Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Hawkesbury

A stakes winner earlier in her career, this Chris Waller-trained mare will appreciate a wet track and stepping up to the mile. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

The Chris Waller-trained Pretty Amazing looks a great chance to get back to the winners’ circle. Picture: Grant Guy

Form analyst Mitch Cohen gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Hawkesbury.

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!

HAWKESBURY

BEST BET

Race 5 No. 3: PRETTY AMAZING

The Chris Waller-trained mare was a stakes winner as a three-year-old. She will relish the wet track and the mile.

NEXT BEST

Race 6 No. 3: OLENTIA

A highly promising filly returning from a break after winning two out of three in her first prep.

VALUE BEST

Race 3 No. 5: ROGUE BEAR

Former English galloper having his first start in Australia. Looks to have plenty of upside.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 3, 4, 5 6

Race 5: 3, 5

Race 6: 3, 7, 12

Race 7: 1, 12

Joao Moreira can bring his good form to Hawkesbury on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

The Magic Man, Joao Moreira, got on the board with a massive feature double last Saturday and will ride at Hawkesbury for the first time in his illustrious career.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR HAWKESBURY

RACE 1

Californian is an unbeaten son of Justify that can make it two from two. He returns to the scene of his debut triumph where he was doing his best work late over 1100m to win. The step up to 1300m looks ideal and like many of his rivals, we are just going to trust he handles the heavy. Tiz Invincible was a beaten favourite in the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes but was far from disgraced. He will find his significantly easier. Zardozi is the fields other unbeaten galloper after she came from last to win on debut. Jockey Chad Schofield took the shortest route home along the fence on that occasion and is drawn to get a similar opportunity here.

Verdict: Californian to win.

RACE 2

Marelle is one of the six Chris Waller-trained contenders in a field of eight runners. Her runs this preparation haven’t been amazing but tipping the heavy going to bring the best out of her. She has been competitive on the hardest going before and should appreciate the step up to a mile. Stablemate Beautiful Heart is the half -sister to multiple Group 1 Hungry Heart. She’s got talent but her sibling never handled the going so there has to be a question mark on that. Whatadilemma returns from a break and has trialled well in the lead up. An improved showing from the Epaulette gelding certainly wouldn’t surprise.

Verdict: Marelle to win.

Kerrin McEvoy partners Marelle at Hawkesbury. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 3

Rogue Bear is a former English galloper that looks poised for a very competitive Australian debut. The Kris Lees-trained galloper with a competitive record of three wins and four placings from 10 starts with form on rain affected going. With suitable conditions, an inside draw and the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira, he ticks a lot of boxes. Alcyone is adept on heavy surfaces and is a winner first up before. This is short of his best but he should be running home late Kinloch hasn’t tasted success for a year this week after winning the Provincial-Midway Final in 2022. He can win at his best but we haven’t seen it in a while.

Verdict: Rogue Bear to win.

RACE 4

Passistas is a noted fresh performer that can add to her excellent first up record here. The Exosphere mare has two wins and a second in three first up attempts and has had two trials to prepare for her latest fresh tilt. While her wet track form doesn’t look amazing, she was placed here on a heavy (10) last preparation and looked to get through it fine. Bowery Breeze doesn’t win often but when she does it’s usually when the string is out of the ground. She gets that here and performs well fresh. More The Merrier form could turn around sharply on softer going.

Verdict: Passistas to win. Quinella 4, 5, 6.

RACE 5

Pretty Amazing’s last win came in a Group 3 over the mile on heavy going but expecting her to change that here. She won the Kembla Grange Classic at Goulburn - beating star mare Hope In Your Heart in that feature. That’s A-grade form and she showed enough first up from a long break to suggest she’s back to her best, finishing third in Wednesday grade. Chris Waller-trained stablemate Pungo raced flat second up but can bounce back from that showing. He’s the main threat to the stablemate. Pacific Warrior has been racing consistently and can finish among the placings again if he gets a start.

Verdict: Pretty Amazing to win.

Apprentice Zac Lloyd rides Pretty Amazing for Chris Waller. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 6

Olentia is a highly promising daughter of Zoustar that looks to be a stakes quality filly in the making. She was brilliant winning her first two starts in Queensland last preparation before finishing fourth in a Magic Millions lead up in January. Chris Waller has given her a freshen up since then but if she picks up where she left off, she will be winning. Union Army has to be a chance if he can get in the field. The second emergency would be returning from a 202 day break after heading for a break off a dominant maiden win. Tragara excelled in the leading role first up and will be the one they all want to run down again.

Verdict: Olentia to win.

RACE 7

Queen Yuma is sweating on a start but can win if she gets in the field. The Vancouver mare broke her maiden with a stylish performance at Kensington last start and is drawn to get a similar run up front here. She should handle the heavy no worries. Capo Strada has been lumped with a topweight of 61.5kg but has been competitive in harder grade than this. He’s yet to run on heavy but has handled soft conditions before. You’d have to take Invincible Vision on trust. He was excellent winning first up before fading to finish near last second up with a poor post-race recovery.

Verdict: Queen Yuma to win.