Kembla best bets, inside mail for Thursday, December 12, 2024

The Richard and Will Freedman-trained Pocketing produced an eye-catching run first-up and a step up in distance can see the gelding end the day on a winning note. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Pocketing can end the day on a winning note at Kembla. Picture: Bradley Photos

Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form analyst Adam Sherry provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis at Kembla on Thursday.

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!

KEMBLA

BEST BET

Race 7 No. 14: Pocketing

Charged home from well back for a close second first-up. Extra distance and a good track suit.

It's the favourite, Pocketing who gets the money at Nowra! @[e-mail]/UkMMAWbH5j

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 12, 2024

NEXT BEST

Race 3 No. 2: Tastula

Raced away for an impressive maiden win at Canterbury. Gets a nice run from the draw and hard to beat again.

VALUE BET

Race 5 No. 1: Artifactx

Placed five of seven including his three runs this preparation. Drawn well and gets a 2kg claim.

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella Race 2: 1, 2

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1, 3, 6, 10

Race 5: 1, 3, 6

Race 6: 1, 4, 13

Race 7: 9, 12, 14

Andrew Adkins looks set for a good day at Kembla. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Andrew Adkins has a quality book of rides and is a great chance to take out the TAB Jockey Challenge.

INSIDE MAIL – KEMBLA

RACE 1

Majestuoso Phoenix had to do it tough on debut when caught three-wide without cover and did a great job to hold out the fast-finishing Puerto Banus over 1000m at Wyong. Drawn the outside but can win again. Art’s Alive was just behind the placegetters in the Black Opal preview and a Hawkesbury maiden against older horses at the end of her two-year-old season before winning a Super Maiden at Coffs Harbour on Aug 2. Trialling well ahead of her return and drawn to get an ideal run. Cryptonic drops back in grade from fourth in a Bm64 at Hawkesbury.

Bet: Majestuoso Phoenix to win

RACE 2

How Much Better did a good job to win on debut at Wyong over 1350m 12 months ago. Kicked off his current preparation with a second to Irish Bliss before beating all bar Brazil over 1500m here on Nov 16. Lucky Bay followed two provincial placings with a fifth to Tajanis in the Bm64 over 1900m at Canterbury. Dropped back in grade and trip when third to Jacob’s Time at Hawkesbury on Nov 28. Gwendie has performed well in placing in three of her five starts and finishing just behind the placegetters in the other two.

Bet: How Much Better to win

We're off and racing at Canterbury!

Tastula got out of the 'Canterbury Coffin' and powered away late under Reece Jones for @HawkesRacing 🏇 pic.twitter.com/0WHiqb7nym

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 20, 2024

RACE 3

Tastula jumped up from to 2000m when working home for second behind Coto De Caza here on Nov 5. Tracked the leader before racing away to a three length win from That’s Outstanding over 1900m at Canterbury. Hard to beat again. Lady Justice’s pedigree advocates she will be suited stepping up to a staying trip and her two runs this time in suggest it too. She was no match for Let’s Fly first-up over 1400m before a second to Starphistocated over 1600m at Wyong. Sacro Catino was making ground from last when inconvenienced near the 400m before finishing fourth to Tastula. Blinkers go on.

Bet: Tastula to win

RACE 4

Oh Diamond Lil was good in her first campaign with two placings beaten under a length and a fourth at Canterbury in between. Resumed with a three-quarter length third behind Raikkonen and Editing over 1200m at Canterbury. Will be better for the run and set up to 1400m. Altair I Am had to go back to last before closing off well when second at Hawkesbury first-up. Battled away when fourth to Zan at Canterbury. Will appreciate coming back to provincial grade. Shambretta will take benefit from her debut second to Isla Negra at Hawkesbury two weeks ago.

Bet: Oh Diamond Lil to win

RACE 5

Artifactx is well placed to break through for his maiden win. Placed five of his seven starts including his three runs this campaign. Was wide when second to Cryptonic at Wyong on Nov 9 before a third to Revolt there two weeks later. Drawn ideally and gets a 2kg claim. Dark Gleam made ground out wide when fifth at Hawkesbury on debut before placings at his next two runs at Wyong and Newcastle. Resumes here off a handy Rosehill trial second to She Conquers. Cold Brew is a debutant by Pierro. Closed well to win his recent Rosehill trial.

Bet: Artifactx each-way

After a debut second, Walk The Pier (right) can go one better when he returns to Kembla. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 6

Walk The Pier was back from $3.30 into $2.70 on debut here. Came from last and lost a shoe in the process when a long neck second to Correon over 1300m. Carnegie Hill was sixth to Brave One and Mayfair at Randwick and Rosehill at his two runs last time in. Just pipped by Sarrismo first-up before a third to First Mission both at Hawkesbury. Iconify debuted at Hawkesbury two weeks ago and was a head behind Carnegie Hill when fourth to First Mission. He will be better for the run.

Bet: Walk The Pier to win

RACE 7

Pocketing wasn’t comfortable in the soft ground at Hawkesbury first-up and became detached from the field early before charging home to finish a short neck second to Tuned. Was good in his first campaign with a debut Nowra win and a second to Komodo Dragon at Kembla. Fumiko drops back in grade from her tenth to Justela in a Midway here on The Gong Day. Was a close second to Restonica at Newcastle and a half-length fifth to Turned Down here before that in this grade. Wild Gypsy will be improved by her first-up fifth to Verbil over 1200m at Wyong. Extra trip suits.

Bet: Pocketing to win