Raceday preview, best bets and inside mail for Bathurst

Wagga gelding Participator was unable to show his Kosciuszko credentials last start but can ease some of that disappointment with a win at Bathurst on Sunday.

Trainer Tim Donnelly. Picture: Brendan McCarthy – Racing Photos

Talented Wagga gelding Participator can restore his reputation as one of the best horse’s in “the country” should he bring his A-game to Bathurst for The Panorama (1300m) on Sunday.

The Tim Donnelly trained four-year-old blotted an otherwise exemplary show reel when finishing last, beaten the best part of 40 lengths in a TAB Highway at Royal Randwick on September 3.

The failure proved costly in more ways than one as it virtually ended any chance of him being chosen by one of the slot-holders to contest the $2m ATC Kosciuszko (1200m) at HQ on October 15.

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“He was back and wide on a track where you had to be in front on the fence,’’ Donnelly said.

“And when he was out of contention (the jockey) just eased up on him but there was no issues with him.

“If he had of won, he would be in the front of mind for people picking him for the Kosciuszko because the ticket draw was only five days later but no one was going to be brave enough to take him off a 37-length defeat.

“All along to me, his aim is the Country Championships. If he had of got a gig in the Kosciuszko, I would have taken it because it wouldn’t interrupt his preparation.

“But I think the Country Championships is the perfect race for him.’’

Ditto that for Participator’s weekend assignment; a fast run 1300m should certainly play to the gelding’s strengths.

That said, Donnelly is desperate for the track to be soft rather than heavy, although the trainer is not quite pinning a ‘duffer’ tag on the Kiwi-bred galloper.

“He ran fourth to Testator Silens and probably should have won that race and that was on a Slow 6,’’ Donnelly said.

“He is out of a More Than Ready mare and he trialled here at Wagga last Saturday on the heaviest track you’d ever see here and Another One only just beat him.

“His two wins have been good tracks and he has won very well both times. It’s not that he doesn’t handle it (wet) but he doesn’t thrive on it.

“We’ve put blinkers on him too.

“When he ran second at Randwick, Hughie (Bowman) said ‘this horse is going to want blinkers’.

“We knew that early in his career. I’ve worked him in blinkers. He doesn’t concentrate at all, especially in his trackwork and because we have gone back from wide barriers in both runs (this preparation) he sort of switches off.’’

Participator has covered a lot of ground in his relatively short life.

The son of Godolphin’s vastly underrated racehorse and stallion, Contributer was foaled in New Zealand and bought by Donnelly as the country’s showpiece Ready 2 Race Two-Year-Old Sale in 2020 for $130,000.

Participator has strong family connections with Donnelly who trained the gelding’s third dam, Show Of Force.

Show of Force, who was part owned by former ace broadcaster and peerless form student Mark Shean, was a high calibre two-year-old who was placed in the Sweet Embrace, Magic Night and Sires’ Produce Stakes.

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 3 No.4: KIMURA

Wasn’t beaten at all far in a deep maiden at Kembla first-up. Has come back in good shape and certainly has some talent.

NEXT BEST

Race 5 No.4: JACENZA

This son of Belle of the Turf winner Myamira was impressive winning on debut at Tamworth 13 days ago.

VALUE BET

Race 7 No.6: TUDOR PRINCE

Won three of past six starts. Genuine on-pacer who just needs luck in running from wide draw.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 2,4

Race 6: 2,8,9,14

Race 7: 3,6,11,16

Race 8: 1,2,4,7,15

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Jean Van Overmeire has a great chance of winning the Big Dance Qualifier and Cup aboard Tudor Prince.

Jean Van Overmeire can book Tudor Prince a spot in The Big Dance by winning the Bathurst Cup. Picture: Getty Images

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Wandjina Spirit finished third here at Bathurst on Bathurst on a Heavy 8 on August 22. She went to Dubbo 20 days later and was beaten a nose. This is 1400m again and having seen her on a Heavy 8 and 9 before, she is one horse in the race that won’t be disadvantaged by the wet track. Puja is a Bathurst local from the Wanda Ings stable. Very fit mare and comes off a Heavy 10 placing at a mile. Stablemates Skye Lover and Zoisite could easily figure.

Bet: Wandjina Spirit to win, exacta 12 to beat 9

RACE 2

Sky Ace was scratched from Newcastle on Saturday. The Brad Widdup-trained gelding has quite a good strike-rate when it is all said and done, namely 11 starts for a win, three seconds and two thirds. Seems to handle all types of surfaces. Newhaven Park-bred Boorowa Girl, a granddaughter of their Queensland Oaks winner Allow, makes serious appeal given she won her maiden here last start on a Heavy 8. Mangoola is a player but perhaps more if the track improves a bit.

Bet: Sky Ace to win

RACE 3

Kimura is very much a product – looks wise – of her sire Star Witness and grandsire Staractaft. The Michael Freedman-trained chestnut has trialled very well indeed prior to her first-up fifth at Kembla in a deep maiden. Easy to like. Glowing Gold is an interesting horse for the simple fact that the Maher/Eustace trained filly’s one run so far was in the Listed SAJC Without Fear over in Adelaide. Loud is a million times better than her underwhelming debut. Jesandi is the best of the rest.

Bet: Kimura to win

RACE 4

Unholstered had looked the best bet but the Joe Pride-trained three-year-old has been scratched. Ruby Flyer has clocked in fifth at his only two starts, both in deep maidens at Kembla. Major player. Tillman has placed at seven of his eight starts. Resumes here with no public trial but probably has a fair bit of residual fitness carried over from the last prep.

Bet: Ruby Flyer to win

RACE 5

Jacenza is trained by Rod Northam who combined with the great Robert Thompson to win the 2014 Belle of the Turf at Gosford with his gelding’s mother, Myamira. As for Jacenza, he was rock solid in betting when he won on debut at Tamworth on September 12. Have to say, he was very, very impressive. Just has to tick the Heavy box. Yass housed mare Morezmo has done a good job in her four starts with a win a second. Best of all, her win came as recently as her last appearance. Ticket To Anywhere is a market watch.

Bet: Jacenza to win

RACE 6

Izfallkingdown is a well-named daughter of a stallion called London Bridge, himself a son of Arch. Anyway, as for more pertinent matters, Izfallingdown has raced nine times for two wins and a second. She has no problems on soft but is yet to face a Heavy track. No reason to doubt her though. Deshawn on the other hand would almost pass a mudlark given that he has raced five times on heavy tracks for a win and four placings. Won here on a Heavy 8 two starts ago. How good is Petain (and his trainer Bob Howe) to win his 80th start! Amazing.

Bet: Izfallingdown each-way

RACE 7

Tudor Prince, the son of All Too Hard and Toorak winner Allez Wonder, has been a revelation of sorts in the time since he joined the Danielle Seib stable. The gelding has won three of his six starts under the new regime including one in town. Obviously in great nick, he handles the wet no sweat, but how will he handle the barrier? Cognac’s proficiency on Heavy tracks is somewhat inconclusive but perhaps not as troublesome to declare him anything approaching a duffer. Good horse on his day and very, very consistent. Martini Crusader and Tampering are in the mix.

Bet: Tudor Prince to win

RACE 8

Participator may not come unless the track is a Soft 7 or at least didn’t get worse from it’s 8 (on Saturday morning). Just for the record, the Tim Donnelly-trained gelding has won two of five (like a star!) and deserves some forgiveness for the last start. Trialled well since, blinkers go on. Not at all sure which of the next group come or not but to save time, here they are in my own order for what it is worth; Commando Hunt, Don’tforgetmonica, Primal Scream, A Magic Zariz, Pure Fuego, Great Buy.

Bet: Participator to win