Race day focus: Preview, best bets and inside mail for Mudgee on Sunday

A formline tied to the Country Championships Final can come to the fore at Mudgee on Sunday with a mare from the Brett Robb stable.

Brett Robb has a busy week starting at Mudgee on Sunday and culminating with the Country Championships Final at Randwick next Saturday

Reigning Country Championships Final-winning trainer Brett Robb will be back at HQ next Saturday with the $9 fancy Gallant Star aiming to emulate his $61 outsider stablemate Sizzle Minizzle in the $1m feature.

Both horses went around in the WRA Country Championship Qualifier (1400m) at Coonamble 14 days ago.

Gallant Star ran second to Elson Boy, Sizzle Minizzle was fourth.

Fifth in the $150,000 heat was another one of Robb’s string, Mudgee-bound Rubi Air, who performed well above her $101 SP.

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 she ran super,’’ Robb said.

“Gallant Star and that horse of Dar Lunn’s (Elson Boy) will be very competitive in Sydney and she was only beaten a couple of lengths and is dropping back to a Benchmark 58 and will go around with 57kg.

“She has drawn barrier six on Sunday and she will roll forward from that gate. She likes it better on the speed and she’ll keep running along.

“She is a very tough little mare and she just seems to get better and better each start. She is probably my best there on Sunday.’’

Robb will saddle up a blue blood of sizeable proportions in the opening race on the card, a filly by the name of Beaconsfield Joy who happens to be a three-quarter-sister to three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight.

“She is only a light thing,’’ Robb said.

“It is just a starting point for us. The race doesn’t look like it has got a lot of depth to it.

“She can run well but I think she will be a better horse up over 1400m or even a mile.’’

What a thriller!

Elson Boy and Gallant Star hit the line as one in the Coonamble Country Championships Qualifier… and the photo went to Elson Boy for Dar Lunn and he gives @TommyBerry21 a treble! pic.twitter.com/zMND3E7Zb7

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 17, 2024

Patriot Bloodstock galloper Zequel, meanwhile, sent out some very encouraging signs at his first run for Robb when a brave fifth from his wide draw at Dubbo on March 8.

“I reckon we will see a better horse on Sunday than what we saw at Dubbo,’’ the trainer said. “He is going to need a little bit of luck from the draw.

“He is a nice horse and if he puts his best foot forward, he can win.’’

Robb has a busy few days ahead, Mudgee on Sunday, Moree Tuesday and a road trip later in the week with his Country Championship contender Gallant Star.

“He’ll gallop here on Monday and do pace work on Wednesday and then head down on Thursday to Steve Allen’s at Penrith,’’ Robb said.

“He’ll spend the day there on Friday and head in to Randwick on Saturday morning.’’

Gallant Star, part-owned by former Australian leg spinner and now ace broadcaster Kerry O’Keefe, will be ridden for the seventh time at start 11 by Everest-winning jockey, Sam Clipperton.

“Sam is such a great bloke to work with,’’ Robb said.

“We’re always on the same page and he’s a really, really good bloke. You can ring him before or after a race and have a good yarn about it

“He makes my life easier out here. We’re very, very lucky to have Sam helping us out that way.’’

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

R3 No.10: O’So Demanding

Runner-up at Nowra either side of her fourths at Canberra and Kembla which reads well for a race like this.

NEXT BEST

Race 6 No.5: Dubai Tycoon

Paid the penalty for his wide draw at Scone but really worked to the line with purpose.

VALUE BET

Race 7 No.5: Rubi Air

Ran way above her $101 SP when fifth of 14 in the WRA Championship Heat at Coonamble.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 4, 6, 11, 12, 18

Race 5: 5, 8, 10

Race 6: 4, 5

Race 7: 5, 10

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Ashley Morgan is enjoying another great season and can keep to tally ticking over on Sunday at Mudgee.

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Starpoppy is a well-bred mare, for starters she is by All Too Hard while her grandam is a Palace Music half-sister to Golden Slipper winner, Stratum. As for Starpoppy, she has placed at half of her six starts, two of them were seconds. She was huge at Muswellbrook at her first run for “Cav”. Lonhro’s Queen is a Gooree Stud mare out of a Danehill mare and that’s a rare honour these days. All three runs were at Kembla, they weren’t too bad, this is easier company from now of course.

Bet: Starpoppy to win, exacta 1 to beat 4

RACE 2

Up To Mischief accepted for Nowra on Sunday and is nominated for Gosford this coming Thursday. The Maher-Dynamic Thoroughbreds filly hasn’t raced since that impressive debut win in a 1200m maiden at Canberra. Trials are good. Royal Radiance has raced three times for Stephen Jones, a win and two fourths to be precise. She beat a handy enough horse in the maiden and the two 58s she ran in after that high quality affairs. Goongo and Zequel have claims, more so if the favourite is absent.

Bet: Up To Mischief to win or of scratched Royal Radiance to win

RACE 3

O’So Demanding should be at her peak third-up after two very good runs to open the new campaign. She was runner-up at Nowra then went to Kembla and came from a fair way off to run fourth to the handy Kirragirl. The Nomad is trained at Mudgee by Derek Piper and while his record of 16 starts for no wins, one seconds and no thirds doesn’t read too flash, he has run more good races than bad. The wide draw is no help but he can find the line. Daytona Demon handed in an encouraging debut when fifth of 10 to Braven at Muswellbrook.

Bet: O’So Demanding to win

RACE 4

Sacred Mistress is a Luke Pepper-trained mare by dual Doncaster winner Sacred Halls. Born and raised at Waikato Stud, Pepper’s well-bred mare hasn’t raced since her debut second at Beaumont on Oct 30 where she attacked the line with real purpose and gusto. Another 50m and she wins that day. Trialled well. Speaking of trials, Prosateur has left a good impression after all three of her trials dating back to December. Has also accepted for Taree on Tuesday so wise to keep an eye on her movements. Typhoon Romance likewise has trialled up well.

Bet: Sacred Mistress to win, box First 4: Nos. 4, 6, 9, 11, 12

RACE 5

Dances With Hooves is nominated for Newcastle on Wednesday in a very suitable race. Not that this isn’t but maybe she goes 1850m before 2000m (on Sunday). Her absence, it would open up the race big time and aid the chances of Blue Guitar who is a big, long striding one-pace style son of Shamus Award who is going to relish the 2000m on a seven-day back-up. Capaldi is one for one at the track and distance and was a neck off winning last Saturday’s Orange Cup Prelude.

Bet: Dances With Hooves to win or if scratched Blue Guitar each-way

RACE 6

Dubai Tycoon is getting close to another win, it will be ninth one when it happens. The Brett Cavanough-trained stager has run in some pretty strong races this preparation and done well to varying degrees in all of them. That run at Scone last start was way, way better than it reads on paper. Like him up to 1200m again. Osman, the one in the Gooree colours, resumes here at home and near where he was foaled. Won six from 22 which is an honourable strike rate and the trial win at Orange on March 24 was memorable.

Bet: Dubai Tycoon to win

RACE 7

Rubi Air is a valuable broodmare prospect for later on being by Yes Yes Yes’ father Rubick out of Hairy, who won a Sheraco and Carrington Stakes. Rubi Air is trained by Country Championship winner Brett Robb who has found a winnable race for his charge here and blessed with a much better draw than what confronted her (14 of 14) in the WRA Qualifier where she ran out of her skin at 100/1. Imperioness has an underwhelming first-up record but she has trialled twice and her racing form is as good as any of her rivals. My Mate Kate is ‘221’ leading into this.

Bet: Rubi Air to win