Shayne O’Cass’s Wellington, Wagga Tuesday tips, inside mail

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets and inside mail for Wellington on Thursday, plus his tips for the Wagga meeting.

  

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets and inside mail for Wellington on Thursday, plus his tips for the Wagga meeting.

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WELLINGTON TIPS

BEST BET
Race 1 No.4 HANNAH’S BRIDGE: Has shown improvement from one run to the next; so close now.

NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.14 THE GIT UP: Placed at 10 of her 16 starts; this could be the day for breaking through.

VALUE
Race 7 No.8 PODCAST: Be right in the finish if she can bounce back to her pre-Highway form.

QUADDIE
Race 4: 3,5,6,14
Race 5: 1,4,5,11
Race 6: 5,6,10
Race 7: 8,13,14

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Two-times SA Jockeys Premiership winner Chad Lever has some good rides out west today.

WELLINGTON INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: Maiden Plate (1400m)

HANNAH’S BRIDGE (4) was bred by her trainer Derek Piper and is a half-sister to her handy stablemate named Cheap Gas. As a daughter of Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet, she should relish the 1400m for the first time on Tuesday. Her debut was good, her follow up was very good. Just has to handle the wet conditions. LOVE AIN’T FREE (1) handed in a PB last start when third at Dubbo. Drawn well. WINNING REIGN (12) is an 18-start maiden and the wet form is a worry but back to 1400m is a plus.

BET: HANNAH’S BRIDGE (4) to win (best bet).

RACE 2: Maiden Plate (900m)

ANGIE’S SISTER (5) was $21 into $71 on debut in a 1000m Country Maiden on September 29 last year and ran a very cheeky race; she led and came in fourth of 14 at the finish behind a pretty handy winner in Taormina Sailor (see race 3 below). Market the guide again. MERE MORTAL (3) made his Michael Lynch-stable debut on July 15 at Warren, finishing second on the Heavy 8. Go well again. UFANA (9) is yet to win in 19 starts but hasn’t run many bad races at all since Sharon Jeffries has had her.

BET: ANGIE’S SISTER (5) to win, box First 4 Nos. 3,5,7,9,11.

RACE 3: Benchmark 58 (900m)

AORNINA SAILOR (7) will turn seven on August 1 but has only raced 10 times for one reason or another. What we do know about him is that he has talent. He’s won twice with two placings and a handful of fourths and fifths. Comes off a smashing rival behind a good horse (Nimble Star, see race 5 below). CAPITAL DANCER (8) should feel comfortable in ‘country grade’. HARD TOO IMPRESS (10) is very much on the right trajectory this campaign. Third-up, drawn well, good jockey, has handled the Heavy before.

BET: TAORNINA SAILOR (7) to win, HARD TOO IMPRESS (10) to place.

RACE 4: Maiden Handicap (1100m)

THE GIT UP (14) remains winless after 16 starts but keep in mind that he has placed 10 times and five of them are seconds. There are no easy maidens in racing these days but this one looks well within his reach based on what he medalled in the past. NORTHERN EXPOSURE (3) is one for the pedigree buffs; in short, his third dam, North Fleur, is the granddam of the great Northerly. A veteran of four starts, he was placed at Dubbo on debut and has ‘next time/more ground’ written all over first-up at Muswellbrook. The 2023 Silver Goblet placegetter DUREN (5) has claims.

BET: THE GIT UP (14) to win, box trifecta 3,5,6,14.

RACE 5: Benchmark 58 (1100m)

LIGHTNING SPEED (5) is ready to strike first-up BUT with nominations for two races at home at Scone on Thursday, one wonders if she will make the trip on Tuesday, more so given that all her form is on Good tracks. In her absence, all you can wind-in NIMBLE STAR (1) a few points; that said, he was always going to be popular given he is a Brett Robb-trained galloper who has won two of three and lost the rider at the other one. Stablemate DENMAN DEPUTY (4) is the one with the race fitness. More than that, he is a last-start winner.

BET: LIGHTNING SPEED (5) to win or if scratched, DENMAN DEPUTY (4) and MISS KARIS (11) to place.

RACE 6: Benchmark 66 (1600m)

THE IMPECKABLE (6) has 16 starts for three wins, three seconds and four thirds. He goes on anything; his record on Heavy is two starts for a win and a third. One thing about him, from the outside looking in, is that he might not win every time but he does hold his form really well. BLUE GUITAR (5) has some seriously compelling numbers. Two of his four career wins are at a mile, he has placed on Heavy and is one for one at Wellington (should the meeting be at this venue). Building up to something and this could be it.

BET: THE IMPECKABLE (6) to win, BLUE GUITAR (5) each-way, quinella 5,6.

RACE 7: Class 2 Handicap (1400m)

PODCAST (8), a $330,000 Magic Millions Yearling purchase in 2025, sold again for $3,000 online in February this year was going great guns prior to her two ‘00’s at the last couple. That said, one was a TAB Highway and she actually wasn’t that bad. Warren last start was harder to forgive but then again, they aren’t machines and can have bad days. Mudgee mare KOBOLD (14)’s last two by contrast have been very encouraging, she beat a decent line-up at home on July 6 then was huge from near last to finish a length off the winner in a Class 1 at Bathurst.

BET: PODCAST (8) each-way, KOBOLD (14) to place.

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WAGGA TIPS

BEST BET
Race 8 No.18 SUPER RIFF: Hit the line with purpose last start and has won on a heavy track.

NEXT BEST
Race 3 No.5 PRIDE OF JEZZA: Gary Colvin-trained gelding who was a booming winner on a Wagga heavy 10 last start.

LAY OF THE DAY
Race 3 No.6 FLUTTERBY: Has competition here and looks a good lay at $3 or less.

Originally published as Shayne O’Cass’s Wellington, Wagga Tuesday tips, inside mail