Race day focus: Bets bets, inside mail for Newcastle

A high-priced relation to The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes is set to climb the mountain to victory at Newcastle.

Trainer Chris Waller can open the day on a winning note with Diaco. Picture: Getty Images

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Newcastle.

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!

NEWCASTLE

BEST BETS

Race 1, No.4: DIACO

A $1.5 million dollar yearling, a close relation to Yes Yes Yes, and is itching to get out to 1500m and further.

NEXT BEST

Race 8, No.3: ALL ENGLAND

‘Nephew’ of the great Chautauqua; Tommy Berry on this Snowden-trained galloper who is better than provincial grade.

VALUE BET

Race 6, No.7: HIGHLY AMBITIOUS

Didn’t have room or luck at Wyong last time. The bigger (home) track suits her a whole better.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 7,8

Race 6: 6,7

Race 7: 2,9,11,14

Race 8: 3,12

DAILY DOUBLE

1st Leg (7), 2nd Leg (3)

Tommy Berry can start and end the day at Newcastle on a high note. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Tommy Berry could book end the meeting should his best two rides, Diaco and All England, both turn up on the day.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR NEWCASTLE

RACE 1

Diaco was the fourth most expensive yearling sold at the Magic Millions in 2021; knocked down for $1.5 million. The colt is by Not A Single Doubt and a pretty close relative of The Everest winner, Yes Yes Yes. Unlike that Chris Waller-trained colt, this Chris Waller-trained colt is a miler and maybe even 2000m type. Nice horse. Gerry Harvey-bred Parsonage Lane, a Redoute’s Choice great grandson of Lady Jakeo, is tailor-made for 1500m second-up on a bigger track. Gotta Fly was about three-quarters of a length behind Parsonage Lane at Wyong.

Bet: Diaco to win, exacta 4 to beat 3

RACE 2

Bayezid is nominated for Kembla on Saturday; wherever he goes, it will be the proverbial ‘much anticipated debut’ on his part because he has the lot; pedigree, trainer and talent. For the record, Bayezid is a son of I Am Invincible out of Ottoman and the recent trials were outstanding. Godolphin stablemate Excursion was $8.50 into $6.50 on debut in the Max Lees here in November last year (ran 6th of 9). Has put the writing on the wall in her trials. Ditto that for Gosford gelding Procrastinator. Dear Jewel is a half to Divine Prophet and Proisir.

Bet: Bayezid to win or of scratched, Excursion to win

RACE 3

Propel Motion turned five on August 1 but only has two starts on the C.V prior to Thursday; one of those was a narrow but really impressive debut win at Gosford on March 12, the other a distant but decent enough third here 19-days later. Drawn well and seems to be quite untapped. Per Ivy is yet to miss out on a medal in her four starts. Was beaten at $1.90 first-up but she wasn’t altogether bad per se. Zalini has raced seven times for a win and three seconds. She seems to favour the Soft ground and she looks ready to go off a couple of ripper trials.

Bet: Propel Motion to win, box first 4: Nos. 2,4,5,7

Trainer Nathan Doyle prepares Miss Scarlini who looks well placed. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 4

Miss Scalini has a benchmark rating of 67, the closest to her here is Onemore Sapphire on 63 and they both carry 57.5kg which is only 2.5kg over the limit. That is the long way of saying that both are rather well treated here. That said, Miss Scalini ticks a few boxes that perhaps Onemore Sapphire doesn’t. Miss Scalini is trained here and always races well at home. She has placed four from six at the mile and she literally goes on any surface from Good to Heavy and anything in between. Outside of that pair, we must factor in Microna’s Newcastle figures.

Bet: Miss Scalini to win

RACE 5

Layla Of Monaco is having her fourth run into the current preparation having run over 1400m first-up then the next/last two over 1600m. No argument that the pick of the three was her most recent one at Kembla. Crucial to note that the daughter of Monaco Consul and a Galileo mare was beaten a neck at her only run at this track/trip - and was it a Heavy 8 that day. Pharoah’s Reign was overs at $1.55 when she won her 1750m maiden at Muswellbrook. Can’t really vouch for the standard of opposition there but she won easily and could be on her way now so to speak. Global Encounter has come back in great shape and could lead?

Bet: Layla Of Monaco to win, exacta 7 to beat 8

RACE 6

Highly Ambitious is by Written Tycoon out of the Schillaci Stakes and Gimcrack winner, Alpha Miss. This Kris Lees-trained four-year-old finished 8th of 11 at Wyong last start but it was close enough to a ‘total forgive.’ Her only win was here and she has a city placing to Shades Of Rose. Kiwi-bred, former Queenslander Tribute King makes his stable debut for the astute Paul Shailer stable. Nash Rawiller on and this great grandson of Beach Gown has been trialling up a treat. Every owner and trainer would want a stable full of Rockbarton Ruby’s.

Bet: Highly Ambitious to win, Tribute King each-way, quinella 6,7, box trifecta 1,6,7,8

Brenton Avdulla can land a race to race double on Highly Ambitious and Seiryu. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 7

Seiryu has beaten one horse home in her two starts but one was in the Blue Diamond Prelude, the other was the Magic Night Stakes. If you like backing horses off the trials, then here’s your bet for the day. By the way, for the pedigree buffs, her fourth dam is Tidal Light. You won’t find too many more handsome horses around the place than Narito; the Denise’s Joy descendant who has trialled like he will be in much, much better races in time. All eyes on the Golden Gift and Todman placegetter. Market watch essential for all of these.

Bet: Seiryu to win, Narito each-way, box First 4. Nos. 2,6,9,11,14

RACE 8

All England is more or less a ‘nephew’ of the great Chautauqua which makes Tommy Berry the jockey of choice naturally enough. Berry has ridden the son of I Am Invincible twice before and they were pretty much All England’s peak performances. Berry also rode him in his trial where he went like a bomb. Princess Amira has also accepted for Port Macquarie on Friday. She has thrived since she got to Wyong and the trial win at Muswellbrook was bang on. Mossman gelding and ex-Hong Kong resident Diamond Diesel was out of this world impressive at Gosford.

Bet: All England to win

Originally published as Race day focus: Bets bets, inside mail for Newcastle