Gilgandra preview, best bets, inside mail for Sunday, January 5, 2025

Having placed in his home town Cup last year, trainer Kieren Hazelton is launching a three-pronged attack in a bid to land this year’s edition. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Turgenev returns for another shot at the Gilgandra Cup. Picture: Bradley Photos

Gilgandra has three runners in their town’s 2025 Cup, all of them supplied by Kieren Hazelton including last year’s placegetter Turgenev.

The $50,000 Gilgandra Cup shapes as a capacity field of 12 horses, less than half of them have visited the famously tricky dog-leg country circuit before.

Not surprisingly, all three of Hazelton’s trio - Dawn County, Order Of Merit and Turgenev - have raced at home at least once before.

Of the three, Turgenev is the one closest to being a ‘track specialist’ with a compelling record of two wins and two thirds from four starts at the venue.

Naturally, the Gilgandra Cup was the central target for Turgenev this campaign with Hazelton planning for the horse to peak third-up in the mile feature.

A quinella in the @giljockeyclub Cup for Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland, and successive wins in the race, after Sea Of Flames held stablemate Athena's Lad to win the $50,000 race with Turgenev in third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/V5itIDTxGt

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) January 7, 2024

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!

However, that won’t be the case as the trainer explained.

“He was fair first-up at Narromine over 1100m and then we had a race picked out at Orange for him second-up over 1400m as a lead-up run to the Cup but he was scratched at the barriers so we had to go back and trial him,” Hazelton said.

“So, he is probably going in with a less than ideal lead-up. I would have liked a 1400m run or something else under his belt but I think his trial was good enough and he’s had a couple of solid bits of work between then and now.”

Whereas his stablemates have drawn favourably in the Cup, Turgenev was dealt barrier 9 which narrows the options for Hazelton and jockey Andrew Banks.

“He has won from the front at Gilgandra but that was quite a while ago in a Benchmark 50,” Hazelton said.

“He’s got a habit of missing the start and what I’m concerned about is, if he does step away a bit slow, just having to circle the field, whether he has got the runs under his belt to do that and run down a quality field.

“Perhaps we just ease back in the field and ride for luck.”

Turgenev has a fascinating history.

🟣Bhima Grad Winner🟣
Order Of Merit (I Am Invincible x High Yield) charges home under Andrew Banks for Kieren Hazelton to break his maiden on start two.

Bred by Mr Stack, the gelding was a @mmsnippets Gold Coast graduate.

Well done to owners @racing_bowman! pic.twitter.com/ddvQiSj5ly

— Bhima Thoroughbreds (@BhimaTBreds) January 13, 2022

Born and raised at Yulong Stud in Victoria, Turgenev was a much admired lot at the Easter Yearling Sale in 2020, selling for $500,000.

The son of I Am Invincible was unplaced in his five starts for Chris Waller and sold to Victorian trainers Paul and Tracey Templeton for $25,000 in January 2022.

Hazelton entered the picture in November that year, picking up the horse for $9,500 at an Inglis Online sale.

Turgenev’s stablemates and Gilgandra Cup rivals, Order Of Merit and Dawn County, are at either end of the spectrum so far as their recent form would attest.

New Zealand-bred Dawn County clocked in midfield in his December 28 assignment at Gilgandra on the same day as Order Of Merit posted his fourth career win despite his 61kg cargo.

“He’s a horse that we’ve had to nurse back from a couple of injuries which is why he is relatively lightly-raced for a seven-year-old,” Hazelton said.

“He’s struck form again and he goes to a Benchmark 50 to an Open race but he drops a lot in weight and is drawn to get a cushy run midfield.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No. 10: Specula

Winless after 16 starts but placed six times and often in far better company than this race.

NEXT BEST

Race 8 No. 4: Rockin’ Edition

Third-up now off two encouraging and eye catching fourths. Drawn perfectly.

VALUE BET

Race 7 No. 6: Subuki

Ran third in the Armidale Cup last start. Always gives her best.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 3, 4

Race 6: 2, 3, 5

Race 7: 1, 4, 5

Race 8: 4, 10

Jockey Clayton Gallagher looks set for a good day at Gilgandra. Picture: Bradley Photos

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Clayton Gallagher could have a very big day. He rides Sonic Tycoon in the Cup.

INSIDE MAIL - GILGANDRA

RACE 1

Specula is winless after 16 starts but the daughter of the now Turkey-based stallion, Epaulette, has placed six times and four of them were seconds. A case could be made that the Coonamble mare has run in a lot better maidens than this one and has far less convictions than her rivals. Hoku is winless after 21 starts but he has six placings, five of them seconds. Short of his best perhaps but his ‘best’ would see him in the finish.

Bet: Specula to win

RACE 2

Kuroshinzo is yet to win in 19 starts but keep in mind that the former Victorian galloper has been with Mack Griffith for the last six of them and boasts four seconds, two of them by very narrow margins. Gets another big chance. Tapian Legend has three placings from his six runs for Cameron Crockett. Same deal with him as Kuroshinzo; he’s ready to win and is in the right race. Apache Jack is working towards a win himself.

Bet: Kuroshinzo to win, quinella 2, 1; box trifecta 1, 2, 5, 7

RACE 3

Flying Dubawi is a one of a kind, literally, given he is the only foal on the planet by his father, Dubawi Dream. Flying Dubawi is quite a reliable horse for each-way punters at least given his record of two wins and nine placings from 25 starts. The best thing about him is that he is ‘121’ leading into this. Don Quixote has been running rather well lately in some rather strong country races. Last start winner too. Drawn well.

Bet: Flying Dubawi to win, quinella 1, 4

Flying Dubawi gets the job done in the second at Parkes. pic.twitter.com/XOC4XsCmID

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 19, 2024

RACE 4

Polens is a fairly new stablemate of the abovementioned Flying Dubawi. In fact, the daughter of Spirit Of Boom has raced three times for Maree Hopkins, returning two seconds and a third which was a big run in a really good quality maiden at Dubbo. Getting close. What else do you name a horse by Zoustar out of Fashion but Zougo Boss First run for Wayne Brown here; only has to repeat pretty much any of the five previous runs up in Queensland to medal.

Bet: Polens to win, quinella 1, 6

RACE 5

Grins has a tidy C.V of 10 starts, two wins, four seconds and a third. Four of those starts have been for Ross Lomax and they were two seconds, a win at Narromine and an excusable 11th to Sir Remlap at Scone. Go well in this open race. Brett Robb-trained Charlie Magic has won twice in just five starts, one over 800m the other at 1000m. He just has to run 1200m this time but he is at the right venue to do it. Wandering Jack and Stratified are in the mix.

Bet: Grins each-way, quinella 3, 4

RACE 6

Deep Rouge is a talented, tough and genuine mare. That much is clear looking at her record of 26 starts for seven wins and six placings. She travels all over the place and often in some good quality sprints and never runs badly. Will be strong late, as always. Driving Force ticks a few boxes but the big two are barrier 4 and Nick Heywood. Ditto that and then some for Sisters Pick whose chances went up, considerably, when she drew box three.

Bet: Deep Rouge to win, trifecta 2, 3, 5, 6, Daily Double 1st (2), 2nd Leg (4)

RING AHOY wins the Armidale Cup!

The five-year-old posts his first win for trainer Ray Hartley, and picks up Big Dance 💃 eligibility, as Siena Grima overcomes the outside gate to deny Point Counterpoint and Subuki in the $60,000 feature. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/ufLLmf3R6g

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) December 8, 2024

RACE 7

Subuki was third in this year’s Port Macquarie Cup Prelude and a closing third in the Armidale Cup on December 8. Maybe barrier 2 means she can travel a bit closer than usual? Sonic Tycoon is on a hat-trick and has the ideal on-pace pattern for this venue. Needs to make a decision early from that wide alley. Just Go Bang is the ‘Country Cups horse’ in the Cup. He won the Queanbeyan Regional Cup first-up then was a victim of the draw perhaps in one of best Nowra Cups you would see.

Bet: Subuki to win, box trifecta 1, 4, 5, 6

RACE 8

Rockin’ Edition is 12 starts for a win and five placings. She also ran sixth of 10 one day, beaten three-and-a-half lengths in an Orange Benchmark 58 behind Stefi Magnetica no less. Third-up here, drawn well and has Ken Dunbar riding her for the 13th time. Pee Dee is the blueblood of the field. His dam is a sister to the great Hot Danish. As for Pee Dee, he is a fast horse who has won from 900m to 1300m (a seven times winner in fact) so if he can put himself up there on the speed, he can easily stay there.

Bet: Rockin’ Edition to win

GILGANDRA

BEST BET

Race 1 No. 10: Specula

Winless after 16 starts but placed 6 times and often in far better company than this race.

NEXT BEST

Race 8 No. 4: Rockin’ Edition

Third-up now off two encouraging and eye catching fourths. Drawn perfectly.

VALUE

Race 7 No. 6: Subuki

Ran third in the Armidale Cup last start. Always gives her best.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 3,4

Race 6: 2,3,5

Race 7: 1,4,5

Race 8: 4,10

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Clayton Gallagher could have a very big day; he’ll ride Sonic Tycoon in the Cup