last start in a quality Benchmark 58. If you like Notes then you have to fancy BIG TIME CHARLIE (9) as a danger off their Jan 20 clash. LADY REVOLUTION (12) is consistent and in pretty respectable Class 1s lately.

BET: NOTES (2) to win, quinella 2,9, trifecta 2,5,9,12 (boxed), DD 1st Leg 2, 2nd Leg 7.

RACE 7: Class 4 (1200m)

CAMBAR (7) is $26 to win the Country Champs Final. Trained by 2022 Final winner Gary Colvin, Cambar won his first three starts, culminating in a TAB Highway at Rosehill. Had the let-up since a solid fifth to Sir Remlap in a Dec 28 Highway. Drawn to win now. BURRANDANA (1) is a light on starts for a 6YO but big of talent; he’s an out and out barnstormer this horse and is purpose built for the Wagga 1200m.

BET: CAMBAR (7) to win, KEIKOKU (14) to place. Quinella 1,7, trifecta 1,2,7,14.

RACE 8: Benchmark 58 (1000m)

MISS MIKKI ISLE (7) has an overall record of 4 starts for a win, 2 seconds and a third. Her record at the track and distance is 3 runs for a win, a second and a third. Nick Heywood is 2 rides one win, one second on her. The win was a four-lengths thrashing where she ran 56.83s, 33.40s for the 1000m and last 600m respectively. EXALTED DENNIS (10) creates a lot of interest off that trial and has a second to Bianco Vilano at this venue.

BET: MISS MIKKI ISLE (7) to win, EXALTED DENNIS (10) to place, exacta 7 to beat 10.

Originally published as Best bets and inside mail for Scone and Wagga on Monday, February 17, 2025