Raceday preview, inside mail and best bets for Coonamble

Troy O’Neile is confident his Big Dance contender can overcome a big obstacle in the Coonabarabran Cup on Sunday.

Brooke Stower is the jockey to follow at Coonamble on Sunday. Picture: Jerad Williams

Tamworth trainer Troy O’Neile is handing Beckford a fair task first-up but is confident he can still win the Coonabarabran Cup (1600m) at Coonamble.

Running a mile is no issue for the five-year-old but he has to do it fresh off a 10-week let-up since running third in the Maclean Cup (1400m) at Grafton in July.

He’s won two 1000m trials to get prepare for Sunday’s assignment and O’Neile is more than happy with his chances in the $75,000 event.

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“He’s going very well and his trials have been perfect,” he said.

“He was held together in his first trial and then his second one was a 1000m trial and I wanted to go a bit further.

“So, we pushed him out a bit towards the end and went a bit further than the finishing line to make in a 1100m trial.”

O’Neile thinks Beckford is the type to run a strong mile fresh and will get a cushy run in transit from barrier five under regular jockey Mikayla Weir.

“If he gets the easy run, he’ll be fine. He’s a horse that gets himself back anyway and doesn’t get himself flustered,” O’Neile said.

“If he was a frontrunner, I wouldn’t got to a mile first-up.

“However, he looks after himself and saves it until late so I think we’ll get a mile first-up with him.

“It will suit him and he’s got to get a hard mile under his belt before he goes down to The Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day at Randwick.”

Beckford got into the $2m race after beating red-hot favourite Point Counterpoint in the Armidale Cup last December.

But just because his target race is next start, it doesn’t mean he’s coming to Coonamble today to lose.

“He’s reasonably forward for it. Obviously, The Big Dance is his main aim and grand final but he’s forward enough to do something in this race and he’s got wet ground form,” O’Neile said.

“He’ll get a suck run from there and he carries a good weight (56kg) compared to some of the other horses that he’s up against.”

Cassy’s Sister is set to go around for O’Neile in the feature sprint on the card.

She presents as a much improved horse second-up after running fifth at Tamworth fresh two weeks ago. O’Neile is quite confident in her as long as the track isn’t bottomless.

“She’s drawn well (barrier 2) and is absolutely flying,” he said.

“She was unlucky first-up when she got caught wide and copped a couple of bumps but she run on well.

“She normally takes a run or two to be at her best but she’s been going great since that first-up run and I couldn’t be more confident with her.”

O’Neile believes Cassy’s Sister is poised to win.

“I’d say she’s three lengths better second-up and the 1100m is going to suit,” he said.

“She’s won over that trip at that track so she’s going to get around it.

“We can stick her in behind a couple and then let her sprint, so I’m pretty confident we can go out there and come home with a winning double.”

MATT JONES’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 8 No.2: POINT COUNTERPOINT

He’s coming here looking for three-straight wins after victories in the Moree Cup and in town last start so he’s on fire and loves the 1600m trip.

NEXT BEST

Race 4 No.5: METAL BAR

He came from off the speed to charge home and break through last time and this doesn’t look too hard for him so he can go on with it.

VALUE BET

Race 1 No.2: PICCAPEPPA

He ran third on debut over 1000m but on that run it looks like he’s going to be much better suited to 1200m. He’s drawn well enough and must be over if he’s starting at $27.

QUADDIE

Race 6: 1, 2, 4, 5

Race 7: 2, 6, 8

Race 8: 1, 2, 4, 5

Race 9: 1, 4, 5, 13

TRAINER TO WATCH

Michael Mulholland has a good team heading to the races today with Dubbo Wanderer, Eva’s Deel and Lord Of The Turf looking well placed.

JOCKEY TO WATCH

Brooke Stower will be a confident jockey on her way to the track with top rides like Metal Bar, Mr Severino, Point Counterpoint and New World Tapestry.

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Piccapeppa should be much better suited to 1200m now after running on for third on debut over 1000m at Tamworth. He was $27 and that seems way overs so it will be interesting to see what price he starts are on race day. Bear’s Best has drawn out but can be positive and perhaps sit outside the leader here but a wet track is an issue. Five Feet Apart closed off pretty well first-up at odds and gets a better gate here so he should be just as strong if not more at the end in what is a weak race.

Bet: Piccapeppa each way

RACE 2

Star Of Kings should be hard to beat here with a good barrier which is pretty important at the 1100m starts here. He ran third off a four-week freshen up and is on a quick back up here and he seems to handle the sting out of the ground. Hammoon Money should also like the wet ground but has drawn out so luck early probably decides her fate. Rockin’ Edition won a barrier trial in pretty good fashion but that trial form doesn’t appear great but the horse is well placed in this field.

Bet: Star Of Kings to win

RACE 3

Brooklyn Star has been racing very well and has drawn a good gate for her grand final here but she’s having her first go at 1400m and she might be vulnerable late but gets a real chance to run this out under the circumstances. Danspur has the wide gate but also has the speed to come across them and he’s raced well at this trip many times and won’t mind getting his toe into the track. Pyrmont is a chance if it gets a run.

Bet: Brooklyn Star to win

RACE 4

Silver Scissors doesn’t win out of turn but gets an easy run in transit from the gate and she’s been in good form since a freshen up and must be thriving to be on a quick back up here. I Like Big Putts also struggles to win but has been looking likely under a new trainer who seems to be improving her. Metal Bar really let down well to score a breakthrough win at start 18 after recording seven placings and looks ready to go on with it here.

Bet: Metal Bar to win

RACE 5

Amicus Curiae comes into this off a good all the way win last start but has drawn worse now. He’s only fourth-up so isn’t going backwards in his prep and hasn’t run a poor race for some time now so he’s reliable. Petain loves heavy ground and went close in this grade and trip last time so he has to be in this under his ideal conditions. Toulon Factor has finally drawn a gate after three double figure barriers in a row and he’s still won two times this prep.

Bet: Amicus Curiae to win

RACE 6

Mr Severino has drawn very well here and although he hasn’t won this time in he’s been finishing within two lengths off the winner so he’s knocking on the door and there’s no reason to think this won’t be the day. Nest In The Hills is working his way through the grades and is the hose on the way up here and loves wet ground. Lord Of The Turf would be a chance here if he misses the cup race later on.

Bet: Mr Severino to win

RACE 7

Cassy’s Sister tends to improve greatly second-up so look for a big run as long as the track isn’t a bog. They’ve out the nose roll on Jerle to help him relax so we can see all of his talent. Dubbo Wanderer has won two of his past three including a five-length romp in this grade on a Heavy 10 last start so he’s the one to beat.

Bet: Dubbo Wanderer to win

RACE 8

Beckford and Point Counterpoint meet again after the former just got the upper hand in the Armidale Cup but that was last December. Backford has to be a little vulnerable fresh at a mile but has put in two top trials. Point Counterpoint can turn the tables here because he’s coming into this third-up off two wins. A Magic Zariz might be 10 but he’s super tough and is at home in these conditions. Don’tforgetmonica has the class to in the in the finish off a quick back up.

Bet: Point Counterpoint to win

RACE 9

New World Tapestry gets in best here at the weights but has never won over less than 1400m and got out to 2400m under his old trainer last prep. Brazen Impact is knocking on the door and likes to sit off the speed so a wide gate at this point of the day might not be the worst thing and he’s been racing very well this prep. Ticket To Anywhere may start favourite off a strong last start win.

Bet: new World Tapestry each way

Originally published as Raceday preview, inside mail and best bets for Coonamble