Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Hawkesbury
A Robert and Luke Price-trained gelding left a good impression when second on debut and can resume on a winning note. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL
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Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Hawkesbury.
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HAWKESBURY
BEST BET
Race 4, No.5: EXTREME FREEDOM
Rober and Luke Price-trained gelding who would only have to run up to his debut second here on May 24. Trialled well since and James McDonald rides.
NEXT BEST
Race 8, No.8: THE HIMALAYAS
Unbeaten in his two runs as a gelding, both here at home, one time over Sovereign Express. Draw the only negative.
VALUE BET
Race 3, No.6: PEACE OFFICER
Could be a real smoky for the spring. Was always going ‘to be a three-year-old’ and has come back in great shape.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1,10,13
Race 6: 2,4,7
Race 7: 2,3,4,6
Race 8: 3,5,8
BEST EXOTIC
Exacta Race 4, No.5 to beat No.13
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Nash Rawiller has the ride on the well-bred Quinlan in the opener and the up and comer Peace Officer in third race.
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR HAWKESBURY
RACE 1
Quinlan is a Gerry Harvey-bred son of I Am Invincible out of Precious Lorrainer (a granddaughter of Shantha’s Choice) and was sold for $600,000 at the Gold Coast. Started $7.50 on debut in the Maribyrnong Plate on Nov 2. Ran last but has trialled up rather well in the last few weeks. Iknowastar was $21 into $17 on debut in a 900m race at Newcastle on March 31 where he faded to finish near the rear. Trial winner in fast time at Kembla eight days ago. Greyonce is a racy grey daughter of Impending and tailor made for 1000m.
Bet: Quinlan to win
RACE 2
Savoir Faire won like a good horse in a 1200m maiden at Warwick Farm at her debut on June 2 last year. Long story short, the next three runs all contained merit to varying degrees. The daughter of Teofilo is with David Pfieffer from now on; trials were good in deep heats too. Savoir Faire’s biggest threat is the other Waratah owned galloper in The Poacher. This handsome gelding has the home ground advantage and barrier 2 compared to the other one’s barrier 8. Acappella Sun is a lightly-raced and very fast filly. Could take some catching.
Bet: Savoir Faire to win, quinella 1,3
RACE 3
Peace Officer is a genuine spring carnival smoky. Not suggesting he is going to win the Golden Rose or the Caulfield Guineas (which is more likely than the former) but he is definitely a colt who could come into his own this preparation. Peace Officer’s four starts have all been in top shelf two-year-old races and on bog tracks. This is a 1300m provincial maiden on a Good 4 so let’s see what he can really do. Sumatra, the Lonhro daughter of Earthquake, was scratched from Canterbury on Wednesday. Drawn well and trials have been super impressive.
Bet: Peace Officer to win, quinella 6,10
RACE 4
Extreme Freedom is likely just the best horse in a bad race here. The Robert and Luke Price-trained son of Turn Me Loose would only have to run close to his May 24 debut when he finished a half-length second in a 1400m maiden here a Heavy 9. Trialled sufficiently well; good draw and the champion jockey on his back here. Miss Thatcher, the daughter of Churchill, ran a huge race on debut in what was a really strong maiden at Kembla. Scratched from Canterbury on Wednesday and hails from an astute stable. Flying Shamus could do something here.
Bet: Extreme Freedom to win, exacta 5 to beat 13, box trifecta 2,5,11,13
RACE 5
Magic, the $2.5 million Easter Sale topper in 2021, will be worth 10 or 20 times that if he wins the Golden Rose or the Caulfield Guineas or whatever else has a Group 1 before its name. Does he start here from the wide draw? Time will tell but he is obviously the most talented horse in the race. Time To Boogie is a striking brown/black coloured gelding on debut drawn wide but still in a very favourable and suitable race, more so of Magic were to disappear from the line-up. Boston City ran a great race behind an above-average horse and has race fitness on his side. Renosu is a million times better than what we saw first-up.
Bet: Magic to win or if scratched, Time To Boogie to win
RACE 6
Crime Spree is a close relation to Criterion but unlike him, he can’t go an inch on wet tracks. The Triple Crown gelding has all the early pace of Cliff Young but he can reel off some Carl Lewis late splits - dare I say, occasionally but not always. If he gets the Good 4 here and a fast pace and doesn’t lose tough, he can win. Tavistock son Spring Break ticks pretty much every box here. The trip is bang on, firm deck, peak fitness, Bowman, etc. Could say a lot of the same stuff when it comes to Good Omens who has been blessed with a winning draw.
Bet: Crime Spree each-way, box trifecta 2,4,5,7
RACE 7
Skyman is a dual acceptor; he is also in the Premier’s Cup on Saturday. Won the McKell Cup the last time he raced on June 18 and his trials have been good despite the margins. Our Intrigue wouldn’t look out of place in ‘The Big Dance’ but anyway, let’s just start with the Rowley Mile for now. Good at the trip and her form up in Queensland was consistently good. Oscar Zulu doesn’t win out of turn but he always runs well and often in good company. If Cross Talk gets a picnic, this will be over at the 200m.
Bet: Skyman to win or if scratched our Intrigue each-way
RACE 8
The Himalayas is a locally trained galloper who is unbeaten in his two starts since being gelded. What’s more, those two runs were both here and at one of them, he beat Sovereign Express who has won three times since. All England, the close relation to Chautauqua, has drawn way out wide but outside of that, this is a good set-up for him; 1300m on a big track, good going underfoot and off a crackerjack trial. The biggest market watch all day is Mahagini who ran a massive race at his Australian debut when backed big time.
Bet: The Himalayas to win
Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Hawkesbury
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