Mudgee preview, best bets, inside mail for Sunday, May 11, 2025

Trainer Mack Griffith has had two runners for two winners this month and looks set to add to his tally at his home track meeting with a number of leading chances.

Shayne O'Cass previews Mudgee on Sunday.

Local boy Mack Griffith will open the bowling at his home ground on a hat-trick after consecutive wins by the stable’s best horse and most promising horse in the lead-up to this meeting.

First off, it was Griffith’s Mudgee-bred gelding Compelling Truth who maintained his 50 per cent winning strike-rate when posting an all-the-way win in the Wagga Town Plate on May 1.

Fast forward three days and Griffith’s hulking four-year-old Pressnell powered away from his rivals to chalk up an emphatic three length victory in a 1000m Dubbo Maiden.

Griffith saddles-up five horses across four races at Mudgee beginning with the Waikato Stud-bred gelding Wolf Club who steps out over 2000m for the first time.

“He’ll eat up 2000m,’’ Griffith said.

Medinah has drawn ideally on his home track. Picture: Bradley Photos

“You just have to give him plenty of room and wind-up and he just didn’t get that in his last start.

“If he is going to be any sort of stayer, he should be able to put them away.

“A few of those have been around the block a fair bit and haven’t measured up really.”

Griffith has surely found the right race at the right time for the lightly-raced Missy Moss to pop the cork on her first win in the Yves Premium Cuvee Country Boosted Maiden (1200m).

The daughter of Golden Rose winner Duporth has podium finishes at both of her last two starts, each one by narrow margins.

“It’s the perfect race for her,’’ said Griffith.

“She just didn’t really let down on the Heavy 9 the other day (so) back to a firmer surface, I think you’ll see a much improved run even though she only got beaten a head and a head last time.”

Griffith, meanwhile, has two irons in the fire in the ‘feature’ Gooree Park Benchmark 82 Handicap (1400m) namely epic blue bloods Stratified and Medinah.

Born and raised in Tasmania, Stratified is a grandson of VATC Thousand Guineas winner and 1996 Flight Stakes dead-heater Dashing Eagle.

“We have always thought Stratified would get 1400m, we were just waiting for the right race to come around,’’ Griffith explained.

Short priced favourite Sanzeno has an easy run home to win Race 1 at Mudgee. pic.twitter.com/9mwXHUU3pQ

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 7, 2024

“If there’s plenty of speed on, he’ll just sit off them, but if nothing wants to take it up, he’ll just cruise along in front.

“There’s no more courageous horse in work.”

As for Medinah, his fourth dam is the aptly-named Highclere who to this day, is celebrated as the crown jewel of The Queen’s racing stock and broodmare band.

“He’s drawn to get every chance,’’ the trainer said.

“From barrier one, he should just be stalking them.

“Three starts ago he won at Newcastle and won quite well. The only bad run this time in was at Kembla and I don’t think the travelling really suited him so he walks out the back door at his home track where he’s won three races.”

Griffith’s final runner on the card is Sanzeno who is sure to have his share of admirers when he goes around in the Mudgee Florist Class 2 Handicap (1400m).

A son of Widden Stud resident stallion Trapeze Artist, Sanzeno has won twice and placed five times in his 11 starts since arriving at Mudgee.

“He’s a horse that has promised plenty but he hasn’t really sort of put them away, we haven’t worked him out yet but he has got plenty of ability and he never gets beat far,’’ said Griffith.

“Home track, 1400m, we hoping the freshness on his side might be the way to go with him.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 4 No. 16: MISSY MOSS

Beaten by narrow margins at her last two in stronger races than this one.

NEXT BEST

Race 1 No. 6: VIKTOR

Cleverly-named son of Frankel who needs to be winning this.

VALUE BET

Race 2 No. 4: LUCKY OZZIE

Charged home when it was all over on debut in the Romantic Dream.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 16

Race 5: 1, 3, 6

Race 6: 4, 7

Race 7: 3, 4

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Grant Buckley could tally up enough points to win the Jockeys Challenge.

Grant Buckley will be popular in the Jockey Challenge at Mudgee. Picture: Bradley Photos

INSIDE MAIL - MUDGEE

RACE 1: Mudgee Ladies Day Mdn Plate 1400m

VIKTOR (6) is a cleverly-named son of Frankel and a pricey one too having sold for $560,000 at the Magic Millions Weanling Sale in 2022. The now three-year-old gelded has placed three times in his seven starts. All runs are at either city or provincial grade. Is going to be short odds and for good reason. No certainty but has no excuses either. HIDDEN MOGUL (7) is the most likely to get closest to, or even beat, Victor given her own form and the lack of depth among the remainders.

Bet: Viktor to win, quinella 6, 7

RACE 2: Xxxx Gold Silver Goblet Preview 2yo 1100m

LUCKY OZZIE (4) has so many famous two-year-olds in his pedigree. For starters, he is by Cosmic Force out of Canny Lad mare and just to continue the Golden Slipper theme, his third dam is by Marscay while his fifth dam, Promising, is the mother of Luskin Star no less. As for Lucky Ozzie, he finished like a train at the end of the Romantic Dream on debut. TOM VEGAS (1) won the Gold Nugget at Bathurst on debut like an even-money shot when he was in fact $51. He is the only ‘winner’ in the race.

Bet: Lucky Ozzie to win, exacta 4 to beat 1

RACE 3: Kristie’s Boutique (Bm58) 2000m

HIDEYO (8) is a horse bred for, and looking for 2000m. First on breeding, she is a paternal granddaughter of Deep Impact and maternal granddaughter of the Wakeful/VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse. This Todd Howlett-trained mare has three 1600m runs leading into this; the last one was better than it reads on paper. IMAGE OF THE SUN (1) has also accepted for Quirindi on Tuesday. WOLF CLUB (5) is trained locally and was huge when winning a 1600m Maiden from barrier 14 of 14 and beating Hideyo.

Bet: Hideyo to win

RACE 4: Yves Premium Cuvee Country Boosted Mdn Hcp 1200m

MISSY MOSS (16) is another of the Mack Griffith string racing at home. This daughter of Duporth has raced four times for the recent Wagga Town Plate winning trainer, all of them have been good, notably those two last start close placings. Stars seem to have aligned here for the win. MATILDA OF TUSCANY (8) raced on the speed throughout when turning in an honourable debut third on the Heavy 8 at Narromine on April 29. Drew 9 of 10 that day, handed 14 for this - ouch. CARRICK (4) was a distant runner-up at his Robb stable debut but the winner goes well.

Bet: Missy Moss to win

RACE 5: Gooree Park (Bm82) 1400m

LOCKDOWN GAMBLE (1) has the honour and distinction of being the highest rated horse racing at Mudgee thanks to some star performances in Cups and Country Championship Qualifiers among other things. He has won from 1100m to 1700m so 1400m, fresh, seems a very logical and suitable distance for the comeback. SMART SHOT (3) is so reliable; that much is evident from his record of four wins and nine placings from 20 starts. Won the Tamworth Cup Prelude two runs back and beaten three and a half in the strong H&NW Qualifier before that.

Bet: Lockdown Gamble each-way, quinella 1, 3, box trifecta 1, 3, 4, 6, DD 1st Leg (1), 2nd Leg (3)

RACE 6: The Oasis Mudgee Country Boosted Hcp (C3) 1100m

MISS REBEL (4) has plenty to offer on the racetrack but she will be a valuable broodmare when the time comes given her pedigree. That pedigree is noteworthy due to the presence of Toy Show as her fourth dam. As for Miss Rebel herself, she has two wins and four seconds from her nine career starts. Her current personal best is her nose second to Cambar in a Rosehill Highway on November 30 last year. Was good in a Randwick Highway first-up. Mudgee resident CHAMPERS GIRL (7) boasts a compelling first-up record.

Bet: Miss Rebel to win, exacta 4 to beat 7

RACE 7: Mudgee Florist Hcp (C2) 1400m

SANZENO (3) can crown what looks to be a potential day out for Mack Griffith. This son of Trapeze Artist has hardly put a foot out of step in the time since he relocated from the Grahame Begg stable in Victoria. The horse is effective from 1200m to 1700m, back from that longer trip to 1400m but if anything, that’s a positive as is the draw (3) and the jockey (Ash Morgan). PODCAST (4), a $330,000 yearling and one-time Chris Waller trained filly was the Black Booker, big time, at her Dar Lunn stable debut at Dubbo and sure enough won 17 days later at Narromine. Clearly in good shape ahead of this.

Bet: Sanzeno to win, quinella 3, 4, box trifecta 3, 4, 6, 12

MUDGEE

BEST BET

Race 4 No. 16: Missy Moss

Beaten by narrow margins at her last two in stronger races than this one.

NEXT BEST

Race 1 No. 6: Viktor

Cleverly-named son of Frankel who needs to be winning this.

VALUE

Race 2 No. 4: Lucky Ozzie

Charged home when it was all over on debut in the Romantic Dream.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 16

Race 5: 1,3,6

Race 6: 4,7

Race 7: 3,4

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Grant Buckley could tally up enough points to win today’s Jockeys Challenge