Race day focus: Best bets, inside maul for Gunnedah, Albury

A Craig Martin-trained filly can continue her good form and close out the day with another win. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Racing in New South Wales on Tuesday is at Gunnedah and Albury.

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over the Quaddie legs at Gunnedah and Albury.

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!

GUNNEDAH

BEST BET

Race 8, No.9: MISS NICOLINI

Highly-consistent filly from the Craig Martin stable racing in the Might And Power colours who is drawn to get every opportunity for another well earned win.

NEXT BEST

Race 1, No.8: ZIPPY POWER

Kris Lees-trained daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist; this German-bred filly has a winning draw and the winning weight.

VALUE BET

Race 6, No.9: SHOOTING ZAA

Honest and consistent type from the Stephen Jones camp; has her foot right on the till.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1,2,4,5

Race 6: 1,2,6,9

Race 7: 3,6,7,9

Race 8: 9

Clayton Gallagher will give the TAB Jockey Challenge a shake at Gunnedah. Picture: AAP Image

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Clayton Gallagher could easily rack up enough points to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge (scratchings notwithstanding)

ALBURY

BEST BET

Race 2, No.5: DURPRIDE STAR

Placed at her last two; one was to Miss Kirribilli, the other to I’ve Bean Tryin’ which is Highway form.

NEXT BEST

Race 3, No.14: REGION TIME

Gratz Vella-trained filly who has hit the line strong enough at her first three runs to give her a show here.

VALUE BET

Race 7, No.4: BONVALANTE

Would be a good thing at Wagga, worried about his Albury record, but otherwise he is clearly the one to beat.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR GUNNEDAH

RACE 5

Mr Eighty Eight is a NZ-bred son of Tavistock with 12 starts on his C.V. He has finished second on seven occasions and has run third twice. The horse had his first run for Joseph Burgess at Taree on June 28 and pretty much held his ground throughout to clock in fourth. Up to 1400m is bang on for him now. Global Encounter has nominated for a race at Dubbo on Friday over 1300m bearing in mind this is 1400m and he has drawn wide. Amber One ran a huge race over 1257m at Taree at his first run for Glen Milligan.

Bet: Mr Eighty Eight to win

RACE 6

Shooting Zaa is a Stephen Jones-trained filly from a great family as it happens. Her fourth dam is Wrap Around who was herself a daughter of Beach Gown. As for Shooting Zaa, she has a very good little record; namely a win and four placings from her nine career starts, the last six of them under Jones’ care. Ran third to Gallant Star last start. Paul Perry’s Choisir gelding Quick Nick has ‘only’ won six from 51 but he has placed 11 times. Granted, he is hard to predict but he could figure here. The ‘best’ Asherla would just about win.

Bet: Shooting Zaa to win

Jockey Matthew Palmer rides the Stephen Jones-trained Shooting Zaa at Gunnedah.

RACE 7

Just One Look is another of the Paul Perry team; he trained this gelding’s mother, The Look, to win trained races. The Look was by Fastnet Rock, one of Perry’s absolute champion racehorses and stallions. Anyway, as for Just One Look, a few important scratchings and barrier 2 are just two reasons why he is on top. Gooree gelding drew gate 20 of 20 but he could end up in a barrier in single figures. Whatever happens, he is on his way now after an impressive win at Coonamble last start. Sterny Bear has the draw and the jockey (barrier 3 and Grant Buckley) to win. Tamworth mare Just Jacky is in great form.

Bet: Just One Look to win, box trifecta 6,7,9,10

RACE 8

Miss Nicolini races in the colours of the late, great Nick Moraitis whose stamp is easy to identify when it comes to this filly’s pedigree. To begin with, she is his former hugely underrated racehorse and stallion, Love Conquers All, out of a mare by Power Of Destiny who looked like the next Might And Power early on. As for Miss Nicolini, she is getting very close to another win. We could lose Hemsworth to Scone on Friday; suffice to say he is a massive chance wherever Kris Lees decides to point him. It took Thunder Knob a while to win but he is on his way now.

Bet: Miss Nicolini to win

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR ALBURY

RACE 4

Turn Up Your Radio is a Twinstar Racing gelding on debut. The son of Master Of Design finished fourth, beaten two lengths, in an Open 800m trial. It was a really nice ‘educational’ trial and he had a lot left to offer too. If Manhattan Valley was going 1200m to 1400m, he would almost have been on top. Just the way the programming is, he is back to 1175m, and while it not impossible for him to win, personally, I would be waiting for him to get to 1400m. Gobbo’s Mate, the gelding by Star Witness out Bad Romance, has to go ‘in’ surely given that he has finished runner-up at three of his four starts.

Bet: Turn Up Your Radio to win

RACE 5

Mittata is another of the Twinstar string headed south. This one wears the colours of the greats Marscay, Triscay, Filante and Eremein. As for this particular gelding, he has been pretty good in his four runs this preparation. A Class 1 and Maiden mile looks a very suitable mission for the bay. Victory At Omaha already had some bright winning prospects but they went up after he drew barrier 3. In fact, if he had of drawn anywhere else, out wide that is, you would have to be a wee-bit worried about him at a mile. Lensman is a lightly-raced local. Seems versatile enough to overcome his wide draw.

Bet: Mittata to win, quinella 4,5

Trainer Mitchell Beer prepares Snowbella who looks tough to beat at Albury. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 6

Snowbella has the honour and distinction of being the highest rated horse running at Albury today. That is a fact that is reflected in her record which is an admirable one to say the least. The Mitchell Beer-trained grey daughter of So You Think has raced 13 times for four wins and four seconds. Her record here at home is just too good to look past her. Miss Elsie May has earned a medal at 15 of her 24 starts. That’s the good news, the bad news is that the daughter of Krupt has only won twice, That said, if something were to beat Snowbella, you get the feeling that it might well be this mare. Galaxy Force and Accrue have claims.

Bet: Snowbella to win, quinella 2,11

RACE 7

Bonvalante has won all of his races at home at Wagga. In fact, he has an awful record here at Albury having never placed in his four prior visits. If this was at Wagga, he’d be an even money chance/ Point being, it’s the perfect race for him and there is nothing in the field that he would normally be too scared of. It’s just the Albury factor and whether it is really is a true hoodoo. Dubai Centre has only won two from 20 but unlike Bonvalante, this horse has raced well at Albury. Wangaratta pair Shiny Rock and Victory Chuckle are worth consideration.

Bet: Bonvalante to win

Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside maul for Gunnedah, Albury