Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Bathurst
A Dean Mirfin-trained filly is poised to shed her maiden status when she steps out at her home track on Tuesday. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL
Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Bathurst.
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!
BATHURST
BEST BET
Race 6, No.3: IDA’S RULES
The Dean Mirfin-trained filly finished second at her only two starts so far, both at Orange over 1000m. At home now and the extra trip suits her.
NEXT BEST
Race 7, No.1: DE FORERUNNER
Another Mirfin runner who is on his way to the Country Championships Qualifier but not before what shapes a wholly winnable race for the chestnut.
VALUE BET
Race 4, No.10: STAR LEGACY
Handsome three-year-old from the Gary Portelli stable who ran well on debut in an uncommonly strong maiden at Nowra.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 7,10
Race 5: 4,5
Race 6: 3
Race 7: 1
BEST EXOTIC
Exacta Race 3, No.1 to beat No.6
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Ashley Morgan can win the last two legs of the Quaddie on Tuesday aboard the Dean Mirfin-trained stablemates Ida’s Rules and De Forerunner.
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR BATHURST
RACE 1
All About Ollie has only won once in 18 starts but he has placed seven times. More importantly, his win came as recently as four starts ago and that was in a 1900m maiden at Gosford. He won by almost three-lengths that day with Jeff Penza doing the honours. Go well here. Matthew Smith-trained galloper Karaoke King finished in front of Whetu (scratched from this) in a 2000m Class 1 in the nation’s capital 13-days ago. Certainly up to winning races like this one. Xcited is a dual acceptor. Bandolero, the son of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, is a player; more so if the field continues to fall away.
Bet: All About Ollie to win
RACE 2
Kneze is a son of the former Horse of the Year Dissident having his 22nd start on Tuesday. The Jeremy Gask-trained six-year-old has won twice before with five placings. Worth noting that Kneze has raced over this same track and trip once before and finished second. Should be prominent for a long way here. Ditto that for another of the Scone visitors, Half Crown. He has raced nine times and bar perhaps his debut, he hasn’t run a bad race in all that time. Has some genuine depth to his form as well. Xcited has to go in being ‘one for one’.
Bet: Kneze each-way, Half Crown to place
RACE 3
Packer has been a very costly horse to follow but that’s more a reflection of his pattern than lack of ability. Greg Hickman has gone above and beyond to place the son of Written Tycoon to best effect but things haven’t always gone the horse’s way once the gates crashed back. Long story short, he is (in my opinion) the best horse in this race, he just has to convert that into a win. Own The Night is trained here by Gayna Williams. The son of Foxwedge has finished on the podium at exactly half of his 16 starts which isn’t a bad effort at all even though he has only won once. That win was pretty recently too. Whataboutscotty is a last start winner.
Bet: Packer to win
RACE 4
Star Legacy is a handsome son of Knight Exemplar from the Gary Portelli stable who started $101 on debut in an incredibly strong Nowra maiden. So strong in fact that Portelli (rightfully) assessed it as ‘provincial grade’. Star Legacy finished fourth and certainly went down fighting. Given this is about 10 rungs under that quality, he has to run well surely. Hot Extraction is a fascinating runner here. The son of Pariah is a half to Counterattack, Shellscrape and Red Tracer. The three-year-old had one start for Mark Newnham at Gosford on Dec 28 and it was considerably better than it reads. Armageddon has trialled well enough to play a role.
Bet: Star Legacy to win, Hot Extraction to place
RACE 5
The Seven Seas is nominated for a maiden at Warwick Farm on Australia Day. Just for the record in case she is here, the daughter of Merchant Navy has placed at three of her six starts; one of them was a second to London at Hawkesbury. Going back a bit in time, this John Sargent-trained filly ran a big race in the $2m Inglis Millennium. Won a trial impressively at Randwick on Jan 9. Rolene is an exceptionally well-bred mare by I Am Invincible. Her grandam, Beauty World, has thrown five stakes winners which is no small feat. As for Rolene herself, she has placed at two of her four starts, one of them was a third in an 1100m maiden here on Anzac Day last year. Trialled twice ahead of her return and they were both bang on the money. Bottom line is, she has been a little bit costly but she certainly has the talent. Wandjina Spirit has placed at two of her four starts but has bumped into a couple of quite handy city horses out west today. Matronymic and Super Sprockett are both in contention.
Bet: The Seven Seas to win or if scratched Rolene to win, quinella 4,10
RACE 6
Ida’s Rules has raced twice so far, both of them were at Orange in 1000m maidens. She chased hard in the first one and finished second. A week later, she looked to have done enough to win but was collared late. Now, she will race at her home track and more importantly, she is up to 1300m which should bring about a change in tempo which will really suit her. You can just see her settle handy in behind and have the last crack. Wandering Jack creates a bit of interest on debut. The Michael Mulholland-trained three-year-old trialled rather well at Dubbo last month. Pedigree buffs take note; his third dam is Benediction, the mother of Might And Power. Gayna Williams-trained local British Statesman is better than his debut.
Bet: Ida’s Rules to win
RACE 7
De Forerunner is a flashy chestnut trained here and is one of, perhaps the best of, a handful of horses trainer Dean Mirfin is aiming at the Country Championships Qualifier at Mudgee next month. As for this fellow, he has raced eight times for two wins and four placings. Outside of that, his best run was probably that brave fifth of 12 on the Kensington track on Boxing Day. Good draw, good jockey, good horse. Boorowa Girl, born and raised at Newhaven Park naturally, was $51 into $41 last start and ran accordingly, coming from last at one stage to finish fourth to How’s It Kev over 1280m at Orange. Her best runs have been here at Bathurst. Croatian Madame and the well-bred local Sistrum have claims.
Bet: De Forerunner to win
Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Bathurst
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