Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wyong

After placing at his two starts to date, the Hawkes Racing-trained Kaptive is primed to break through. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL.

Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes have a promising gelding in Kaptive who looks hard to beat at Wyong. Photo: Grant Guy

The Daily Telegraph’s form analyst Matt Jones has studied the form and is confident punters can strike early with promising gelding Kaptive in the second event.

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!

WYONG

BEST BET

Race 2, No. 1: KAPTIVE

He’ll start at very skinny odds but deserve to after a pretty good run in higher grade last start and natural improvement makes him very hard to beat.

NEXT BEST

Race 4, No. 1: DELEXO

He’s won all three trials and I can see him also winning on race day. He should be able to get into a good spot and kick clear in the straight at his home track which is always an advantage for a first starter.

VALUE BET

Race 3, No. 5: PRINCESS AMIRA

She takes on Blaze Seven here who will likely start a shorter price but they met in a trial late last year and she looked pretty good. The stable should have her nice and forward for this.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1, 3, 9

Race 5: 1, 2, 7

Race 6: 1, 3

Race 7: 1, 2, 5

Trainer John O'Shea has a couple of good chances at Wyong on Thursday. Photo: Simon Bullard/AAP Image

TRAINER TO WATCH

John O’Shea could win two of the first three races with Doppelpunkt and Blaze Seven while Bizou is an outside hope later in the day.

JOCKEY TO WATCH

Kerrin McEvoy has good hopes with Danzette, Sniper Legend, Quatum and Elegant Grace and he’s coming off a treble at Rosehill on Saturday.

INSIDE MAIL FOR WYONG

RACE 1

Paul Cave has found a good race for Blue Sky Moon to debut in. Not many of these have good form and Cave’s runner is finally at the races and should take up a position in the run. He’s only had one trial this time in but has been given a solid jump out too and is nice and forward. Doppelpunkt drops back to an easier race after running on well enough in town last start and was luckless on debut a run earlier so this can be her day. Spanish Pearl has run placings in all three runs this time in and her best run was at Gosford so this tight track shouldn’t bother her. Stark can run a race fresh.

BET: DOPPELPUNKT TO WIN

RACE 2

Kaptive has placed twice in town so far and Team Hawkes brings him back to a provincial race looking for a win. He was sent out a $1.65 chance at Warwick Farm on debut. The 1350m is ideal now and the rest of his rivals virtually have now form to speak of so this should be the kill he needs before coming back to city racing. Bytact should be a better horse this time in and has had a good preparation ahead of his first-up run and is now a gelding so look for a good effort here. Deliberation will enjoy firmer footing this time in an easier race. It’s hard to see the favourite losing however.

BET: KAPTIVE TO WIN

In-form jockey Rachel King will partner Blaze Seven for John O’Shea in the third race at Wyong on Wednesday. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

RACE 3

John O’Shea might win two of the first three races today with Blaze Seven in the third. He just got too far back on town last time but wasn’t disgraced when only a couple of lengths off the winner. O’Shea has applied the tongue tie now so look for a lot of improvement here. Correlate will likely roll forward from the wide gate and possibly lead and she’s fit enough to do it third-up but some luck in the first half of the race is needed. Expect the debutant Princess Amira to run a race here after showing a lot in her latest trial and she’s got a good gate. Danzette is ready to pounce late.

BET: PRINCESS AMIRA TO WIN

RACE 4

Kerrin McEvoy has been on Sniper Legend at his two trials ahead of this debut run. He has a wide draw so the ride will need to be good to find a decent spot. The stable is thinking he’s a top three hope with luck in running. Delexo has won all three trials and he looks to have the speed to be right there as the field enters the home straight and don’t be surprised to see him over the line in first place in a race this time. Press Ahead showed nice early speed in his trial and finished it off with a win.

BET: DELEXO TO WIN

RACE 5

Quatum won his two trials ahead of his comeback run after an up and down first preparation which included a metropolitan win on debut and this track should suit him. Colonel hasn’t been seen publicly since a poor run at Rosehill and the Snowdens have taken the blinkers off for the first time. He’s a risk but also talented enough on his day to cause problems for his rivals. Ashra Jahre is going along pretty well and is in a weak enough race here to be in the finish third-up. Go For Gold won here last time on a very heavy track so be cautious of that form, but you can only win.

BET: QUINELLA 1, 7

Derbari can get back to winning form for trainer Joe Pride (right). Photo: Grant Guy

RACE 6

Derbari deserves to be favourite with previous Saturday city placings. Last start at Warwick Farm, he just got beat by a handy horse and getting out to 1300m is a plus. Virtually all his form has been on wet tracks though. Snitzify has been in good form this preparation and he’ll enjoy firmer ground now and a slightly better gate. Rhythmic Pulse will also love a firmer track and Siesta Key is ticking along pretty well in lesser grade but this isn’t a huge step up so she’s an each way chance.

BET: DERBARI TO WIN

RACE 7

See how Siesta Key goes in the previous race because it just got beat by stablemate No Laughing Matter last time and she shoots for three-straight here. Never Never River won well at Canterbury fresh then got beat by the red hot Private Eye who came out and won again at Rosehill on Saturday. If he can settle a bit better he can bounce back here. Favra is in a new stable and it often produces results. He wasn’t disgraced in a much better race last time against a couple of in-form horses and he’s much better suited to this trip rather than 1100m.

BET: NEVER NEVER RIVER TO WIN