Wyong tips: Trainer Mark Minervini feels Raging Bull is racing better than his form suggests and can surprise in the Cup Prelude

An interrupted preparation hasn’t helped Raging Bull but trainer Mark Minervini believes the gelding is well placed to turn his form around when he contests the Wyong Cup Prelude.

Raging Bull can turn his form around in the Wyong Cup Prelude. Picture: Bradley Photos

Raging Bull returns to the scene of the first of his only two career wins when he aims to turn four zeros into a one in the Wyong Cup Prelude (2000m).

The son of 2012 Magic Millions Yearling sale-topper, Bull Point, has been a frequent competitor at the highest level of racing and often against the top echelon of racehorses.

Sixteen of Raging Bull’s 29 starts have been in stakes races including the VRC Derby where he ran fourth to Hitotsu followed by repeated clashes with Anamoe et al in features including the Randwick Guineas, ATC Derby and Spring Champion Stakes.

Raging Bull’s last six starts have been in the Mark Minervini gold and black silks; the last four of them are ‘noughts’ but all of them easily forgivable given an unfavourable set of circumstances.

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“It has been a bit of a stop-start preparation,” Minervini said.

“We sent him down to Melbourne about a month ago but he cut his leg so he didn’t run and he came back home without having a start.

“When we first got him from David Payne, we took all the gear off him and I put the blinkers back on last Saturday in the Premier’s Cup Prelude and I think he was a bit fresh.

“I don’t think he has ever led in a race in his life and they broke the class record so he was probably left wanting late.

“He’s come out of it in great order.

“All those noughts, he hasn’t been beaten that far and I think this is the best I have placed him this preparation.

“The set weights race suits him, 56kg and then on top of that, I’ve claimed so he gets in with 53kg and it’s down a grade or two or three from his last couple.

“My only little concern would be the Heavy track.”

Minervini’s day at the office kicks off in the opener when The Metropolitan Handicap-winning jockey Blake Spriggs is legged aboard the lightly-raced Finance Able who lines up for just his third start in the Carlton Maiden Plate (1600m).

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The Rothwell Park-bred gelding has finished well down the order in his opening two outings but is liable to improve and keep improving.

“I haven’t been too disappointed in his two runs,” Minervini said.

“He has got a little bit of ability and he is not hopeless put it that way.

“He has just been very green but the benefit of having a couple of runs now and also the blinkers, I am hoping that will turn him around.”

Minervini, meanwhile, is sweating on a few scratchings to ensure the Gerry Harvey-bred and part-owned gelding King’s Duty secures a run in the Magic Millions Racing Women Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).

“I thought he ran out of his skin first-up,” Minervini said.

“(Jockey) Jean Van Overmeire came and saw me a couple of times after the race and said ‘look, I think with any luck in the straight, he wins’.

“I think the key to him is just keeping him nice and fresh and probably riding him a bit colder. I reckon he is more dynamic when he is ridden back and have one crack at them.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 4 No. 3: Pajanti

Half million dollar yearling who resumes armed with good form and some great trials.

NEXT BEST

Race 8 No. 1: Incarcerated

Big and strong horse who is on a Wyong hat-trick. Box one seals the deal.

VALUE BET

Race 1 No. 8: Perasta

Has always looked a muddie and a miler; gets both here.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 2, 5, 8

Race 6: 4, 5, 6

Race 7: 1, 10

Race 8: 1, 8

Tyler Schiller looks set for good day at Wyong. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Doncaster-winning rider Tyler Schiller will be popular with punters in the TAB Jockeys Challenge.

INSIDE MAIL - WYONG

RACE 1

Perasta has been underwhelming in four starts but (and this in only a hunch), he looks like a muddie and he looks like a miler. It is going to be wet to some degree and this is 1600m, small field, suits, lightly-weighted as well. Now or never. Finance Able ducked in behind other horses in the straight last time. Gets blinkers first time and should improve with racing. Lonhreel has placed at four of six, one of them at 1600m.

Bet: Perasta to win, quinella 1, 8

RACE 2

Riley Park is a Kim Waugh-trained son of Vancouver who has only managed one win from 17 starts but he’s had two runs at 1600m for the win (beating Tokyo Run) and a second and that was on a Heavy track here at Wyong. Let Go Johnny is another local; his record here is two starts for a win and a third. Wouldn’t call him a ‘miler’ but he is certainly fit for purpose and this isn’t exactly a Doncaster field. Aunty Rene has claims.

Bet: Riley Park to win

RACE 3

Embassy has raced five times for three seconds and a third. All three seconds are at stakes-level, the third was in a $1 million 2YO race at Doomben and on top of that, he ran fourth in the Silver Slipper. Trial was brilliant. If - and that is a big if - Lilac comes, it will be James McDonald’s only (scheduled) ride. That said, she has been nominated for four races next week so is a big chance to wait. Lugarno did some good things at the first preparation.

Bet: Embassy to win

RACE 4

Pajanti is a $500,000 Easter Yearling purchase by Pierro. The Ryan/Alexiou filly has won twice in seven starts with a third as well. She ran in the P J Bell and the James Carr but she didn’t exactly look at home on the very Heavy tracks those two days. Trialling so well ahead of this. Selfless Act is a Kim Waugh local whose record at this trip is simply outstanding. Had the race run against her at Rosehill last start. Go well.

Bet: Pajanti to win, exacta 3 to beat 2, trifecta 3 (standout), 1, 2, 6 (boxed)

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RACE 5

Here Comes Hogan is a Matthew Smith-trained gelding who has placed three times in five runs. The Tyler Schiller mount has been a close runner-up in his two runs this campaign, in fact he was beaten a nose here over 1000m last start; gets an extra 100m. Sharpen The Knives has been very costly indeed - for punters anyway - with four seconds at his last four starts, the last two when odds-on. That doesn’t mean he can’t or won’t win this time. Be Quiet is a huge second-up improver here.

Bet: Here Comes Hogan to win, box trifecta 1, 2, 5, 8

RACE 6

Trapeze Pleasure and Drama Dodger look like the two most likely to win, without it being a two-horse race by any means. That said, Trapeze Pleasure has drawn three whereas the locally-trained Drama Dodger (who was a dual acceptor) has barrier 13 minus the scratchings. It could come to pass that Drama Dodger slides across a few gates closer to Trapeze Pleasure. We will have to see. Either way it is set up for an absorbing race. Outside of those, Tracey Bartley’s Sebrenco is getting close to winning.

Bet: Trapeze Pleasure to win, quinella 4, 5, Sebrenco to place

RACE 7

Let Me Reign is a handy mare. She has been a handy money-spinner too, having won $200,000 off a $10,000 purchase price. Joe Pride has trained the granddaughter of Real Impact for her last four starts which were ‘4713’, each one of them seeing her closing off willingly. Blinkers on again today. Olympic Gaze (a favourite of mine) has been running a lot better than it looks on paper. There are wins left in him and this could be his day. Vega Magnifico and the one-time VRC Derby fourth placegetter Raging Bull have claims.

Bet: Let Me Reign to win, quinella 1, 10

RACE 8

Incarcerated has been a real ‘find’ for Gerald Ryan, Sterling Alexiou and the connections. This big, strong flashy son of Press Statement is on a Wyong hat-trick having, of course, won his last two visits to The Central Coast and in swashbuckling fashion. Box one seals the deal. That said, he will be kept honest (and then some) by the presence of Braveheart, the $1.3m Easter Yearling and brother to King Of Sparta. Art’s Alive has talent while King’s Duty sent out some good signs at Newcastle first-up.

Bet: Incarcerated to win