Nowra races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail

An in-form mare from the Natalie Jarvis stable looks ideally placed to add a second win to her record at Nowra.

Santorini Sun looks hard to beat at Nowra on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photos

When Natalie Jarvis purchased Santorini Sun from the Inglis Online Sale last September, she was confident the mare would be a great money-spinner for the stable.

Unfortunately, Santorini Sun suffered an injury in her first run for Jarvis at Moruya in January and was sent to the paddock.

Since returning from that spell, the daughter of Choisir is running right up to those expectations with a smart win and two close second placings on her home track and a handy fourth at her first run back at Forbes in August.

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Trainer Natalie Jarvis couldn’t be happier with Santorini Sun. Picture: Grant Guy

“This whole preparation she is doing a great job,” Jarvis said.

“This is what we thought she would do when we bought her, it just took us that extra time to get her right.

“This campaign, she has shown what we thought she had when we purchased her so it’s really good to see her string those good runs together now.

“We own her with a very good friend of ours so it was no problem to put a horse like her out for however long she needed.

“That made it a lot easier to give her a good spell and get her back racing in the right form without any pressure.”

The five-year-old opened the $2.50 with the TAB for the Class 1 Handicap over 1200m where she has drawn perfectly in barrier 3.

“She goes into this race with good form, Shaun Guymer knows her very well and she has a good gate so it all looks to her getting the chance to get another good result,” said Jarvis.

In the opening race, Greatestofease makes her race debut for the stable after being purchased by Jarvis on Inglis Digital back in May.

The daughter of Trapeze Artist was unplaced in five runs as a two-year-old for the Annabel Neasham stable but most of her efforts did have merit to them.

She debuted in the Max Lees Classic where she raced wide before finishing last to Fire Lane and Cylinder before a spell.

Shaun Guymer continues his association with Santorini Sun at Nowra. Picture: Bradley Photos

In the autumn, she ran a couple of handy races on the Kensington behind Captain Amelia and at Wyong to Townsend.

She heads into this race of a nice third behind Starspangle Planet at Goulburn on October 3.

“When we looked at buying her, we thought her form was really good but she still has that maiden status which is really appealing when you are looking to buy a tried horse.” she said.

“She had a good trial the other day at Goulburn. She got out of the gates really well and I was very pleased with her effort.

“I happy with her heading into this first race for us.

“There’s a couple of horses in this race that go okay but she has been in some strong races with good form coming out of them as well.”

Jarvis will wait until race morning before deciding is Manzoni will contest the Benchmark 58 over 1400m after drawing the outside barrier.

The gelding has been racing very well since joining the stable with back-to-back wins in march and he has placed in two of his four starts since.

“His only two unplaced runs where in TAB Highways at Randwick where the gelding didn’t get any luck.

“I those couple of runs in Sydney, things just didn’t work out but other than that, he has been racing really well,” she said.

“He has drawn a really wide gate so we will just wait and see if he does start or goes to Moruya next Thursday.

“We just want to place him where he has the best chance like everyone does.”

ADAM SHERRY’S TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 2 No. 2: Santorini Sun

The mare has been in great form all campaign and drawn ideally to add another win to her record.

NEXT BEST

Race 3 No. 3: Deep Fury

Close to another win after placing at three of his last four starts. Has raced well this track previously.

VALUE BET

Race 4 No. 5: Ballistic Therapy

Took a big step up in grade when shooting for a hat-trick and not disgraced when fourth after a tough run. Back in grade.

QUADDIE:

Race 4: 1, 4, 5

Race 5: 4, 10, 11, 14

Race 6: 3, 6, 8

Race 7: 4, 5, 10, 15

Brock Ryan has some nice rides at Nowra. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW:

Brock Ryan has four nice rides for the day but can earn enough points to win the TAB Jockey Challenge.

INSIDE MAIL - NOWRA

RACE 1

Outback Angel is knocking on the door for a win after two solid second placings. Ran on strongly to beat all bar Fileeta on debut at Corowa and again closed strongly but just missed catching Bella Ace at Moruya. Greatestofease resumes for new trainer Natalie Jarvis. Had handy form in her first campaign despite not placing in five runs. Handy trial at Goulburn recently. Ken’ker has been good in each of his three runs, especially his two placings. Beaten by Santorini Sun at Moruya first-up then sat outside Call Me The Breeze when second at the same track last start. Big Ray is a first starter by Capitalist. Wasn’t pushed when fourth in his recent Goulburn trial.

Bet: Outback Angel to win

RACE 2

Santorini Sun has been in terrific form this preparation and can add another win. Was a solid fourth when resuming at Forbes on Aug 6 and was a close second on either side of her solid Moruya win on Sept 12. Drawn well and hard to beat again. The locally-trained Discreet Miss is ready to run a bold race first-up after her closing trial win from Twig at Moruya on Sept 29. Won first-up last campaign over this trip. Alenia is now with Matthew Dale at Moruya. Last raced at Grafton in March when a length and a half third to Barney Rabble after being hampered in the straight. Coupla Days worked home from last for third at Canberra first-up before winning at Young.

Bet: Santorini Sun to win

RACE 3

Deep Fury has had a long campaign but is knocking on the door for another win. Placed three of his last four runs including a closing second to Slickman at Nowra and a third to Ravello at Kembla. Got a touch keen and forced to sit three-wide mid-race before finishing a two length fourth to Fil at Cootamundra last start. Goes well this track. Boy Loves To Run was okay first-up over 1100m before finishing two and a quarter-lengths last of five behind Destructive Diva after overracing at Goulburn last start. Suited stepping up to 1600m. Face The Day ran a handy fifth at Queanbeyan first-up before closing strongly win at Nowra four weeks ago.

Bet: Deep Fury to win

Ballistic Therapy can bounce back from a luckless run last start. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 4

Ballistic Therapy beat Santorini Sun to win her maiden at Moruya on Aug 20 and followed up with a nice win in a Class 1 over 1435m at the same track. Stepped up to a Bm74 and had no luck when trapped wide before finishing a game fourth to Belleistic Kids as favourite. Back in grade and can bounce back. Manzoni has drawn the outside gate and could be saved for another day. He came from last with a good run down the outside to finish third behind Belleistic Kids last start. Big chance if he does run here. 4. Hope Uno went back to late from a wide gate and made ground despite only beating one home at Kembla last start. Ran a nice race for third behind Divine Glory there two starts earlier.

Bet: Ballistic Therapy each-way

RACE 5

Shamus Rocks is on debut after some handy trials. Sat outside the leader to win his Hawkesbury heat on Sept 11. Chased home the tearaway leader Melissa when second in his Randwick heat then finished fifth to Narcissist in what could turn out to be a strong heat at Rosehill on Oct 3. Drawn well. Sir Maurice drifted back and was last of the 11 runners on the bend before making ground between runners to finish a two length seventh to all-the-way winner Jon Bon over 1200m at Newcastle on debut two weeks ago. Will be better for the run and the step up trip should also suit. Steely Girl is improving with each run and can run a cheeky race from a good gate.

Bet: Shamus Rocks each-way

RACE 6

Love Shuck scored a nice win on debut at Albury in February as a two-year-old against older horses before a tough run in the Gr3 Black Opal behind Autumn Ballet. Returned off a let-up with a win from Chevron in the Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone in May. Got home well for a close third to Mogo Magic and From Page in a Goulburn trial on Oct 3. Charlie Foxtrot took until start 11 to break through for his maiden win at Bathurst and quickly followed up another win there at his next start. Twig resumes from a spell and has a handy record first-up and at the trip. Drawn to get a nice run. Wilkshire has placed in both runs at the track including a close second to Vancouver’s Crown three starts back.

Bet: Love Shuck to win

RACE 7

Fields Of Fire was held up near the turn until the 250m before finding the well when fourth to the very promising Midnight Opal on debut at Scone on Sept 22. Midnight Opal has since win again at Kembla in smart fashion. Fields OF Fire will take benefit from the run and stepping to 1200m is a positive. Jamacri is a debutant by Pride Of Dubai from the Bjorn Baker stable. Won her Hawkesbury trial on Sept 11 before chasing home the promising Just In Time from well back in her Rosehill heat on Oct 3. Yendy is a Magnus filly from the Mahar and Eustace stable also on debut. Trials have been handy including a second to Yucan Rose at Warwick Farm on Sept 25.

Bet: Fields OF Fire each-way

Originally published as Nowra races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail