Shayne O’Cass’s best bets and inside mail for Kembla Grange and Scone on Tuesday March 4, 2025

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets for Tuesday’s NSW meetings at Kembla Grange and Scone.

The Peter Snowden-trained Written Scandal looks well-placed at Kembla Grange on Tuesday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets for Tuesday’s NSW meetings at Kembla Grange and Scone.

Shayno thinks a Ron Quinton-trained filly can get the chocolates at a nice price in the fourth race at Kembla, where his best bet is a horse bound for better things.

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KEMBLA GRANGE TIPS

BEST BET
Race 5 No.7 WRITTEN SCANDAL: Runner-up to Winx’s sibling on debut, spelled, bolted in first-up.

NEXT BEST
Race 3 No.2 STRAWBERRY IMPACT: Handed in an impressive and encouraging debut. Sets up well.

VALUE

Race 4 No.7 SUPER NUI: Mixed and matched it in better Maidens than this one.

QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,2,7
Race 5: 2,3,7
Race 6: 5,8
Race 7: 3,5

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Tommy Berry will be hard to beat in the Jockeys Challenge

KEMBLA GRANGE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: Class 1 Handicap (1000m)

LOVE THE CUBE (1) has raced four times for a win, two seconds and a fourth. Nothing hit the line with any more gusto in that 900m Class 1 at Goulburn on Feb 11. He was fit enough that day but he’ll be fitter again of course, the extra 100m won’t hurt him and barrier 2 is a blessing. GHIELMI (4) is a particularly fast local who has drawn perfectly well in the middle gate. He could prove harder to pass this time. LISTINS LASS (6) showed plenty of desire to win at Scone first-up. Former Godolphin resident PRESIDES (2) creates a whole of interest here.

BET: LOVE THE CUBE (1) to win.

RACE 2: Maiden Plate (1000m)

NOBLE RUBY (7) is close relation to Sunlight so has a bit of value attached as a broodmare. Plenty of time before that happens, she’s only a 3YO with four starts under her belt; two of them rather good, the others less so. So far as Tuesday is concerned, she resumes at home off a lovely trial in a pretty skinny maiden by provincial standards. That being the case, the first starter Matthew Smith’s SHOW BUSINESS (8) might just have enough talent to beat them the first time out. Nice trialler.

BET: NOBLE RUBY (7) each-way, quinella 7,8.

RACE 3: Maiden Handicap (1500m)

STRAWBERRY IMPACT (2), like the aforementioned Love The Cube, is trained by Blake Ryan. This one is a very, very typical example of his sire, Pierata. A $100,000 yearling purchase, Strawberry Impact was getting closer and closer with every stride when fifth on debut over 1200m at Newcastle on Feb 15. Straight to 1500m might be the masterstroke. KHALS (1) was good on debut, a wee-bit disappointing the time after that, but stays under notice. This is doable for him from the good draw.

BET: STRAWBERRY IMPACT (2) to win.

RACE 4: Maiden Plate (1200m)

SUPER NUI (7) is a Ron Quinton-trained, Gall Bloodstock-owned filly in the Mamzelle Pedrille colours. This daughter of Super One has a second and a third from her five starts. The second was behind Gangsta Granny who ‘goes well’. The third was on Jan 25, first-up at Newcastle in a 900m Maiden where was a shade unlucky. Ready for 1200m now. NOW IS THE HOUR (1) has run a lot better than it looks in a lot better races than this too in those three starts thus far. FAST TRACK (2) has that unmistakeable So You Think touch of quality. Good looker; she was a $40,000 weanling then made $350,000 as a yearling! Nice trials, nice draw, nice jockey.

BET: SUPER NUI (7) each-way, trifecta 1,2,5,7.

RACE 5: Class 1 Handicap (1200m)

WRITTEN SCANDAL (7) is a horse bound for better things. The Peter Snowden-trained Written Tycoon filly was a $320,000 Magic Millions Yearling. Born and raised at Arrowfield, her broodmares sires tell us how well bred she is; War Front, Unbridled, Nureyev, Sir Ivor, Sea Bird, etc. Her two runs were both fantastic. No wonder she’s odds-on. THREATENING (3) has won or placed 7 times in 8 starts and will be getting home willingly again. Last start winner SHIRVINGTON (2) is almost certain to make full use of the inside lane.

BET: WRITTEN SCANDAL (7) to win (best bet), Daily Double 1st Leg (7), 2nd Leg (5).

RACE 6: Benchmark 64 (1600m)

DJAPANA (8) brings together Hall Of Fame trainer Clarry Conners and champion jockey Tommy Berry. Trivia time; they’ve won 30 races together, one behind Grant Cooksley, 55 behind Shane Dye. Djabana is no Tierce or Encounter but he is a miler from nose to tail and better still, a last start track/distance winner. OUR UPTOWN GIRL (5) was off the map when she won that Class 1, 1600m, at Newcastle. Goes without saying that she has come back really well. CARING LASS (9) had loads of luck last start – only it was bad! She could have nearly won that race.

BET: DJAPANA (8) each-way, quinella 5,8, box trifecta 2,5,8,9.

RACE 7: Benchmark 68 (1400m)

CRAVING MAGIC (5) was one of a handful of horses more or less caught up in the scrum up the straight at the business end of the SERA Country Championships Qualifier at Nowra the other day. So first things first, you have to ignore the ‘8’ alongside his name and instead judge him (favourably) on his two runs before that. Assuming one or both INTERJECTION (3) and AUNTY RENE (4) are absent, HORIZONS (13) too, so frankly no point going on with the rest of the preview, except to say that that would boost the already bright prospects of CODE IN TIME (1) and THIS IS THE MOMENT (2).

BET: CRAVING MAGIC (5) to win.

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SCONE TIPS

BEST BET
Race 7 No.8 YOU HAVE TO GO: Only won 1 from 17 but can power home when circumstances allow.

NEXT BEST
Race 6 No.9 GOLDEN SMILE: Kris Lees import who has a future racing back in town, soon.

VALUE
Race 5 No.8 SHUTTER: Tipped out after two respectable runs at the first prep.

Originally published as Shayne O’Cass’s best bets and inside mail for Kembla Grange and Scone on Tuesday March 4, 2025