Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Port Macquarie

A good barrier could be enough for an in-form Kristen Buchanan-trained gelding to claim the Hastings Cup. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Kristen Buchanan can win the Port Macquarie Cup with Big Surprise. Picture: Grant Guy

Daily Telegraph form analyst Matt Jones gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Port Macquarie.

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!

PORT MACQUARIE

BEST BET

Race 6, No.7: BIG SURPRISE

He’s in career best form and gets an inside gate here which is crucial from this 1500m start which enables him to get an easy lead in the run and be too strong from them late.

NEXT BEST

Race 8, No.11: IMATRUESTAR

He has returned a much better horse after showing enough promise at his last preparation. His fresh win was by nearly four lengths eased down which bodes well for this rise in class.

VALUE BET

Race 1, No.4: LONIESHA

She will get an ideal run from the barrier and showed last time in at the provincials that a country maiden race wasn’t out of reach. She’s trialled well to be winning here.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1, 2, 4, 10

Race 6: 1, 2, 3, 7

Race 7: 2, 3, 6, 8

Race 8: 7, 10, 11

Grant Buckley has a number of good chances including Our Intrigue.

JOCKEY TO WATCH

Grant Buckley has the job on Our Intrigue in the Port Macquarie Cup while Jailbreak and Democracy Manifest are also top winning chances in the fifth and eighth events.

TRAINER TO WATCH

Brett Cavanough has a nice looking horse going around in the opening race. Her name is Miss Laquetta and she put in an eye-catching debut run and it will be interesting to see how she goes from a wide draw and if she can go on with it.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR PORT MACQUARIE

RACE 1

Miss Laquetta just got way too far back on debut at Scone but did end up producing the eye-catching run of the race when coming from 12th to finish fourth. From a wide gate she might need to adopt similar tactics so luck is needed, but she’s got more upside than most. Loniesha gets the dream run from the gate so she should get a big advantage on most here and could deliver a win fresh. Thunder Rose is drawn out but she should have the gate speed to get across and lead if she wants and she’s third-up and peaking.

Bet: Loniesha to win

RACE 2

Klopp is first-up off a good spell and has to do it from a wide gate for new trainer John Sprague. He can push forward and all his previous form was in stronger races than this at the provincials. Had he drawn a gat he’d probably be a $2 chance. Devil’s Inn has been given a good draw and probably box seats so he shouldn’t have poor luck like last time when forced wide approaching the home turn before running on for second. Olympic Time drops back from provincial racing where he wasn’t disgraced on both occasions this time in.

Bet: Klopp to win

RACE 3

Black Jacamar is coming back to a track she’s had success at and comes into this off no public trial but she won fresh last time in and no doubt Kim Waugh has her ready to do the same here. She might even lead this. Tequila Cabos is also building a promising record and only got beat by a horse who is handy on its day. She’s obviously got the fitness edge on Black Jacamar. Faatinaat won fresh here last time in while All A Lady has won two of her past three but this is a step up. She does like to take bad luck out of the equation though.

Bet: Black Jacamar to win

Trainer Kim Waugh returns to Port Macquarie with Black Jacamar. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 4

Pandora Blue is the one with upside here and she draws a better gate now after running well enough fresh at Hawkesbury when nothing really went her way. She’s well placed here. Salad Dodger is so hard to catch but he’s won three races here and always goes around overs. Rahni Factor is knocking on the door and may even try to lead this one over 1100m fourth-up. Dreaming Of Gold has a lot of provincial form behind her and goes great fresh.

Bet: Quinella 1, 8

RACE 5

Safado hasn’t won much of late but did score two runs back and is the class horse of the field with a good fresh record but he gives away 5kg to most of his rivals. Jailbreak has two second-up wins to his name and just got beat by an underrate in-form horse last month and he’s been kept fresh for this. Nicci Trix has had a tongue tie put on for the first time after running fourth fresh in a Highway race so look for her to reach her best here. Liberty Sun has won in town on a Saturday and should get the run of the race here which takes her a long way.

Bet: Exacta 4, 1

RACE 6

Big Surprise almost led all the way over the gruelling Randwick mile last start so this 1500m assignment shouldn’t pose any queries from barrier one as he goes into this in career best form. Prima Stella is also on fire and will get a nice smother from an inside gate and be strong late. Magic Charlie has to do it from a wide gate which isn’t easy from this starting point but he too is in form and can stalk them and come over the top of many of them late. Horses like Mister Smartee and Editors can pop up and win at odds.

Bet: Big Surprise to win

Our Intrigue (centre) looks hard to beat in the Port Macquarie Cup. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 7

Our Intrigue isn’t the most consistent type but she’s had two good runs of late and from barrier four she shouldn’t have any excuses and if the best version of her turns up she just about wins. You’d say the same about stablemate Achiever but he has a wide gate to overcome and might be a false favourite. Unamerican has won two of his past three and just missed out last time at Gosford. The other two mentioned have stronger form behind them. Milk Man can come at them late with luck while Fast Talking looks the best of the country-trained gallopers.

Bet: Our Intrigue to win

RACE 8

This has to be the day for Foxstorm with even luck from a good enough barrier. He’s ran second three times this preparation and is ready for 1200m now. The visors are now off and he’s a good chance but there are a bunch of horses with upside to beat. Democracy Manifest is one of them and he bolted in at Dubbo last time and the wide gate isn’t overly bad for him due to his off speed pattern. Imatruestar also won well fresh and will sit close in the run and avoid slow horses in the straight.

Bet: Imatruestar to win