Sapphire Coast races: Tips, best bets, preview and inside mail

Jockey Brock Ryan’s first ride in a race was a little over five years ago at Sapphire Coast. Now he has an excellent chance of winning the biggest race at the track.

Brock Ryan has an excellent chance of winning the Merimbula Cup on Monday.

Racing tipster Shayne O’Cass looks to get the week off to a flying start with all the good oil at Sapphire Coast and Cowra.

SAPPHIRE COAST BEST BETS

TOP HOPE

Race 1 No. 6: Hoystrike

Gets back and flies home. Had only bad luck at Canberra last start. This race suits big time.

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!

NEXT BEST

Race 5 No. 4: Halliday Road

All six career wins have been at this track and placed 28 times overall. The best horse in the race on paper.

VALUE

Race 3 No. 14: Times Change

Looked the part when she finished second in a recent trial at Kembla with Jess Taylor up.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1,5

Race 5: 4,7

Race 6: 2,9,10

Race 7: 1,4,11

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Brock Ryan’s first ride in a race was at the Sapphire Coast on Melbourne Cup day in 2015; he might win the Merimbula Cup himself on Monday.

COWRA BEST BETS

TOP HOPE

Race 2 No. 1: Hustled

Might see him in the 2022 Country Championships. As for Monday, he is the superior horse in the line-up.

NEXT BEST

Race 6 No. 4: Winside

Ran 50.42s and won by 2 1/2-lengths on debut on October 19 last year at the ‘Brook. Goes well.

VALUE

Race 5 No. 8: Dime

First starter from an astute yard and is headed the right way off the trials.

THE INSIDE MAIL - Sapphire Coast

RACE 4

Sebago has a tidy C.V comprising two wins and three thirds from his nine starts. The son of Pluck has been with Matthew Dale for his last runs where he was the Black Booker/eye-catcher both times. Rapidity, likewise, has excelled in his two runs since he joined Jamie Stewart’s Moruya stable. Split two handy horses in a deep Bm58 at Goulburn last time out. Alan is four starts, one win and two thirds at this same track/distance.

Bet: Sebago win, exacta 1 to beat 5

RACE 5

Halliday Road has raced 66 times and even though he has only won six races, he has placed on 26 occasions. Two things to note, one is that he is in form because he won his most recent start, and two, all six of his career wins have been at Sapphire Coast. Gunzar makes his stable debut for Joseph Ible off two very nice trials. Ickstar was good first-up over the 1207m and should appreciate the extra furlong.

Bet: Halliday Road win, Daily Double 1st leg (4), 2nd leg (1,11)

RACE 6

Roseierro has won four and placed nine times in 32 starts which is not bad, but she might have had a few more to the tally with a better racing pattern and a bit of luck when it counted. She has been going really well this preparation without winning, but gate 3 and the step to a mile could deliver her the 2021 Merimbula Cup. That said, Club Legend ran every bit as well as Roseirro in the 14-horse Bm58 at Goulburn on February 15. St Anton also ran a cracker in that same race.

Bet: Roseirro win, box trifecta 1,2,9,10

RACE 7

Pahang has more ability than a ‘Class 1’ horse. In fact he went within a neck of being a ‘Class 2’ horse when Terry Robinson’s up and coming filly Danzadel beat him in a deep Class 2 at Goulburn, and bearing in mind that Pahang beat Tickler home in the race. Speaking of Terry Robinson, he has presented Miss Keira with another viable opportunity to break her maiden and she just might this time from the good draw. Django Dream has obvious claims.

Bet: Pahang win, quinella 1,11

THE INSIDE MAIL - Cowra

RACE 4

Thisteldo deserves some reward for his efforts this campaign. He hasn’t been able to win in five starts since it began but he has run some really creditable races, not least one at Rosehill. Last two have been good, too, and he has the great draw here. The Long Run is going for her 10th career win which is no mean feat, more so, that she has only had 32 starts. The grand-daughter of Danehill was beaten just 0.7-lengths at Hawkesbury last start.

Bet: Thistledo win, exacta 4 to beat 2

RACE 5

Dime is the only first starter in this 14-horse line-up but has the advantage of drawing barrier one. More importantly, his trials have been good, the last one (a win) was a substantial improvement on the one two weeks prior, but he has excuses that day. Accelerant has placed at eight of his 10 starts, and six of those are seconds, including at his first run for new trainer Mark Schmetzer. Makes obvious appeal. Locally trained Shylock is the value runner.

Bet: Dime win, quinella 1,8, box trifecta 1,7,8,14

RACE 6

Winside is one of four horses that Mark Schmetzer is taking to Cowra, Blaike McDougall rides them all, which can only help of course. Winside is a very promising filly who ran 50.42s for the 900m on debut at Muswellbrook on October 19 and won easily. Spelled, trialled like a bomb again at the ‘Brook the other week. Miss Devinci has the draw to win if she is good enough, which she is, but the question is; is she good enough to beat Winside? Maria Elisa is quick and has box 2.

Bet: Winside win

RACE 7

Fifty Carats is a lightly-raced and quite promising mare trained by Chris Heywood and to be ridden by his son, Nick, who was on her in her ‘easy’ trial at home at Wagga on February 11. She sent out some positive signs in her three starts at the first prep and was, in fact, very impressive when she won at Wagga. The Exchequer has won just once in 28 starts but he has placed 12 times so he could medal again. Deterge and Pocket Pistol can figure.

Bet: Fifty Carats

Originally published as Sapphire Coast races: Tips, best bets, preview and inside mail