Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Port Macquarie

Quality Time bolted in last start and Friday’s Port Macquarie Cup isn’t any harder. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Tommy Berry and Quality Time are looking to book a spot in The Big Dance with victory in the Port Macquarie Cup on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

Daily Telegraph form analyst Matt Jones gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Port Macquarie.

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!

PORT MACQUARIE

BEST BET

Race 7, No.3: QUALITY TIME

He had to do the chasing last start at Rosehill but still ended up breaking clear and winning well. If he holds that form, he wins again.

NEXT BEST

Race 5, No.1: CHARMMEBABY

She’s coming here off a Group 1 run last time in and obviously has the class to win this even with the big weight.

VALUE BET

Race 6, No.3: GALAXY BELLE

If she stays around the $10 mark, she’s nice enough odds given this isn’t the hardest race she’s been in.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1

Race 6: 2, 3, 4, 5

Race 7: 3, 5

Race 8: 2, 7, 8, 10

Tommy Berry heads to Port Macquarie for two rides and can win both Cup races. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO WATCH

Tommy Berry has come all the way up to Port Macquarie for just two rides and must be super confident of taking out the main race with Quality Time while he’s on Mister Smartee in the Hasting Cup.

TRAINER TO WATCH

Greg McFarlane looks to have placed Abuela, Rahni Factor and Sharkim very well here while Liberty Sun and Alibi Dot Com are also nice hopes.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR PORT MACQUARIE

RACE 1

Tiva Bay looks well placed at this level by Kris Lees and he’s drawn well enough and sit on the speed and one off the fence and he should handle the heavy track and comes into this off a nice barrier trial win. D’arpano looked like she was just going to go past them and win on a Heavy 10 at Scone two weeks ago but just peaked on her run late for third. She gets an easier run from the gate now. Edge Of Reward would be a chance but is doubtful for this while Debutant Crux Rebellion did look good in winning a barrier trial but it was on a synthetic track.

Bet: Tiva Bay to win

RACE 2

War On Bling will be better for the run first-up at Scone on heavy ground and she should put herself into the race from a wide gate but needs luck from out there so might be starting unders here. Cenotes has run second at his only two starts to date and should handle the wet ground from a good gate where he’ll get a smother in transit and should be able to produce a strong finish as long as he doesn’t run up behind slow ones. Debutant Millennibarr finished off a barrier trial well on heavy ground at this track but that was in June and hasn’t been seen since so watch the betting.

Bet: Cenotes to win

RACE 3

Jacenza didn’t get much go his way last start but came off heels to dig deep and remain undefeated at start two. The same jockey is on from a good gate which suits the on pacer. Paradise Island is untested on a heavy track but is fitter for the first-up run now and should sit one off the fence and a pair back which is the spot to be. Pendleton resumes for a new trainer and is on his home track now but is the 1000m too short? Abuela drops back in grade here so is well placed and has run well in two city runs this time in and is a provincial winner already.

Bet: Abuela to win

Reece Jones is looking to make it two from two with Sharp Shock at Port Macquarie. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 4

The punters who took the $1.70 about Sharp Shock on debut would’ve had their hearts in their mouths when he was back last on the home turn at Scone, but he flashed home to win by a narrow margin when strong through the line over 900m and 1200m looks ideal but it will be interesting to see what the tactics are from the wide gate. Yareakh also overcame trouble to win on debut at Scone but was rated only a $31 chance. Honour The Crown will appreciate the drop back in grade.

Bet: Sharp Shock to win

RACE 5

Charmmebaby last ran in a Group 1 race and was less than four lengths off the winner. She’s giving away a weight disadvantage to the field but so she should and her class should get her home. Rahni Factor is on a quicker back up now off a solid win at Newcastle a fortnight ago on a Heavy 10 track and she likes to take bad luck out of the equation with her on-speed style and should be hard to hold out here. Nicktock is more than up to this grade.

Bet: Charmmebaby to win

RACE 6

Galaxy Belle is a genuine Saturday city horse and is super consistent, likes soft ground and almost beat Surefire last time in and she has some fresh form so should be in the mix at decent odds. Hit The Target has barrier one here off a good last start win to prove the veteran still has plenty of life left in him and he can lead this race. Kedah fins this much easier after a couple of decent runs in higher grade including a Group 3 race last time.

Bet: Galaxy Belle each way

Apprentice Dylan Gibbons rides Galaxy Belle for Kris Lees on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 7

Quality Time killed them in town last start when not getting the easiest of run in transit either and off that he’s going to start near odds on here. Our Candidate won’t be intimidated by this field and it looks like a fairly nice set for him after having a five-week freshen up off a 2400m race with a barrier trial in between. Caboche should find this a bit easier to win but Quality Time easily had his measure last time and the weight pull now might not be enough to turn the tables.

Bet: Quality Time to win

RACE 8

Sharkim has drawn out but he has the gate speed to negate that and with decent wet track from he’s going to be hard to chase in the home straight off a nice last start win. Don’t Doubt Katie loves the wet ground and won two in a row here not long ago. Zoom Outcome is building a nice record and is on his home track but the wide gate means he needs a lot to go his way but a loss won’t be due to the wet ground.

Bet: Don’t Doubt Katie to win

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