Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Newcastle

A Brad Widdup-trained mare put the writing on the wall for her first win in 2022 with an excellent return on the Beaumont track. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Racing in New South Wales on Wednesday heads to Newcastle.,

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!

WYONG

BEST BET

Race 7, No.7: TYCOON HALLIE

Add her name to the procession of Brad Widdup-trained mares that are both honest and reliable not to mention talented. Placed to win.

NEXT BEST

Race 2, No.7: ADULTING

Would only need to run up to either of her two trials and she ought to be winning what looks a skinny affair on paper.

VALUE BET

Race 3, No.7: HEAVENLY PROPHET

Anticipating natural improvement from this Team Hawkes-trained filly by their former Guineas winner, Divine Prophet.

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella Race 3. No.7 and 9

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1,3,6,8

Race 5: 2,4,9

Race 6: 1,4

Race 7: 3,7,8

Jay Ford can give the TAB Jockey Challenge a shake at Newcastle. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Jay Ford has four rides at Wyong and if they all run, he could get enough points to give the TAB Jockeys Challenge a red-hot go.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR NEWCASTLE

RACE 1

Berry Berry Good is quite typical of his sire Capitalist at least in the looks department. The Jean Dubois-trained gelding was unwanted on debut ($61 to $81) in a deep maiden at Canterbury 12-days ago and never really looked likely. That said, this is a million times easier and if he can show the speed he did in his trial, he could be in the finish. November Rhythm put a good showing on debut in a 1000m Canberra maiden. Got the draw they would have wanted. Not so Barney Rabble but 900m around here is hardly panic stations.

Bet: Berry Berry Good to win, quinella 5,7

RACE 2

Adulting was sidelined through injury subsequent to her debut 12 months and two weeks ago. She was $3.50 in town that day which says a bit about how she was going beforehand. Fast forward to the present and once again her trials, two of them, have been super encouraging. Gorshin has a pretty underwhelming record at first glance but there might be just that tad more to him than meets the eye. Tuncurry mare Smart Sophia was a real eye-catcher at her first start in that maiden at Port Macquarie on New Year’s Day.

Bet: Adulting to win

Josh Parr (pictured) partners Adulting. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 3

Heavenly Prophet had trialled quite well before she made her debut in a Gosford maiden on December 29 where she had the misfortune of bumping into Twilight Affair. This Team Hawkes-trained filly was never really likely to threaten but it was only her first run and given her breeding among other things, she was/is always going to improve as time goes by. Ditto than and more for Great Mystery. She is a hundred times better than her current C.V would suggest. She could win this and progress to better races this time in. Blue Jager, the daughter of VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse wants 1400m on a big track now.

Bet: Heavenly Prophet each-way, Great Mystery each-way, quinella 7,9 box trifecta 1,5,7,9

RACE 4

Big Short is a Waller/Ingham gelding and a half to that combination’s stakes performers Wine Bush and Wine Tales. For a horse that started $31 and $10 respectively at his only two starts last prep, you would have to credit him as running way above market expectation. If he runs up to his debut run at this same track/distance, he will go very close indeed. No sure if one or both his stablemates Celtic Harp and/or Paternal make it the race but they are clearly winning chances. Mid to long term, the Savabeel gelding Paternal might be the best horse out of this race.

Bet: Big Short to win, quinella 3,8

RACE 5

Don’tforgetmonica is nominated for the Queen of the Turf at Port Macquarie on Friday and given it is worth $65,000 compared to $35,000 here, you would think that they wait a couple of days. Rival trainers will certainly be hoping so. Let’s assume she is scratched; it would make the task of The Crimson Idol considerably easier. Don’t be too quick to dismiss her due to the ‘077’ next to her name, she was a Randwick winner before the ‘0’ and those two sevenths were in town and not at all bad. Snowden Racing/Triple Crown mare Windsweep has been going around in some pretty good quality races this time in.

Bet: Don’tforgetmonica to win or, if scratched, The Crimson Idol each-way

Trainers Gerald Ryan (right) and Sterling Alexiou have a couple of good chances at Newcastle in Mihocek (race 6) and Adulting (race 2). Picture: Getty Images

RACE 6

Mihocek is an honest and reliable horse and most of all a fit horse. That being the case, he should run 1500m out. The only little negative about him is that he has drawn 9 of 9 runners and being a go forward horse, he will need a few things to work for him in the opening furlong. Other than that, he looks ‘the obvious’ without being a moral. Toomai has won twice since she joined the Kris Lees stable. She is a Newcastle winner and a last start winner so is entitled to some respect here especially from gate 3 and the claim for a very good apprentice jockey in Bailey Wheeler. Mydeel is a lightly-raced and progressive son of Dundeel.

Bet: Mihocek to win

RACE 7

Tycoon Hallie was $4.20 into $3.30 when she resumed on the Beaumont track on Boxing Day and while beaten, you could hardly find any fault in the run. The winner, Nikau, goes alright and Widdup’s mare was chasing gamely right until the end. The step to 1500m on this bigger track is bang on the money for her now. Lennon ran a good race at Warwick Farm two weeks ago. He was $61 into $41 at one stage and while no one collected, you would have to follow-up on him here given how well he ran (late) in a 1200m midweeker. Nicochet wins are few and far in between but you know he is capable on his day.

Bet: Tycoon Hallie to win

Originally published as Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Newcastle