Shayne O’Cass presents Grafton, Albury Monday tips, inside mail

Racenet form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selections and inside mail for Grafton and Albury on Monday.

SAs is often the case in country NSW meetings, Aaron Bullock is the rider to follow on Monday at Grafton. Photo: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images.

Racenet form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selections and inside mail for Grafton and Albury on Monday.

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GRAFTON

BEST BET

Race 8 No. 10: Rathoran

Probably should be coming in off on a hat-trick. He’s flying.

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NEXT BEST

Race 1 No. 1: Dusty Bay

Drawn well, trialled well, well-bred, Aaron Bullock on.

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VALUE

Race 3 No. 4: With Style

Looked the part when runner-up to a handy one in a recent trial.

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QUADDIE

Race 5: 4,11

Race 6: 5,7,12

Race 7: 1,2,3,10

Race 8: 10

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JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Aaron Bullock will have plenty of fans, as always, TAB Jockeys Challenge.

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RACE 5

Idol Shot was second on debut at Taree over 1007m, won at 1308m there and was recently beaten a neck over 2000m, also at Taree. Thus, he is a very versatile horse and is down in grade here after that fourth on February 10 in a Newcastle Class 1. Cheap Wine has drawn out very wide but would probably seek to lead or be thereabouts. Fit horse. Magadan is one from 26 but can win this one. He has placed nine times after all so is invariably thereabouts.

Bet:Idol Shot to win.

RACE 6

Havieron has been with Donna Traecey for the last two of his 37 career starts. The first one was a closing sixth over 1200m here followed by a half-length second in 1 1400m at Ballina. two of his four wins are circa this trip. Any concerns about Aye Aye Skipper running 1400m right out are lowered by barrier 3 and Aaron Bullock riding. Ready For Vegas was good for 100/1 shot at Taree. Looks to represent some value again.

Bet:Havieron to win, Ready For Vegas to place, Daily Double 1st Leg (7), 2nd Leg (10).

RACE 7

Red Red Wine will be ridden by Matthew Dunn’s emerging apprentice Jett Newman who has had 20 rides for six wins and four placings. They are just incredible stats by any measure. Just in case you didn’t know, her father is Mitch Newman who was twice crowned leading Apprentice in Sydney. Red Red Wine was third in a very, very strong race here on February 4. Kris Lees’ Lost Illusions and Lee Freedman’s Hamilton Brown are dangers.

Bet:Red Red Wine to win.

RACE 8

Rathoran had placed three times in seven starts prior to this campaign. You could make the case that he should now be on a hat-trick coming into this. He was as good in defeat first-up as he was when he won the next time. Superstitious was off the map when he won at home at Murwillumbah on February 2. Can keep it going here. Calido Magic is a very reliable horse but has drawn wide for this. Quinky Deel is better over more ground but could sprint up well fresh.

Bet:Rathoran to win (best bet).

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ALBURY

BEST BET

Race 7 No. 1: Brial Rose

Goes well fresh. Trialled well. Right trip, and at home.

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NEXT BEST

Race 3 No. 5: Lunar Mojo

Resumes off a smart 900m trial win here on February 11. Has enough talent.

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VALUE

Race 4 No. 15: Astern Torch

Shade unlucky last time. Fit and drawn to do no work.

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RACE 4

Astern Torch is a 17 start maiden that has three thirds on his resume, two of them are here at Albury. He was pretty good at Wagga on Australia Day and didn’t have a lot of luck in the straight there this time last week. This is do-able. Unowho wore the Winx colours up until his February 7 when second at Canberra. One would imagine that barrier 1 is a huge blessing for a horse who led from gate 10 of 11 in the nation’s capital last time.

Bet:Astern Torch each-way.

RACE 5

Extravagant Choice has had his last four starts for Nick Olive having kicked off in Victoria with Ciaron Maher then up to John Sprague on the Northern Rivers. For the record, the horse’s last three were all rippers; second to Zarizatycoon then an easy win at Goulburn. Region Time was beaten a little under four-lengths by Extravagant Choice when they met 13-days ago but Gratz Vella’s galloper was eating into the margin late.

Bet:Extravagant Choice to win, quinella 3,10.

RACE 6

Mountain Chatter is a talented son of Kermadec, illustrated by his record of three wins and three thirds from just seven starts. Some of those placings were a little on the luckless side. Wouldn’t say he was ‘unlucky’ per se last start but he just gave them a little but too much of a start. Cooee was brave, as always in defeat at Wagga first-up. Half of Dupride Star’s four career wins are at Albury. Three of those four wins are at this trip.

Bet:Mountain Chatter to win.

RACE 7

Brial Rose is a locally trained mare from the Ron Stubbs camp whose C.V reads out as two wins, a second and a third from six starts. Five of them were over 1000m. The only time away from that was her 1100m TAB Highway where she ran very well indeed in a very strong Highway line-up. Top trainer and former trackwork rider of Takeover Target Luke Pepper trains the unbeaten Speedy One for Joe Janiak. Drawn the win if good enough and it seems that he is.

Bet:Brial Rose to win (best bet).

Originally published as Shayne O’Cass presents Grafton, Albury Monday tips, inside mail