Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wagga

The Barbara Joseph, Paul and Matt Jones stable have a promising gelding set to atone for a first-up defeat. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Jockey Blaike McDougall has a terrific book of rides at Wagga on Tuesday. Photo: Brendan Esposito/AAP Image

The Daily Telegraph’s form analyst Shayne O’Cass is confident a promising three-year-old gelding can atone for a narrow debut defeat and reward his followers.

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!

WAGGA

BEST BET

Race 6, No. 6: ERWIN

Easy and impressive trial winner two weeks before he was beaten a nose at Moruya on debut. Blaike McDougall sticks and should win time.

NEXT BEST

Race 1, No. 3: GALLANT RUN

Has been costly to follow but he almost got that elusive maiden win in the bag at Albury last Tuesday. It’s ow or never again.

VALUE BET

Race 8, No. 4: TICKLER

Talented gelding on his way to the Country Championships Heat and building up nicely towards it.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 3,4,5,6

Race 6: 6

Race 7: 1,3,5,8

Race 8: 4,5

Blaike McDougall became the first jockey to crack 100 winners for the season on Sunday and continue his hot form at Wagga on Tuesday. Photo: George Salpigtidis/Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Blaike McDougall was the first jockey in Australia to reach the 100 wins this season when he won the Cowra Cup on Sunday. Now for 200.

INSIDE MAIL FOR WAGGA

RACE 1

Gallant Run was having his second run for Mitchell Beer in a 1000m maiden at home/Albury last Tuesday and was beaten a nose. That was the gelding’s seventh placing in 13 starts. It is only a matter of time before he wins, this is now or never stuff. Our Baez is a first starter from the Chris Heywood camp. She has trialled rather well in fairly recent times but has to contend with the outside alley on debut. Jimmyjohn was only a half-length behind Gallant Run at Albury seven days ago.

BET: GALLANT RUN TO WIN

RACE 2

Stand Your Ground has come back in career best shape this campaign. The Norm Gardner mare made up many lengths to finish second here first-up and was quite outstanding next time (also here) coming from 13th of 13 at the 400m to win. Can keep progressing. Underground Music was an easy on-pace winner of her maiden in February last year. Hasn’t been seen since she was beaten five-lengths by Icebath at Kembla. Blaike McDougall, barrier 1 - market watch strongly advised. Torsiton is honest but just finding it hard to crack it for a second win.

BET: STAND YOUR GROUND TO WIN

RACE 3

Kurocaine has a 10 per cent winning strike-rate across his 30 starts but he has managed nine placings. He surely is getting close to another win now after those four successive placings leading into this. His ‘La Sante form’ does look rather strong too. Swagger adds all the interest being a last start winner in New Zealand in mid-August. Now with Mitchell Beer, the horse was really impressive winning a trial at Albury last Tuesday. Halo Warrior was emphatic winning at Albury first-up and wasn’t all that bad as a beaten favourite at Corowa last time.

BET: KUROCAINE TO WIN, QUINELLA 1,6

Trainer Theresa Bateup can quinella Race 4 at Wagga on Tuesday. Photo: Grant Guy

RACE 4

Foxtrot Bravo ran well above market expectations (she was $101) when an eye-catching fourth in quite a good quality maiden at Nowra on New Year’s Eve. He is a lightly-raced horse who has been to Wagga once and ran on well from the back to finish third. Could peak here. Stablemate Without Equal is by Curata Storm who won the 2001 Tancred at $101. As for Without Equal, he is similar to Foxtrot Bravo insofar as he is third-up and on an upward trajectory. Arcadia Power has raced well here, three times in fact.

BET: FOXTROT BRAVO TO WIN, QUINELLA 2,13

RACE 5

Special Privilege is a Kurt Goldman trained brown/black coloured son of Skilled resuming here after a short, sharp and encouraging first preparation which kicked off with a super impressive win at the Sapphire Coast in a good quality maiden. Straight after that, Special Privilege was a distant second to Tejori in the ACT but zero disgrace in the margin. Spelled after Scone in May, no public trial - market might tell the story. Bellarina Magic is up and running and is getting close to a well-earned win. Strong late. Houlio’s Dream has claims.

BET: SPECIAL PRIVILEGE TO WIN, EXACTA 6 TO BEAT 4

RACE 6

Erwin is a really promising type by Panzer Division trained by the Jones/Joseph clan. He won a trial at Moruya on December 20 by three lengths. He made his race-day debut at the same venue on January 4 and was beaten a nose. Blaike McDougall sticks - why wouldn’t he? Clearly the one to beat. That said, the locally trained Carnival Miss ran a big, big race on debut. She drew 13 of 13, was 12th at the 400m but only got beaten two-lengths by the aforementioned and in-form Stand Your Ground here last Tuesday. Zelburg is a player.

BET: ERWIN TO WIN, QUINELLA 6,12

Ming Dynasty Stakes winner Panzer Division is the sire of the promising Erwin. Photo: Simon Bullard

RACE 7

Defy has raced at Wagga seven times for two wins and three placings. He is back in town after running a great fourth to his stablemate Zarafah in an 1800m Bm58 here on January 7. Pedigree buffs take note; Defy’s fourth dam is Somethingroyal - the mother of Secretariat and Sir Gaylord (the grandfather of Sir Tristram). Boogie Woogie did a creditable job at Albury last Tuesday given he shouldered 63kg over the mile coming back from 2000m. Can certainly play a role. Mahsinger doesn’t win out of turn but was good enough in the Zarafah/Defy race.

BET: DEFY TO WIN, BOX TRIFECTA 1,3,5,8

RACE 8

Tickler is a genuine Country Championship hopeful. He is a city winner with Tailleur form early on and more recently has Pinnacle Prince and Kattegat form on the C.V. The Kurt Goldman trained gelding should be at his peak now and has the services of Blaike McDougall who has options now from the alley. Ons Vier really deserved that win at Corowa on December 28. Patrick Scorse knows her strengths; she is actually quite a handy mare when things go her way and not against her. Scout and Chipsaredown ran well in the Summer Sprint here last time they visited.

BET: TICKLER TO WIN, EXACTA 4 TO BEAT 5