Best bets and inside mail for Scone on Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Rodney Northam and Reece Jones can add a few more to their shared tally of winners at Scone on Wednesday including with an impressive looking debutant.

Reece Jones has some good rides at Scone on Tuesday, including best bet One Man Show. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis at Scone on Wednesday.

**Note: The Scone meeting has been moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because of extreme heat**

SCONE TIPS

BEST BET

Race 4 No.2: One Man Show

Local who has won both trials here in impressive style. Looks talented.

NEXT BEST

Race 5 No.5: Shropshire Lad

Nothing short of a good thing beaten on debut at Newcastle. Nice horse.

VALUE BET

Race 1 No.1: Don Stefano

Way back in grade on his last few. Gets his big chance to win one.

BEST EXOTIC

Daily Double 1st Leg (5), 2nd Leg (2)

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1, 2

Race 5: 5, 14

Race 6: 1, 2, 3, 12

Race 7: 2, 4

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Mitch Stapleford shapes well for a TAB Jockeys Challenge tilt.

SCONE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: BENCHMARK 74 HANDICAP (2200m)

Don Stefano races in the same colours as his Group 1-winning “uncles” Press Statement and Press Day. “The Don” has won three times at distances ranging from 1300m to 2200m. He has also placed three times in his 12 career starts. The most pertinent point to make is that he is way down in class here – way down! How interesting that this will be the third time in a row that the Stirling Osland pair Finger Bun and Suit have raced. Finger Bun has beaten Suit day both times, pretty comfortably. Lady Tino is one for one at the Scone 2200m beating subsequent winner, Le Souci.

Bet: Don Stefano to win

RACE 2: CLASS 1 HANDICAP – HEAT OF THE RISING STAR (1400m)

Great Point’s only win so far was at this same track and distance at start two. This will be start nine here and he is still in a Class 1 but a case could be made that he should have probably won or more of his three runs back this preparation. Gelsey was placed third at a Rosehill midweeker at his second and final run for Waterhouse/Bott. Has a win and a fifth in the two runs for Tim McIntosh. Former Victorian Pharoahzano won the Super Maiden on Mudgee Cup day; big effort too given he was 1000m to 1400m in 13-days.

Bet: Great Point to win

RACE 3: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1600m)

Yorikiri has only won two from 32 but he has run a fair few thirds, fourths and fifths. A lot of times he has got back in his races and had his finishing position determined by outside factors like tempo, on-pace bias, etc. Is he good enough to win? Yes, but needs a fair run-on track today. Tigon Princess was becoming a bit costly up until that win at Tamworth last start. Her other win was at Wyong so she should feel comfortable enough here. Magic Stalker won on debut, just has to take a step up.

Bet: Yorikiri each-way quinella 2, 6

RACE 4: MAIDEN HANDICAP (1300m)

One Man Show opened up at $2 with TAB Fixed Odds but was soon crunched into $1.55. You can bet your bottom dollar that most of that flood of money came from trial watchers. The Rodney Northam-trained gelding won both heats at Scone and looked fantastic each time. That said, he is on debut and has some genuine competition from actor Matt Damon’s horse Dale who has been gelded and trialled up well himself. This is must-see TV! Navy Steel, It’s A Written and Sunset Panorama are all medal contenders.

Bet: One Man Show to win, quinella 1,2, trifecta 1,2,4,7,14 (boxed)

RACE 5: MAIDEN PLATE (1100m)

Shropshire Lad was $2.60 into $2.25 on debut and if the bookie’s had a kind heart, they would have paid out on his second given he was absolutely nothing short of a certainty-beaten that day. At home now and the extra furlong suits. Thursain was spelled after a very honourable fourth to the above average Baartolf here on a Heavy 10 back on July 2. The Kris Lees-trained filly has trialled twice, and wasn’t shown up at each. This chestnut could in fact be the dark horse of the field.

Bet: Shropshire Lad win, Thursain each-way, quin/exacta 5,14, DD 1st Leg (5), 2nd Leg (2)

RACE 6: BENCHMARK 66 HANDICAP (1300m)

Rasay Factor is a sparingly-raced six-year-old who has four wins and three placings from 13 starts. On top of that, he has visited Scone twice before for a win a close and closing second. The downside is he seems to prefer the sting out. Zippo Idea lost the rider here first-up when $5.50. Had the mandatory (easy) trial. If horses are able to make up ground in the straight on Tuesday, she’s your ‘barnstormer’ of the field. Code In Time is doing a lot right.

Bet: Rasay Factor to win or if scratched Zippo Idea to win

RACE 7: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1100m)

Sir Remlap surely lost no admirers in defeat when he finished fifth in what might turn out to be a deep Highway (won by Cambar) on November 20. Keep in mind, it was the horse’s first Highway and he had only just won his Maiden 11 days prior – at Scone too. Autofocus did only good things at her four starts at the first preparation. Her two trials have been really good. She could potentially make Sir Remlap earn this win. Never an easy task to go from a Maiden to a 58 but Panta Rhei was emphatic winning at Muswellbrook.

Bet: Sir Remlap to win, Autofocus each-way, exacta 2 to beat 4, quinella 2,4

Originally published as Best bets and inside mail for Scone on Wednesday, December 18, 2024