Best bets and inside mail for Ballina and Corowa on Monday, November 4, 2024

Matthew Dunn-trained first starter Pierre Cardinnigan appears both ready and able to kick off his career on the right note when she steps out at Ballina on Monday.

Gun trainer Matthew Dunn. Picture: Richard Gosling

Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form expert analyses the Monday fields at Ballina and Corowa, presenting his best bets and inside mail.

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BALLINA TIPS

BEST BET
Race 7 No.3 PIERRE CARDINNIGAN
Matthew Dunn-trained debutant who has trialled in encouraging style.

NEXT BEST
Race 5 No.4 AUSBRED COOEE
Drawn well and he is very fit indeed for the 2670m journey.

VALUE
Race 6 No.8 SELFLESS VALOUR
Put the line through the last start and judge him on all efforts before that.

QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,3
Race 5: 4
Race 6: 6,8
Race 7: 3

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Matthew McGuren will be a popular choice in the TAB Jockeys Challenge.

BALLINA INSIDE MAIL

RACE 4: BENCHMARK 82 (1310m)
AZZAREACH (1) has won 7 from 27 with 6 placings which is a more than honourable strike-rate. On top of that, he has won twice second-up and twice over the distance of Monday’s race. This is an 82 but bear in mind he was in a 78 at Doomben first-up and ran third to I Am Artie and Big Dance contender Rainbow Connection. CACOFONIX (3) was really impressive and quite emphatic when he won at Ipswich last start. Go well. ANDY (4) is a ‘racehorse’!
BET: Azzareach to win.

RACE 5: BENCHMARK 58 (2670m)
AUSBRED COOEE (4) is by Fiorente; we’re one day short of the 11-year anniversary of that horse’s Melbourne Cup win. It does seem that the son of Monsun has passed down some stamina to Ausbree Cooee who has won ‘only’ up to 1610 but has placed up to 2220m. One word – fit! If there is one horse that would run two miles in this field it is CAMELOT STAR (12). Has to lift on form but not by as much it seems. GODRA (5) is another fit horse who’ll stay the trip.
BET: Ausbred Cooee to win, Camelot Star each-way, box trifecta 4,5,7,12.

RACE 6: BENCHMARK 58 (1260m)
SELFLESS VALOUR (8) was ‘3341’ leading into that October 20 run at Lismore where he clocked in 11th of 11. Long story short, the jockey said the horse changed legs on the turn and became unbalanced, etc, etc. Fair to forgive. Matthew Dunn-trained GROOVY DAY (6) was tipped out after winning at home at Murwillumbah on June 10. Trialled twice, not at all well drawn today and could be saved for Grafton on Wednesday perhaps? VOCALS (9) is a last start winner, drawn 3.
BET: Selfless Valour to win.

RACE 7: MAIDEN PLATE (1260m)
PIERRE CARDINNINGAN (3) is by Pierro out of Dinnigan whose own mother was called Fashion Rocks. How clever. Trained by Matthew Dunn, Pierre Cardinnigan has trialled four times, two in June, two in October and has looked like a horse that will win races each and every time. MEGHAN (9) is ‘2832’ for Donna (trainer) and Jon (jockey) Grisedale. Has the race experience on ‘Pierre’ and is also very, very well drawn. Can’t say the same for SHOOT THE DIVA (11) but she ran well first-up.
BET: Pierre Cardinnigan to win, exacta 3 to beat 9.

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COROWA TIPS

BEST BET
Race 1 No.2 DESERT OPAL
Has shown improvement in each of his two (good) runs so far.

NEXT BEST
Race 5 No.2 VALSPAR
Is ‘221’ in his three starts since arriving at Donna Scott’s stable. Can win again.

VALUE
Race 6 No.1 BRENLYN’S DAISY
Beat Hulm one day at Albury and was huge winning at Wodonga first-up

COROWA INSIDE MAIL

RACE 3: MAIDEN PLATE (1300m)
THE CUBAN (7) has finished in the frame (that’s the top five in old speak) at 10 of his 11 starts. For the record, he has placed at 4 of his 11 career starts and 3 of them were seconds. It could be all that success is relatable to his pattern of putting himself into handy positions. Drawn 1 today! POSITIVO (8) is a Saab Hassan-trained Yes Yes Yes with a second and a third from just four starts, both of them at Albury. Poorly drawn here, nominated for Kyneton on Wednesday.
BET: The Cuban to win.

RACE 4: BENCHMARK 58 (1300m)
TRIFECTA RUBY (5) is a Gary Colvin-trained mare who has a second a third from three visits to Corowa, She has been in really good form this prep, without winning, placing at all three, one was second to Take The Rap and the most recent was a third to Our Frankie at Wagga. OUR FRANKIE (4) is here for the re-match on Monday; nothing to say he won’t be too good again, it just comes down to personal opinion/preference. KEITH (2) is right in this first-up at 1300m.
BET: Trifecta Ruby to win, quinella 4,5, box trifecta 1,2,4,5.

RACE 5: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1400m)
VALSPAR (2) is a former Team Hawkes housed Denise’s Joy descendant who has been with Donna Scott for the last three of his nine career starts. Valspar was runner-up at the first two then was just too good for them at Wagga on the Heavy 8 on Everest day. Box one seals the deal. STRUMMER (3) won on debut at Albury in a 51.52s 900m. race time for the last 600m was 33.89s and he (Strummer) was 7th of 11 at the turn. Good work that.
BET: Valspar to win.

RACE 6: CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1000m)
BRENLYN’S DAISY (1) is a son of Boulder City who also happens to be the Snitzel half-brother to Winx! Boulder City that is. Brenlyn’s Daisy is a handy mare – she has won 3 and placed twice in nine starts for the prolific winning trainer Andrew Dale. Won second-up at Wodonga and looks well enough treated on 57.5kg after the claim. Big time market watch on TIME ANGEL (6). She won at Wagga at start two then was fourth to the above average Take The Rap there on Sep 5.
BET: Brenlyn’s Daisy to win, exacta/quinella 1,6.

Originally published as Best bets and inside mail for Ballina and Corowa on Monday, November 4, 2024