Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Taree
Big eight-race card at Taree on Tuesday with a good track and a decent level of confidence from tipster Shayne O’Cass. BEST BETS and INSIDE MAIL analysis
Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Taree on Tuesday.
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!
TAREE
BEST BET
Race 7 No. 1: EMPRESS ZOU
The Paul Shailer-trained mare has drawn gate 3 in the right race with the right jockey. Coming off a hugely impressive trial win at Port Macquarie 7-days ago.
NEXT BEST
Race 3 No. 8: PAPAL MISS
Has placed at three of her 11 starts and was perhaps a bit unlucky not to have won one by now. Getting close.
VALUE BET
Race 4 No. 8: L’ESPERANCE ROCK
Her three runs this time in have all been good. She is clearly on an upward spiral. Her only win so far was here.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 4, 6, 8
Race 6: 2, 7
Race 7: 1
Race 8: 2, 3, 8
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Aaron Bullock is likely to be the punter’s choice to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge on Tuesday and for good reason.
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR TAREE
RACE 1
Fine Example can add another winner to the presumably massive tally of successful horses that wear the pink and white colours of Shelley Hancox. This daughter of Magic Albert is trained by Todd Howlett and turned in her best of three starts so far when coming from way back to finish third at Port Macquarie. Jaex, the Kembla filly, ran her career best race here at Taree back in October. Fourth-up now and finds a skinny maiden. Fantastic Galaxy bears inspection.
Bet: Fine Example to win, quinella 6, 8
RACE 2
La Vesuvius trialled well prior to his debut in a small but semi-select two-year-old race at Dubbo on Feb 13 last year. That’s a fair old break between runs but he’s had two trials and won the last one in impressive order. Market the guide. Canny Prospect has placed at four of his eight starts, two of those were seconds. Interestingly, he ran third to La Vesuvius in a Feb 16 trial but was hardly asked to do a whole lot. Maltese Falcon will find this easier than his two Newcastle runs.
Bet: La Vesuvius to win, quinella 2, 3
RACE 3
Papal Miss has 11 starts on the C.V with three placings but it is not unreasonable to assert that should could easily have won at least one race by now but for some bad luck or more to the point, her racing pattern. She’ll get back again here and finish off as she invariably does. Mallee Boy Express remains winless after 18 starts but he has placed times which is encouraging for each-way punters. First run for the new management today who have found a nice race for the horse. He’s A Copyboy sent out some positive signs first-up.
Bet: Papal Miss to win
RACE 4
L’Esperance Rock wears the colours of a Diatribe, Lahar and a few other handy horses too over many years raced by the Thompson family. This mare was bred by the family patriarch John and is out of a mare by the aforementioned Diatribe. If ever a horse is getting close to a win, it’s L’Esperance Rock. Barcoo River was scratched from a race at Tamworth on Monday to run here instead. The Kris Lees-trained son of Choisir pulled out plenty when needed to win first-up. Rothrock was second to Tavi Time at this track and distance two runs ago.
Bet: L’Esperance Rock to win
RACE 5
Casirina is trained here by Ross Stitt and the horse does seem to race well at the venue. The grey son of Casino Prince has raced at Taree eight times for two wins, two seconds and a third. Casirina has raced at the Taree mile five times for a win, a second and a third. His last four starts are at (in descending order); 1900m, 1400m, 1550m and 1250m. All we can say is he is crying out for the 1600m. King Kikau had won one from 18 not long ago but is three from 20 now and on a hat-trick. Won three of five at the track and distance. Tribute King can figure.
Bet: Casirina to win, box trifecta 1, 4, 6, 8
RACE 6
Bulls Blood is a gelding but it’s still worth recounting his pedigree, it’s that good. The Gerry Harvey-bred and owned galloper is by Snitzel out of the VRC Oaks runner-up Kylikwong who is ostensibly a three-quarter-sister to Typhoon Tracy. Bulls Blood was odds-on when he won here by four and a half lengths on Feb 19. Third home has won since. Ghost Hunter seems to race exceedingly well here at Taree. Ran good time (himself) when fourth in a 56.9s 1000m Class 2 at Grafton last start. Spanish Missile is in great form this preparation.
Bet: Bulls Blood to win, quinella 2, 7
RACE 7
Empress Zou has raced six times for a win and two seconds. Important to note that she has only had one run for Paul Shailer and that was back on Sept 27 at Grafton where she finished second but was deadset one of the runs of the day. Fast forward to the present and the daughter of Zoustar trialled like a bomb at Port Macquarie 7-days ago. Taree local Yareakh was put aside after her first campaign which consisted of a debut win at Scone and a creditable fifth of 14 at Port Macquarie on October 7. Drawn 5 for Andrew Gibbons. That’s Molly could be the ambusher.
Bet: Empress Zou to win, box trifecta 1, 2, 4, 11
RACE 8
Zoffany’s Gaze is a sparingly-raced six-year-old whose career tally of starts numbers eight. He is three times a winner, two seconds and two thirds. He does go well first-up true, but he was very good at Tamworth when he resumed in that 1200m Class 4. Should run well, he invariably does. Not sure we can vouch for the quality of those who chased home Ugly Nicos at Armidale but he won with a leg in the air and crossed the line like a horse ready and able to win again. Our Cousin Al is going a million times better than the form suggests.
Bet: Zoffany’s Gaze to win, Our Cousin Al to place, quinella 2, 3, box trifecta 2, 3, 8
Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Taree
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