Lismore preview, best bets, inside mail for Sunday, January 5, 2025

Trainer Billy Healey can continue his hot form in 2025 with a couple of leading chances at Lismore. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Billy Healey can get a couple of wins closer to a season best tally at Lismore.

Trainer Billy Healey is well and truly on target for his best season yet and can get a little closer to a career high tally with a couple of strong chances at Lismore.

Healey has prepared 17 winners this season and is just four victories away from his best result of 21 winners set in 2020/21.

Lismore has been a happy hunting ground for him with nine winners and nine placing from 33 runners.

Leading his charge this weekend is Bright Blonde and Rothesay’s Lad.

Bright Blonde was safely beaten when resuming at Doomben on December 6 but Healey feels there may have been something to that race.

“It was a funny race at Doomben. Three of the leading chances in the market were all in the same part of the track and all finished within a length or so of each other,” said Healey.

Blondes have more fun! 🤩

Bright Blonde takes the opener at Doomben for @ZRKD and @BillyHealey3!@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/IQpQyHC5TF

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 12, 2024

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!

“I don’t know if the track was off in that section or what happened.

“She had trialled really well leading into the race so it was a strange one.”

Her trial form leading into that was very good and he expects her to return to form in the Class 1 Handicap (1110m) where she has drawn nicely in barrier 6.

“She has bounced through the run well and she is dropping back quite a bit in grade from a metropolitan Class 1 to a country Class 1,” he said.

“I think she will be pretty hard to beat there this weekend.”

Rothesay’s Lad only joined Healey’s stable at the start of this preparation and followed a solid half-length second at Warwick first-up with a handy win at the Gold Coast on December 7.

The lightly-raced four-year-old is a leading contender again in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1410m).

“I quite like this horse. I think he’s pretty progressive,” Healey said.

“He’s has had a little gap between runs which wasn’t really planned. It’s just the way things have gone.

“He has drawn a couple of really bad barriers so we elected to dodge them.

“I thought he was a lot better than a maiden horse before he won last start.

“I think he can make his way to midweek grade so I want to see him be very competitive in this race even though he has got 61 kilos. It is a heavyweight sort of race.

“I think he will be pretty hard to beat.”

Kariaction a 3yo by Tosen Stardom breaks her maiden giving her sire 2 winners in 2 days and 44 individual winners.
Rock on Tosen! 💪
.@RacingPost@rpbloodstock@anz_news@bloodstocknews
. #zenithstallions#tosenstardom#kariaction#barrettsmarkpic.twitter.com/hLn7sax3tL

— Zenith Stallions (@ZenithStallions) June 2, 2024

Healey has a couple of options for Rustic Tzar but feels he can run a cheeky race if he heads to the Maiden Plate (1110m) at Lismore.

The gelding had a tough run out wide at Eagle Farm first-up before battling away for second at Ballina at his last run on November.

“He has had a bit longer gap between runs that planned,” he said.

“He had a bit of a mishap at the barriers and was a late scratching as a short-priced favourite.

“A horse behind him banged into the gates and he got a bit of a fright. He jumped forward and skinned his nose so they scratched him.

“He was three-wide on the speed at Eagle Farm first-up and fought on as well as he could considering the time they ran.

“His run at Ballina after that was okay too.

“The winkers going on will be a benefit for him, his work has been good and he will be competitive if he runs at Lismore.”

Healey also has Benfica Lass resuming in the Maiden Plate (1300m).

“She will want 2000 metres later in the preparation,” he said.

“This is just a kick-off point for her and hopefully she will find the line okay.”

ADAM SHERRY’S TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 3 No. 4: Groovy Day

Scored a tough win first-up followed by two handy placings. Hard to beat.

NEXT BEST

Race 4 No. 11: Aima Sun

Has been very consistent and gets her chance to break through from a good draw.

VALUE BET

Race 6 No. 1: Impendor

Has solid form and trialling well ahead of his return.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 7, 11

Race 5: 2, 5, 8

Race 6: 1, 2, 3

Race 7: 5, 8, 9

Andrew Mallyon will be popular in the Lismore Jockey Challenge. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Andrew Mallyon will be hard to beat in the TAB Jockey Challenge.

INSIDE MAIL – LISMORE

RACE 1

Church Rock was trapped wide over 1006m when sixth at Grafton and backed-up with a second over 1400m six days later. Was held up when third here last start. Will appreciate the step up in trip. Also in Race 4. Irish Gift raced keenly out wide here last start. Placed three of his previous five including a second here in October. Bred to relish the trip and further provided he settles. Foo Fighter was disappointing on a wet track first-up when sixth here. Gets a dry track and the blinkers going on can make a huge difference.

Bet: Church Rock to win

RACE 2

Corvalist is knocking on the door for his first win. Placed in eight of his 11 starts including three of his last four and was beaten less than a length when fourth behind Ferry Road over this track and distance on Dec 20. Rustic Tsar raced wide at Eagle Farm first-up and battled away okay for second to Confederate Lady at Ballina on Nov 28. Gets the winkers on for the first time. Exsidee is first-up for 11 months and coming off a handy Gatton trial win last week. Watch betting.

Bet: Corvalist to win

Per Capita absolutely storms home and gets the nose up at the right time to win at Ballina for Stephen Lee! 💥 pic.twitter.com/Z3o13XxtTU

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 28, 2024

RACE 3

Groovy Day was tough in winning first-up at Grafton after racing back and wide without cover. Had to change course after straightening and was okay when third at Ballina under 60kg and made last ground for second at Murwillumbah last start. Eagle Hawk Star was returning from an eight week let-up when second to Volcanic Love in a Class 3 over 1110m here on Dec 20. His two wins have been over 1200m and gets a 3kg claim. Manic Light will take improvement from his first-up third over 1000m at Ballina. Extra trip suits.

Bet: Groovy Day to win

RACE 4

Aima Sun boxed on well for fourth behind Rothesay’s Lad after chasing the free rolling First Man at the Gold Coast two start back then had to work hard after being run off the track when a neck second to Ucelle at Gatton. Drawn well and gets her chance to break through. Monarch Express was wide with cover when fourth to Confederate Lady on debut at Ballina before and nose second to Ferry Road here last start. Will be prominent again. Church Rock is chance is her runs in this. Here’s Mason has place claims.

Bet: Aima Sun to win

RACE 5

Iberian Ruler broke his maiden by three-and-a-half lengths in a Class 1 here over 2110m in October. Will take improvement from his first-up third at the Sunshine Coast over 1600m and drops back to a Class 1 and Maiden Plate. Stablemate Dark Thinker settled just off the speed and closed well for a head second to Commandment when resuming over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast. She is a second-up winner and has placed over 2180m. Amalgamation has been just behind the placegetters at Eagle Farm and the Gold Coast. Will be thereabouts again.

Bet: Iberian Ruler each-way

A nervous watch for punters who took the $1.09 for Impendor but the short-priced favourite does enough to claim Race 5 at Murwillumbah! @mattydunnracingpic.twitter.com/VShx3At92q

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2024

RACE 6

Impendor closed last preparation with a seventh behind Rapt in the Grafton Guineas. Won his maiden second-up that campaign before finishing just behind the placegetters in solid races at Doomben and Eagle Farm. Resumes off a nice barrier trial win at Ballina. Bright Blonde was in the market first-up and a safely beaten fifth at Doomben but the track may have played a part in that result. She won her maiden over 1110m at Doomben in June. Spirit Fox was a debut maiden winner at Eagle Farm. Trialling well.

Bet: Impendor each-way

RACE 7

Rothesay’s Lad drifted back and ran home nicely down the outside when a half-length second to Jacks And Soda first-up at Warwick before scoring a good win from Hang Out at the Gold Coast. Big chance again. Hayaku was good winning a Class 2 at the Gold Coast before having to weave a run from well back when second to The Shaman at Gatton last start. Drawn an inside gate again and will need a tough of luck but will be strong late. Nails And Pride won well from Brave Instinction at Ballina before being denied back-to-back by a nose from Suspect at Ipswich.

Bet: Rothesay’s Lad to win