Nowra races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail

A three-year-old filly bred and trained by Jason Coyle by his underrated sire Va Pensiero can kick off her career in style. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Jason Coyle is chasing Nowra success on Sunday with homebreds by his former smart sprinter, Va Pensiero. Picture: Grant Guy

Group 1 winning trainer Jason Coyle makes the familiar trip from Warwick Farm to Nowra this weekend with a trio of horses he bred and all fathered by his vastly underrated one-time crack sprinter, Va Pensiero.

A son of the 2005 Golden Slipper winner Stratum, Va Pensiero was himself an unsuccessful participant in Overreach’s 2013 Slipper but returned as a formidable force the following season.

Va Pensiero won the time-honoured San Domenico Stakes first-up, adding the Run To Rose to his tally two weeks later beating the likes of Dissident, Criterion, Eurozone and Sidestep.

Despite his pedigree and performances, Va Pensiero was virtually ignored by breeders, serving just 81 mares across his seven seasons at stud.

“At the end of the day, he wasn’t all that commercial, which was just one of those things,” Coyle told The Sunday Telegraph.

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!

“I thought he won the right races but if you don’t get picked up by a commercial stud, your game is pretty much over pretty quick.

“Va Pensiero is now retired and all my mares are now retired so I have got the last lot of yearlings at this point right now coming through.

“You don’t sight them as young horses and you just hope they develop coming into their three-year-old season.”

Enter the Nowra-bound Maz Kanata who makes her debut in the Kel Campbell Haulage Maiden Plate (1100m) eight days before she turns four.

Maz Kanata sent out some very encouraging signs in her three trials, two in March, and the latest on July 7 when a nose second in her 788m heat at Warwick Farm.

“There was a lot of effort there,” says Coyle.

“She seems to do everything relatively correctly. She leaves the barriers well, travels strong and under pressure the other day, she seemed to work through the line nicely so it looks like there are a couple of wins in her.

Tim Clark rides Va Pensiero to victory in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes.

“We have taken our time with here but I feel like there is going to be a return there at some stage.

“She gets a good gate on Sunday, a good jock and I feel she has trialled well enough.”

Maz Kanata will have company on the float from her older brother Padawan who has struggled to make much of an impression in his five starts.

“He’s very limited,” Coyle said. “Even physically, he doesn’t seem to be as good as the others for whatever reason.

“I feel like he tries hard but the ability has skipped a generation.”

Coyle is rightfully much more bullish about the winning prospects of Impressiero who lines-up in the Solomon Motors Group Handicap over 1400m.

“She finally draws a gate and drops back to country grade out of nice enough provincial races so it all looks writing on the wall stuff for her much like when she won her maiden,” the trainer said.

“A fit racehorse that tries very hard are two nice ingredients.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No. 3: MAZ KANATA

A Jason Coyle-bred and trained first starter who sent out all the right signs on her trial that a debut win was achievable.

NEXT BEST

Race 4 No. 5: IMPRESSIERO

Another Coyle-bred offspring of his own former crack sprinter Va Pensiero. This one has drawn to win if good enough.

VALUE BET

Race 2 No. 1: PROUD GEORGE

Joe Cleary has found the right race at the right time for the lightly-raced son of Pride Of Dubai.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 5,6

Race 5: 1,3,7

Race 6: 2,6,7

Race 7: 2,11

Alysha Collett has a good book of rides at Nowra on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Group 1 winning jockey Alysha Collett can take out Sunday’s TAB Jockeys Challenge at Nowra with a little help from Jason Coyle.

INSIDE MAIL - NOWRA

RACE 1

Maz Kanata is a racy little filly by Va Pensiero out of Mari Pintau. Long story short, Jason Coyle-trained all three horses mentioned just now; he bred Maz Kanata who has shown enough in her trials to suggest that she will be at very least ‘competitive’ here on debut. She has the draw to win. Mercury Rose is a Maher/Eustace recruit who was fourth at Warwick Farm and down the order in the $500,000 at her two runs when Golden Slipper winning trainer Gary Portelli had her. Trialled quite well ahead of this. Speaking of Portelli, his filly Brisket is a giant player.

Bet: Maz Kanata to win

RACE 2

Exsensible was scratched from a 1200m maiden at Gosford on Saturday to run here inside. I would think that the 1100m is better for the son of Exceed And Excel, not that he is a squib but he is certainly speedy. November Rhythm (whose fourth dam is Golden Slipper winner Century Miss) is very well served by barrier 1. All things being equal, he could land in the box seat from there. Vanderzan is a chance to be saved for Bathurst on Monday. He goes better than his C.V reads. All Too Hard two-year-old Shuttle Run has claims.

Bet: Exsensible to win

RACE 3

Proud George is a son of Pride of Dubai from a great family; Circles Of Gold, Haradasun, Elvstroem, Highland Reel, etc. Proud George’s last two runs - of four in total - are for Joe Cleary and both were good. In fact, you would have to say he was ‘very good’ at Moruya last start when he drew 11 of 12 and was hitting the line better than anything. Straight from 1010m to 1400m might be the masterstroke. Hobbsy was a close second to Bringbackthebears at Moruya last start. The winner of that race won again at Canberra on Friday. Via Rose is a big market watch being first up for a new stable and with some good form.

Bet: Proud George to win, quinella 1, 2. Box First 4: 1, 2, 4, 5

Impressiero can land her second career win at Nowra. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 4

Impressiero is another of the Jason Coyle-bred Va Pensiero’s in action at Nowra on Sunday. This mare has only managed one win, one second and one third from 14 starts but she has been racing in much better company than this. So much so that you would think she only has to repeat her third to Leandra and Moorestown and she goes close. Stars align for her on Sunday. Spritely Emily has only won two from 29 herself but she is consistent and you could make the case that she saves her best for Nowra and 1400m. Ditto that last bit for Blazing Sunrise who is a track and distance winner. Never Never Land has claims.

Bet: Impressiero to win

RACE 5

Cool Lad has been nominated for two races at Kembla this Thursday. Just in case he races here on Sunday, it is imperative to note that he has only been to Nowra once before and won. That was 1400m on a Heavy 8 and he bolted in. Don’t worry though, he goes on anything and is in great form. The Norm Gardner-bred Devine Miss has a tidy strike-rate of three wins and seven placings from her 18 starts. That’s despite the fact that she often gives away pretty big head start but she can nearly always be relied upon to find the line. Regally-bred mare Flying Tyrol is building up to another win.

Bet: Cool Lad to win or if scratched Devine Miss to win

RACE 6

Quire was bred by Tony Hartnell, the same man who bred Takeover Target. Raced with his son Nick, Quire won her maiden back on January 2 like a good horse and while she hasn’t added to her tally yet, she has only had four runs since and has struck four strong races. Look at the winner of her last one, Rouge Lune no less. Go well here. I Iz Brilliant will benefit greatly from the services and claim of Beany Panya. Gives every impression that he’s getting close to a fourth career win. Heart Of Vancouver was third in a good quality Benchmark 60 first-up.

Bet: Quire to win, I Iz Brilliant each-way, quinella 6, 7

RACE 7

Marvelous is so well placed here, even with the wide draw. The Lee and Cherie Curtis-trained son of Nicconi was every bit as good as the winner when runner-up at Scone on Bastille Day. He was weaving through closer in and really responded to Aaron Bullock’s urgings under 61kg and all. That was 1400m, this is a mile which he should eat up. Last start winner Kingston Charm is nominated for a mile race at Kembla on Thursday. Let’s just say, I hope she goes there instead. Diamond Drummer is a last start winner over the mile. Blagny is an improving type.

Bet: Marvelous to win, exacta 2 to beat 11, quinella 2, 11