Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Wyong

An Annabel Neasham-trained gelding can add further to his record with another win on Wednesday. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Annabel Neasham (pictured) has Dirty Merchant well placed to win at Wyong on Wednesday.

Form analyst Mitch Cohen gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Wyong.

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!

WYONG

BEST BET

Race 6, No.3: DIRTY MERCHANT

A lightly-raced galloper building an imposing record. Finds another winnable race.

NEXT BEST

Race 3, No.3: HAMAKI

Drops in grade and suited by the step back up to 1200m third-up.

VALUE BEST

Race 4, No.4: VILLA TINO

Promising son of Supido returning from a break. Gets a good draw and trialled well in the lead up.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 4, 6, 8

Race 5: 1, 2, 3, 7

Race 6: 1, 3, 6

Race 7: 5, 6

Tim Clark has a good book of rides at Wyong and looks a good chance in the Jockeys Challenge. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Tim Clark rode a double last Wednesday and has a number of chances. Four rides in single digits in betting.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR WYONG

RACE 1

Julimar is still only lightly-raced and showed enough first-up to suggest he could be competitive here in a race with not a lot of depth. The Matthew Smith-trained four-year-old was grinding down the outside at Nowra to finish fifth. Expecting he should be open to improvement second-up. Street Candi has placed in six of 11 starts. The Pride Of Dubai mare has finished runner up at her past two at Tuncurry and Port Macquarie and she should be ready to peak third-up. Hillbilly Pickin’ has only finished in the placings once in 20 starts but was surprisingly been supported from $21 into $9 when markets opened. Maralago will be suited by the step up to the mile.

Bet: Julimar each way.

RACE 2

Devilry produced a much improved effort at her second start at Port Macquarie. The Rubick filly was doing her best work late to finish among the placings in a 1200m event. She should be ready to peak third-up from a good draw. Jabali Belle was a beaten favourite last time. Had placed at both starts at Hawkesbury before that. Putt For Dough caught the eye resuming from a spell, finishing fourth in a metropolitan race at Warwick Farm while I’m A Shaker steps up 100m in trip after doing his best work late from the back behind Chipper last start at this track.

Bet: Devilry to win.

Kerrin McEvoy rides Hamaki for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 3

Hamaki continues to race well this preparation. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained galloper was a winner at Hawkesbury first-up before finishing a credible fifth at Warwick Farm. He drops in class here and should relish the step up to 1200m. Vindication wasn’t disgraced in a Midway event last time. This is easier and the barrier five draw is another big tick. After getting his maiden out of the way last time at Warwick, Mad Darcey has to be respected. She ran a credible third at her last visit to Wyong two starts back.

Bet: Hamaki to win.

RACE 4

Villa Tino can reap the benefits of some race day experience when she takes on a couple of promising first starters. The Tracey Bartley-trained galloper was placed on debut over 1000m last prep and returns from a break here. On his recent trial, he is right in this. Dancing Alone and Fourth Spargo have both trialled well in preparation for their respective trials with early betting favouring the Bryce Heys-trained galloper. Mr Kennedy is a likely leader after doing so at his past two in a pair of placings. Will be fitter for those experiences and take some running down.

Bet: Villa Tino to win.

RACE 5

Justina is a Snitzel filly that comes into her second preparation unbeaten. The Brad Widdup-trained galloper got the maiden out of the way at Kembla Grange in September 10 before heading for a break. Trials have been good in the lead up to her first-up assignment. Jayanthi has one win and four placings in six starts. Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s mare trialled very nicely alongside subsequent Saturday winner Mariamia in the lead up to her return and is sure to attract support. Seven Sisters showed some promise in five starts as juvenile including finishing fifth in a Group 2 at Caulfield. Should be ready to go first-up with two trials under her belt.

Bet: Justina to win.

Alysha Collett partners Dirty Merchant at Wyong.

RACE 6

Dirty Merchant is the half-brother to Zetarita, a contender in race five, and he’s shown plenty of promise early in his career. So far the Annabel Neasham-trained gelding has built a tidy record of 2 wins and two placings from five starts. A two and a half-length win at Canberra first-up should have him cherry ripe for the 1350m at Wyong. One-time million dollar buy Journalism has won both his previous first-up runs and should figure somewhere near the speed alongside Dirty Merchant. Piraeus has form around subsequent city winner Moonlight Grace in a pair of recent victories at Gosford and Muswellbrook.

Bet: Dirty Merchant to win.

RACE 7

The Unicorn is a promising daughter of Choisir that looks capable of progressing through her grades. A slow getaway first-up from a break saw her in an unfamiliar position back in the field before working home to finish fifth in a Canterbury Benchmark 72. Dropping back in grade here, she could be hard to round down if she finds the front. Pink Baroque ticked off her maiden at start for with a sustained effort on Boxing Day at Randwick. Master trainer Chris Waller has given her a quiet trial since then to keep her up to the mark. She will just need to get off the fence from the inside draw. Silvakia won at her only previous first-up assignment and returns from a break off two quiet trials.

Bet: The Unicorn to win.

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