Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Albury

A locally-trained galloper is ready to post an early career win when he steps out for just the second time on Tuesday. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Racing in New South Wales on Tuesday is at Albury.

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Albury.

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!

ALBURY

BEST BET

Race 1, No.2: ROYSTON HEAD

Had trialled well before his laudable debut second at Corowa in fast time. Back home on Tuesday and extra metres will suit him big time.

NEXT BEST

Race 3, No.2: SPITFIRE

Hard to believe he is still a maiden after 13 runs but has placed at five of them; four seconds and always in much better class than this.

VALUE BET

Race 4, No.3: GALBALAN

Placed at seven of 12 and went very close to winning at his first run for new local trainer Brett Mallyon at Corowa 13-days ago.

BEST EXOTIC

Exacta Race 1, No.2 Royston Head to beat No.3: Your Not The Boss

QUADDIE

Race 5: 2,5

Race 6: 1,2,3,8

Race 7: 1,7,8

Race 8: 6

Nick Souquet looks set for a big day at Albury on Tuesday. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Nick Souquet has ridden 288 winners at Albury. He’ll be Winx-like odds to win the Jockeys Challenge and so he ought to be.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR ALBURY

RACE 1

Royston Head lost no admirers surely despite being beaten at his first start. The Kym Davison-trained gelding got caught a little deep in what was a fast run 1000m maiden, 57.71s overall, last 600m in 33.72s. Royston Head kept to the task willingly all the way to the finish to be beaten a half-length in the end. At home on Tuesday. Your Not The Boss is a Mitchell Beer-trained gelding on debut here at home. Drawn the outside alley but has trialled well. Blount County ran better at Wagga on debut than the form reads.

Bet: Royston Head to win

RACE 2

Bubbler has only won twice in his 32 starts but one of them was here at Albury and over the same trip as Tuesday’s race. On top of that, the son of Zariz is a last start winner so he is certainly in form. Finds himself in the perfect race if good enough to convert. Tullaghan is the big danger of course. He beat Bubbler by a neck when they met on the Wagga Riverside circuit in late November and Tullaghan has the home ground advantage. Taliano has a poor winning strike-rate but he has 17 placings with 13 of them second placings.

Bet: Bubbler to win, quinella 2,4

RACE 3

Spitfire probably should have won a race by now but to his credit, he has five placings, four of them seconds, from 13 starts and often in much better company than what he meets on Tuesday. This will be his first run for Matthew Dale who has done his bit by finding a pretty mediocre maiden. Miss Athena looks to be building up to something. The Wodonga-housed mare is third-up now off the back of a recent half-length, closing second at Wagga. The mile looks spot on for her now. Andros is a player.

Bet: Spitfire to win, exacta 2 to beat 8

Jockey Billy Owen rides Spitfire for trainer Matthew Dale. Picture: AAP Image

RACE 4

Galbalan had his first 11 starts for Tony Newing, placing at five of them. The close relation to Sunlight had his first run for Brett Mallyon at Corowa on December 28 and ran a close second in the 900m maiden. This will be his Albury track debut but this is his home now, although he was dealt the dreaded visitor’s draw. Alembee was spelled after his two start first campaign back in February and March. Suffice to say he would only need to run up to his debut when he was second, albeit a distant one, to Sparring. Conspiracist is on an upward trajectory.

Bet: Galbalan to win, exacta 3 to beat 1

RACE 5

Bianco Vilano has gone 1175m, 1300m and now back to 1175m but he is such an honest horse, he can switch distances and venues and pretty much run the same sort of race. Just in terms of the Albury 1175m, the locally-trained gelding has two seconds from four attempts. Last War, the horse in the Kooringal Stud colours, has been consistent right the way through this campaign and went close to his second career win when runner-up at Gundagai on New Year’s Day. Gold Tracker beat Howling Victory by two lengths last start and it came out and won by seven lengths on Sunday.

Bet: Bianco Vilano to win, box trifecta 1,2,5,7

RACE 6

Communication is a lightly-raced daughter of the 2013 Hong Kong Cup winner Akeed Mofeed from Wangaratta who has raced three times for two placings. All three runs have been over 1000m, she goes to 1175m Tuesday from a somewhat wide gate but neither of those factors should be deal breakers. Toronto Rain, the direct descendant of 1945 Melbourne Cup winner Rainbird, has gone ‘221’ to start her career and the win at Corowa on Boxing Day was a very easy watch for those who took the $1.75. Improper is back home on Tuesday where he has raced well before.

Bet: Communication, quinella 3,8

RACE 7

Smart Poppy is a lightly-raced gelding from the prolific winning Craig Weeding stable. This son of Skilled has a win and three placings on the C.V from his four starts. The win was over 1400m so this race makes a perfect fit for him coming back to a Benchmark 58 from a Benchmark 66 (ran third). Idle Fancy was eighth of 10 at the turn, fifth at the finish, beaten two and three-quarter-lengths last start at Corowa in record time for the 1300m. Has always gone much better second-up as he is today. Blazing Engine has some good numbers here at the track and trip.

Bet: Smart Poppy to win

RACE 8

Prophet’s Daughter has always been handy, above average in fact, and we saw as much when she split Prince Nicconi and Incentive in an uncommonly strong maiden at Wagga on Australia Day in 2022. Fast forward to December 23 and she was hugely impressive winning there at Wagga. There was so much authority in that win. Back home on Tuesday. Eastern Breeze, trained by Peter Clancy, has a wide alley but she is in good nick having shouldered 61.5kg to win at Gundagai on New Year’s Day. Don’t Hesitate is a good chance.

Bet: Prophet’s Daughter to win

Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Albury