Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Tamworth

Trainer Paul Messara has handy mare Mirror Queen at her peak now and she can land a deserved win at Tamworth. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Paul; Messara has Mirror Queen ready to win at Tamworth on Friday. Picture: AAP Image

Daily Telegraph form analyst Mitch Cohen gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Tamworth.

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!

TAMWORTH

BEST BET

Race 3 No. 3: MIRROR QUEEN

The Paul Messara-trained mare wasn’t far away at this track and trip last time and can go one better.

NEXT BEST

Race 8 No. 3: STARLINER

Promising filly who was tested in stakes grade at her last run in November. She will find this much easier.

VALUE BEST

Race 6 No. 6: SO EXTRA

Forget he went around last start. This Clint Lundholm-trained galloper is capable of bouncing back to his best.

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella - Race 2 - 6, 9

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1, 12, 14

Race 6: 6, 8, 10

Race 7: 1, 2, 4, 9, 12, 15

Race 8: 3

Aaron Bullock can continue his hot form at Tamworth on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

With trebles at Armidale and Muswellbrook in the last fortnight, star country hoop Aaron Bullock is airborne at the moment.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR TAMWORTH

RACE 1

Mr Wallace is a former Godolphin galloper having his first start for Cody Morgan. The four-year-old is a true blue blood by Medaglia d’Oro out of the multiple Group 1 winning mare Streama but is yet to live up to his breeding. With that said, he has finished second in three of his seven starts and has raced in much more competitive company than he finds here. He will be shorts odds and win. Outback Archie is a first starter that’s been given two hard trials and gets the rails guide on debut. Little Bit Yours is one of the main place chances.

Verdict: Mr Wallace to win.

RACE 2

Yamabushi is a promising son of Brave Smash lining up for his first start. The Kris Lees-trained has been given four trials to prepare for his debut with his latest effort a dominant four length win at his home track over 800m. He looks primed for a strong showing on debut. The same goes for Genzano, which too has been impressive at the trials. She gets gun draw in barrier three, one to Yambushi’s inside. Speck can run a cheeky race on debut from a favourable gate.

Verdict: Yamabushi to win. Quinella 6, 9.

RACE 3

Mirror Queen has scratched from Wyong on Thursday for this. She went down as $2.90 elect last time but ran a credible second at this venue when jumping from 1400m to 2100m. Expecting her to be fitter for the staying assignment this time and take some beating. Avalacious is a consistent customer with two wins and seven placings from 18 starts. She’s finished no worse than fourth this preparation and should be in the finish again. Rasay Factor knows how to win but he’s yet to do it over this sort of trip.

Verdict: Mirror Queen to win.

Robbie Dolan rides Golden Gate on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 4

Golden Gate is first up from a 38-week break but has trialled ominously in the lead up to her return. The Nicconi mare is only lightly-raced but was a winner on debut at the beginning of her last preparation. Provided she can find a good spot midfield, she should be one of the strongest late. Seductive was scratched from a race later on the card for this. She was excellent breaking her maiden last start at this track and should be around the money if she replicates that. D’arpano mixes her form but is a competitive filly on her day.

Verdict: Golden Gate to win.

RACE 5

Arrabbiata was scratched from Narromine in favour of this. She finds a winnable maiden where Mikayla Weir can take advantage of a good draw in barrier five. While she’s only had one placing, all three of her runs to date have had merit and she looks a promising type. Priding has placed in two of her first three starts and looks capable enough. She will jump from one to our top pick’s inside and get her chance. Backlash’s record may not read like much but he was doing his best work late at Armidale last time and should strip fitter third up.

Verdict: Arrabbiata to win.

RACE 6

So Extra is a better horse than what he showed last start when fading to beat just one runner home at Wellington. If you can forgive him off that, he’s all over the odds in this. He won two in a row before that and had been a model of consistency. Gets the gun draw in barrier three and can atone here. Chiky Chiky Mama has been a place specialist since breaking her maiden. She has finished on the podium at all five runs since and rarely runs a bad race. Don’t expect that to change here. The Affirmative deserves recognition for her recent all the way wins at Gunnedah and Armidale.

Verdict: So Extra each way.

Loch Eagle looks hard to beat in the Tamworth Cup. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 7

Loch Eagle is coming off a competitive second in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final where he had to get a mile back. With a couple of the emergencies to come out, he shouldn’t have to face the same fate here. He will be doing his best work late again and should prove hard to hold out. Cross Talk will give him something to catch and will be keeping them all honest upfront. Koby Jennings should negate the wide gate by going straight forward to control proceedings. Banju has to be included first up. The Lyle Chandler-trained galloper was a revelation last prep.

Verdict: Loch Eagle to win.

RACE 8

Starliner was tested in Group 3 grade last preparation but returns in much easier company. The Paul Messara-trained filly finished midfield behind Pierossa in the Spring Stakes last November on Hunter day and has been off the scene since. She has drawn awkwardly in barrier 14 but class should take her a long way in this sort of company. Turnaway’s record isn’t too shabby despite only having one win in nine starts. He has placed on five other occasions and wasn’t far away in second at Armidale fresh from a break. Rura Penthe has the draw (barrier six) in his favour compared to his main rivals.

Verdict: Starliner to win.

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