Murwillumbah races: Preview, best bets and inside mail
A grandson of bonny mare Private Steer, will jump from a maiden straight into a Class 2 but has the talent to pull it off. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL
Matthew Dunn-trained gelding Goomeri is in the fast lane to a Highway at the end of the month despite still be on his L-plates.
The impeccably bred son of Golden Slipper winner Vancouver turned in one of the most impressive debuts of the season when he ran his rivals off their collective legs to post a commanding four length win at Port Macquarie on May 19.
“I thought he would run well down there but I didn’t think he would do that to them,” Dunn told The Sunday Telegraph.
“He didn’t even look like he had to get to his top, he was really impressive, and he has got a bit left to give too yet.”
A maiden to a Class 1 is a notoriously hard task in racing; Goomeri’s assignment is even tougher on Sunday when he skips a grade and leaps straight into a Class 2.
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“I think when they win like that, I am happy to step them up one level,” Dunn said.
“If they fall over the line in a maiden you have got to be a bit cautious going up a grade but the way that he won, he was pretty good.”
All things being equal, Goomeri may be called upon to perform a second quantum leap in quick time should he run to expectation on the weekend.
“I am allowed back in Highway races on the 13th (of June) and there is a Highway race for him at the end of the month that he will go to if he wins well on Sunday,” Highway master Dunn revealed.
Goomeri is certainly well-equipped to make it to a higher grade pedigree-wise.
His dam, Mountain Laurel, is a daughter of Private Steer who won 10 stakes races including the Doncaster Handicap, All Aged Stakes and Stradbroke Handicap.
Dunn, meanwhile, is in the box seat to secure Sunday’s feature race with track and distance specialist Stuck With You back home for the Grafton Cup Preview (2200m).
The NZ-bred seven-year-old has been campaigning honourable in Queensland in recent weeks; his last start was in the Group 3 BRC Chairman’s handicap (2000m) where he clocked in a mere three lengths off the winner, Kalapour.
“He has got his share of weight but it is probably warranted when you look at the opposition,” said Dunn.
“I think he’ll carry the 63kg without too many problems and with the home track advantage.”
Stuck With You is unbeaten in his two starts at Murwillumbah has a compelling four wins from seven starts at the trip.
Dunn could have as many as 13 runners on Sunday’s program, each of them capable of boosting his current tally of Murwillumbah winners from its current figure of 169.
Chief among them is the John Muir bred Take The Kitty who is thriving ahead of Sunday’s return.
“He galloped on Tuesday with a horse who has two in town and worked better than it so there us where he is at the moment,” Dunn reported.
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 7 No. 6: GOOMERI
A grandson of Private Steer who thrashed his rivals to win his maiden on debut. Skips a grade but is clearly handy.
NEXT BEST
Race 2 No. 1: STUCK WITH YOU
Unbeaten in both starts here at home and has won four from seven at the trip. Shapes as the one to beat.
BEST VALUE
Race 3 No. 11: TAKE THE KITTY
A Matthew Dunn-trained local who has been trialling the house down since she arrived at his North Coast stables.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 2,3
Race 5: 1,7,11,12
Race 6: 1,7
Race 7: 6
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Ben Looker, one of only three jockeys to have ridden 100 winners or more in the 2022/23 season, can surely add to his tally on Sunday.
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR MURWILLUMBAH
RACE 1
Boulanger has done a fine job thus far evidenced by his record of three placings and a fourth from his five starts. Three of those placings are ‘seconds’ including that fast-closing one here on May 15. Up to 1550m would appear to be a positive. Son Of Heroic finished third in the same race mentioned above. Boulanger was the better run but Son Of Heroic has by far the better draw this time. Well-bred former Chris Waller-trained Fastnet Rock son Great Southernland has run two very good races in deep races since Aiden St Vincent has had him. Proud With Pride is yet to run a bad race in her four starts. Barrier 1 might be the difference on Sunday.
Bet: Boulanger to win, quinella 1, 2
RACE 2
Stuck With You has a whole lot of ‘numbers’ that are worth exploring. Firstly, he has a benchmark rating of 86 which is nine points higher than anything else in this race. Secondly, Stuck With You is unbeaten in both starts here at home and has won four from seven at the trip. Has a big weight to carry on Sunday but as Huey Lewis said ‘I’m happy to be stuck with you’. Honour Me is very fit, really consistent and bursting to win again. Bold Contender is an Owen Glue-trained son of Ocean Park who has finished on the podium at exactly half of his 32 starts which brings him into contention. Runner-up only run at the track and distance.
Bet: Stuck With You to win, exacta 1 to beat 6
RACE 3
Take The Kitty is unplaced in her four starts to date but there are at Canterbury, Hawkesbury (twice) and Newcastle. Matthew Dunn has taken her home to Murwillumbah and it might just be the sea-change that brings out her best. She’s won her two trials in the most impressive style and this doesn’t look overly taxing for her. Mission To Win is nominated for Doomben on Wednesday which gives some indication of her readiness. Aiden St Vincent has a second former Chris Waller housed galloper, this one being Gulf Of Odessa who will surely be fitter for his acceptable first-up outing at Taree.
Bet: Take The Kitty to win
RACE 4
Hey Little Sister has a Stradbroke pedigree. Let me explain; she is a daughter of Show A Heart who won the Straddie at his final start. Then there is Hey Little Sister’s fifth dam, Wiggle, who famously won the race as a two-year-old in 1958. As for Hey Little Sister herself, she is a Gosford winner coming off two placings, one of them behind Maximum Vortex. Awesome Miss ran second to Outreach To Henry last start which is form that one would imagine will readily stand up in a race like this one.
Bet: Hey Little Sister to win
RACE 5
Capitalia is another of the Matthew Dunn chances on the card. This daughter of Capitalist and Longoria is unplaced in her four starts so far but she has finished fourth at three of them; two of those were here at Murwillumbah. Gets her chance again. Who Ya On was beaten 13-lengths when she clocked in fourth in a Gold Coast Maiden on May 13 but the winner won by eight. Looms as a player. Kournikova has some claims but could be elsewhere having accepted for a race in Queensland as well as this one.
Bet: Capitalia to win
RACE 6
Kermantic was building up to another win and duly delivered at Port Macquarie on May 19. Granted he got a smashing ride by Jon Grisedale but credit to the horse; he carried 61kg and won with a bit of authority. At home on Sunday where he is one for one at the track and trip. Just has to carry 63kg now and do it from a wide draw. Stablemate Daedalus finished third to Kermantic when they met 16-days ago and was closing in. He’s only won two from 25 but he placed 10 times. Paris Belle might be purely a muddie but there was merit enough in her 1710m run at Grafton back on April 18.
Bet: Kermantic to win, quinella 1, 7
RACE 7
Goomeri is without any doubt the most interesting of all horses racing at the meeting. To cut a very long and so far very happy story short, this three-year-old grandson of Private Steer won as he liked on debut at Port Macquarie. He jumped straight to the front and just kept increasing the margin. This is a Class 2 but it’s his home track and if his trainer is happy, that’s good enough. Even so, it would have been a wee-bit easier for Goomeri if Bonjour Rupert wasn’t here. He’s got a good record and more experience.
Bet: Goomeri to win, quinella 2, 6
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