Raceday focus: Monday Best bets, inside mail for Dubbo with Aaron Bullock the jockey to follow

New South Wales’ leading jockey Aaron Bullock can increase his extraordinary tally of winners for the 2022/23 season when he heads to Dubbo on Monday

Aaron Bullock will be popular, as always, in Monday’s TAB Jockeys Challenge at Dubbo

Fresh from three winners at Grafton on Sunday Aaron Bullock heads to Dubbo on Monday for a solid book of seven rides as he looks to chase down 200 winners and also beat Queensland champion James Orman for the title as Australia’s winningest jockey for the season.

BEST BET

Race 3 No. 2: Darkley

Could be saved for Gunnedah on Tuesday. Trialled like he’ll be winning no matter where he goes.

NEXT BEST

Race 5 No. 5: Chestime

Lightly-raced filly who has been on an upward trajectory from the beginning of this, her first preparation. Can win again.

VALUE

Race 9 No. 11: Fine Example

Magic Albert filly from the Todd Howlett stable who went out on a booming/winning note to end the first campaign. Has talent.

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella Race 5 Nos. 3,5

QUADDIE:

Race 6: 1,2,3,4,11

Race 7: 1,2,3,9

Race 8: 1,2,3,6,13

Race 9: 2,3,11,18

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Aaron Bullock is the one to beat in the TAB Jockeys Challenge as always, at Dubbo on Monday.

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!

INSIDE MAIL - DUBBO

RACE 1

Aussie Pharoah is a son of US Triple Crown winner American Pharoah; his third dam is Travel Light won the 1986 Queensland Oaks. Aussie Pharaoh has placed at two of his five starts, one of those was a fairly recent third here at Dubbo. A Boy Named Soo, likewise, is working his way towards a first win having placed at his last two. Aero Nautica has been thereabouts to varying degrees in most of five starts for Alison Smith.

Bet: Aussie Pharoah to win

RACE 2

East Harlem has raced eight times; he has won twice with three placings, two of those are seconds so it goes without saying that he is a pretty reliable horse. The Dean Mirfin trained gelding has a very good record on Soft tracks. Barrier 1 should be an advantage. Chowdah is another horse who will be unfazed by the conditions; what else would you expect from a horse out of a Canny Lad mare! He ran a huge race from a long, long back against East Harlem last start.

Bet: East Harlem to win, quinella 1,3

RACE 3

Darkley is a striking horse; you can’t half tell that he is by Exosphere. Breeding buffs take note that his 5th Dam is Eau D’Etoile. Great family that one. This will be Darkley’s debut on Monday and he gets the dual advantages of barrier 3 and Aaron Bullock. That said, he might end up at Gunnedah on Tuesday instead. Vanoureuce is a Clint Lundholm trained local who has been costly but consistent at the same time. Chances soar if we go without Darkley. Quick Floss trialled very well here on June 26.

Bet: Darkley to win or if scratched Vanoureuce to win and Quick Floss to place

RACE 4

Kilkivarn, another Exosphere replica, turned in a P.B last start when closing off to finish second in an 1100m maiden won by Eagledge who goes quite well. This Cowra based filly has a very wide draw but we could be looking at a whole lot of scratchings and the track -pattern is unknown. Painite was $12 into $8.50 when she had her first run for the new stable - David Smith - here at Dubbo and ran a huge race coming from last of the 10 to finish a close second to the obviously handy Maryland Bridge. Keys To Love has more ability than a 27-start maiden.

Bet: Kilkivarn to win, box trifecta 7,9,10,11

RACE 5

Chestime is a daughter of the four-times Group 1 winner Ribchester out of a mare by Natural Destiny. Trained at Scone by Lyle Chandler, Chestime has a tidy little C.V. of four starts for a win and a second. Each run has been better than the last. Barrier 2 and 1310m shapes as a perfect scenario. The aforementioned Maryland Bridge is a lightly-raced filly whose two runs have both been here at home and you could make a case to argue that she should be unbeaten. Should relish the slightly longer trip on Monday and the Soft track is no worry at all. Powderfinger has done enough in better races to include.

Bet: Chestime to win, quinella 3,5

RACE 6

Sussu is a dual acceptor; this and race eight. This one is a Benchmark 74 and the other is a 58 but her Highway form makes her a genuine contender in this, the harder race. Her last run, in the June 17 Highway at Rosehill, saw her finish fifth to Acapella Sun. Boom Boom Basil is trained at Dubbo by Brett Robb. The son of Foxwedge has raced here five times for two wins and a second. In fact, he is unbeaten at both starts at the track and distance. The market will tell the story with him and a few others, not least Activation who has the honour and distinction of being the highest rated horse racing all day.

Bet: Sussu to win or if scratched, Boom Boom Basil each-way

RACE 7

River Rocket shapes well here as a 59 rater who drops down from his allotted weight of 61.5kgs to 57.5kgs after the claim for Cobi Vitler. That, by the way, brings the horse in just 2.5kgs over the limit where some of his rivals rate in the 40’s. Goes well enough fresh and seems to handle all track conditions. D’Arpano is another local, this one from the Brett Robb camp, and is a winner at the track. Resumes also, so the market is the key. Hampton Cove has the race-fitness over the abovementioned two. He also gets the track conditions to suit him best.

Bet: River Rocket to win

RACE 8

Sussu, the very valuable daughter of Macedon Lady, may have already raced by now. She has accepted for race six, the feature. See above for more about her recent form. Memories the Kiwi-bred mare trained here at Dubbo gets the 3kgs off her 64.5kgs after the claim for Jayden Barrie. The daughter of Ferlax has won first-up and two of her three career wins are of Soft. Interesting that Memories last win was at Bathurst back in mid-November when and where she beat Kimmylee (a rival on Monday) by two and a half. Keep On Going has raced at Dubbo five times for two wins and two placings. Respect.

Bet: Sussu to win or if scratched, Memories each-way

RACE 9

Fine Example races in the familiar colours of Shelley Hancox. Wonder if this horse got her name owing to how much she looks like her sire, Magic Albert? Whatever. What we do know is that she is lightly-raced, talented and seemingly on an upward trajectory. She was when she went out anyway, off a very dominant win at Taree. Starlink failed in her bid for a hat-trick when beaten in the Country Final here last start. She’s better than that - and had a few excuses too - so is more than worthy of forgiveness for one ‘bad’ run. Dual acceptor Chowdah is a big chance if it runs here.

Bet: Fine Example to win, quinella 2,11