Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Grafton

An improving staying mare looks well placed to make it back-to-back wins on her home track at Grafton on Tuesday. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Racing in New South Wales on Tuesday is at Grafton.

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

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!

GRAFTON

BEST BET

Race 7, No.3: LAMPKIN LANE

Savabeel stayer on the up who couldn’t have been any more dominant winning last start. More to come.

NEXT BEST

Race 3, No.1: SUNCHASER

Son of Reliable Man, the dam won a Group 1 race in New Zealand. Form reads well, trial was outstanding.

VALUE BET

Race 4, No.4: AMBITOUS PRINCE

Won the Ken Howard Cup and Tuncurry Cup inside his last three starts. Probably never gone better than he is now.

QUADDIE

Race 6: 3,6,8,11

Race 7: 1,2,3,9

Race 8: 2,3,4,9

Race 9: 2,3,4,13

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella Race 7 Nos. 2, 3

Tegan Harrison has a good book of rides at Grafton on Tuesday. Picture: Trackside Photography

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Tegan Harrison could be the play in Tuesday’s wide-open TAB Jockeys Challenge at Grafton bar any race day scratchings.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR GRAFTON

RACE 1

Candy Kiss has only won two of her 15 starts but she beat quite a handy Class 1 field at Taree as recently as three starts and comes off a solid on-pace third at the same venue 14-days ago. Untried at the longer trip but is fit and in good hands. Komata is a son of VRC Derby winner Monaco Consul and is more or less proven at this sort of distance. Worth noting that he came from a long way back and won by a long way one day on a Soft 5. Fenerbache is on a hat-trick.

Bet: Candy Kiss to win, box trifecta 1,2,3

RACE 2

Alight The Night has placed four times in six starts, three of those are seconds including his first-up run here just 8-days ago at his first run at the track. Cenotes, the Colt Prosser-trained son of Rebel Dane turned in a very encouraging debut at Coffs Harbour off the one trial only. Profiles as the proverbial ‘improving type’ who could easily figure. Ballina mare Spiele is well placed and well equipped to win. Rock Odyssey is winless after 20 starts but he is not out it and should have finished a bit closer at Coffs Harbour in the Cenotes race.

Bet: Cenotes to place

RACE 3

Sunchaser is an exceptionally well-bred mare being by Reliable Man out of the Group 1 winner Keepa Crusin who is herself the mother of a Listed winner in New Zealand. Sunchaser has placed at two of her three starts, this will be her first run for Stirling Osland and sent out all the right signs in her Armidale trial. Menotti is mostly consistent without winning but she has a good on-speed racing pattern. How that all works out for her from her wide draw remains to be seen. Diamondsaretrumps has arguably run her best two races of her career at her last two starts.

Bet: Sunchaser to win

RACE 4

Ambitious Prince won (another) Ken Howard Cup three starts ago and at his most recent outing, he ran away like he could have gone around again in the Tuncurry Cup. This is the trip that he excels at, he will handle whatever track they serve up to him. Big fella Stuck With You was a decisive winner at home at Murwillumbah prior to his close second at Doomben on September 10. Has raced here twice for a win and a second. Spanish Point has a race like this in him on his best day but may have to give away a decent start. Still, it’s Grafton not Doomben last like time.

Bet: Ambitious Prince to win, exacta 4 to beat 3

RACE 5

Our Calantha is a Gerry Harvey-owned gelding who must have some issues looking at his record. That record is one start and six barrier trials. He won his only start quite easily albeit way back in May 2020 but seems to be in good shape again though given he won a trial at Beaudesert on Sept 13 by four and a half. Empress Zou has raced five times for a win and two seconds. Once a stablemate of Our Calantha, this will be her first run for Paul Shailer. Go well. Supreme Hero has turned the corner, big time, this preparation.

Bet: Our Calantha to win, box trifecta 1,2,4,5

RACE 6

Volfoni is in ripping form. The Greg Kilner-trained son of Smart Missile was runner-up twice in August before sealing the deal with a September 19 win here at the home track. In fact. 18 of his 30 starts are at Grafton for two wins and nine placings. Miss Super won by panels here on August 15 prior to her eighth of 10 at Eagle Farm where she was well down the order but wasn’t lapped. Back home, better outcome on Tuesday. Speedy gelding Sharkim has a winning draw. Peter Graham could say the same about In A Step.

Bet: Volfoni to win

Trainer Greg Kilner prepares Volfoni can make it two in a row on his home track. Picture: Trackside Photography

RACE 7

Lampkin Lane was building up to a win after a couple of placings here at Grafton. Granted, he got a very good ride on the day by Luke Rolls but credit to the horse too; he let rip down the middle and won easily. This is a Class 1 and Maiden (same track/same trip) so it’s not like he has to make a quantum leap to win again. Luke Rolls will ride Gulf Of Tonini here as has been the case in the horse’s two starts for Cassandra Schmidt. Narrow but impressive winner last start at 1410m; just has to see out the 1700m here, that’s all. Daedalus and Dundeel mare Oak Island are in the mix.

Bet: Lampkin Lane to win, Daily Double 1st leg (3), 2nd leg (3)

RACE 8

Full of Flavour is a son of Falvelon out of a Choisir mare but you get the sense that stepping back up to 1700m might be the key to a second win (at start 17). The barrier as much as anything probably beat him last start or at least contributed to where he finished. Drawn wide again but Jodi Worley knows him very well and the drying track is another plus. Easier Said was beaten a nose one day at Doomben over 1650m then went to the Gold Coast 1700m and won. Beautifully placed here. Letmeletgo is fit and should be prominent for a long way.

Bet: Full Of Flavour each-way

RACE 9

Hardley Grey has been going great guns this preparation; in fact, his last four runs are ‘2321’. The wide barrier is some concern on paper, but it’s been wet up there and this the ninth race on the card so who knows, maybe they are sailing down the middle and the outside rail? That is exactly where Fay’s Angels might be in the straight. This lightly-raced filly is in top shape and beat a subsequent winner at her September 11 outing. Huge chance. Fire Up Bruce was brave to only go down in the last few hops after setting up a fast pace in a 1400m Class 1 here last start.

Bet: Hardley Grey each-way

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