Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wagga, Hawkesbury
Irish Songs is a tricky type but if things go his way, he’s got the ability to flash home and win another Wagga Town Plate. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Daily Telegraph form analyst Matt Jones gives his best bets and runs the rule over the Quaddie legs at Wagga and Hawkesbury.
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!
WAGGA
BEST BET
Race 8, No.7: PACIFIC FORCE
He looks to be a horse on the rise and has made a promising start to his career so far with two seconds and a win which was a dominant one. He’s got the right gate to get the job done here.
NEXT BEST
Race 7, No.5: IRISH SONGS
He’s drawn wide but with the speed on and a leading jockey engaged he should be able to let down better than most horses and cause an upset in the feature on the card.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1, 4, 5, 8
Race 6: 1, 3, 12, 14
Race 7: 1, 5, 6, 10, 13
Race 8: 7, 12
TRAINER TO WATCH
Matthew Smith looks like he can train at least one winner with Shoo Shoo Shoo, Pending and Pacific Force.
HAWKESBURY
BEST BET
Race 6, No.2: ASSIDUITY
He won with ease here first-up and didn’t do too badly against a promising type in town last start. He’s back in grade and back to where he races very well.
JOCKEY TO WATCH
Brenton Avdulla will fancy his chances on Oryx, Moon Reader, Norman and Brillar to end the day.
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR WAGGA
RACE 5
Taraashoq is having his first Australian start for Mark Newnham after running inconsistently in the UK but did win over 1678m. He looks well placed here and has early market support. Jiggler was a touch disappointing last time when well supported but Tommy Berry is on now from a good gate and he’s fitter and should improve. Pending got the better of Jiggler late with 1.5kg more on his back and was only second-up. Bring A Dame will be on the speed and that take bad luck out of the equation but she might be vulnerable late.
Bet: Pending each way
RACE 6
Zounique just ran into one better last time here and drops in grade for this. He won a stronger rated race two runs back. He does carry 5.5kg more this time but everything else is in his favour. This Skilled Cat got caught wide last time against Zounique when running fourth but stuck on well and gets a much cushier run from barrier three now. Lumber Dream has a light weight and will probably be looking to swamp them late down the outside.
Bet: Lumber Dream to win
RACE 7
Another One saves his best for his home track and will look to slot in somewhere midfield from the wide gate. If he gets even luck in the run he’s got a big finish on him in what’s a hot race. Speaking of big finish, Irish Songs can swoop home with the speed on but needs a bit of luck to win this race for the second time. Handle The Truth hasn’t been seen publicly since running second in last October’s Kosciuszko but he’s all class and has won four from nine first-up and at this track. Front Page is a Stakes winner and also goes well fresh while Soami has done all but win in Saturday grade in Sydney.
Bet: Irish Songs each way
RACE 8
Pacific Force handles all conditions and bolted in two runs back at Goulburn before running half a length second at Kembla Grange two weeks ago. He’s well placed here in barrier five. Twig jumps in gat eight and she’s third-up and has won two and ran third from three runs here and stepping up to 1400m now only help her off an improved second-up run last start. Miss Ostend ran two seconds at Canberra this time in before running in a Saturday race at Randwick last time. This is obviously more winnable.
Bet: Pacific Force to win
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR HAWKESBURY
RACE 5
First starter Adorable Miss looks like she’ll do everything right at her debut with the powerful Chris Waller/James McDonald combination behind her. She probably takes a sit from the draw and looks to come down the outside and pass them all. It will be interesting to see how well Oryx handles a wet track but he’s back as a gelding now and he’s trialled up nicely on two occasions to be ready for this. California Press needs to relax a bit better and they’ve put the crossover nose band on to help the colt. Foolish hasn’t had a lead up trial but his first preparation was of a horse that’s got plenty of wins ahead of him. He ran third behind the above average Petulant on a Heavy 10.
Bet: Foolish to win
RACE 6
Assiduity won here first-up over the same distance from a similar gate and will look to lead them into the straight again. He wasn’t disgraced in town last start either against a promising horse and coming back 100m in trip doesn’t hurt. He should be in it for a long time. Moon Reader trialled up quite nicely and looks to have come back a better horse which you’d expect at her second preparation. She’s got a good gate and a leading jockey has been booked. All Girls won on a Heavy 10 last start at Kembla Grange and is third-up now over a little more ground so she shouldn’t be going backwards.
Bet: Assiduity to win
RACE 7
Norman won nicely at Newcastle on debut first-up before running a close fifth at Kembla Grange to an in-form horse and he’s fitter now and enjoys racing on these big tracks. Toesonthenose won here first-up and is by Ocean Park so will enjoy the wet ground and he looks ready to tackle a mile. Dalgarno ended his preparation with a 2100m win at Wyong and resumes here over a mile which looks ideal given the horse has a fresh win over 1300m to his name and he’s had two barrier trials.
Bet: Norman to win
RACE 8
Mirror Queen and Send Me A Legend both won their debuts before going for spells and the former might be the one to look at with 3.5kg less to carry. Camaguey was a forgive run first-up while stablemate Brillar is now a gelding and won here two starts back and was third last time at Wyong on heavy ground and shouldn’t have any excuses. Vyner is back from a spell as a gelding and wants more ground but can produce fresh.
Bet: Brillar to win
Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wagga, Hawkesbury
Weekend at Bernie’s: 70yo set to steal show in The Quokka
If you had told Bernie Miller a few months ago that he’d have a runner in a $5 million race, he’d have said you were an idiot. But on Saturday, the 70-year-old larrikin trainer can provide the fairytale story of The Quokka.
Tamworth, Albury tips: Mount Bona ready to explode
The Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained Mount Bona was a stylish winner at Scone before heading to Newcastle when fourth and can bounce back at Tamworth. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL.