Race day focus: Preview, best bets and inside mail for Sunday’s meeting at Gosford

A veteran gelding can end the year on a high-note when he returns to his favourite track.

Safado can breakthrough at Gosford on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photos

One-time Provincial Championship Finalist Safado returns to his favourite racetrack chasing his first win since taking out the Coonamble Cannonball in trainer Damien Lane’s hometown in June.

Safado has raced at Gosford four times, for a win, a second and two thirds.

Lane’s gelding arrives for his fifth visit this weekend off an eye-catching run at home at Wyong behind the handy Bojangles.

“Dylan Gibbons rode him the other day and he came back and said ‘I probably did the wrong thing and pressed the button too early and had to circle the field and use up all my gas getting around there’,” Lane told The Sunday Telegraph.

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Trainer Damien Lane feels Safado can bounce back at Gosford on Sunday. Picture: Grant Guy

“He said ‘I probably should have waited a little bit.’

“The horse has got really sharp turn of foot but it doesn’t go for long so the longer you can hold him together for and expose him the better he goes.”

Safado is a nine-year-old son of Lonhro from the same crop as Kementari. Both share the same third dam, Crowning Jewel, and sixth dam, Denise’s Joy.

Lane’s first order of business on Sunday is to see to it that prolific owner-breeder John O’Connor adds one last win to the tally for 2023 when the exciting Dize steps out in the opener.

The daughter of Shalaa signalled her readiness with a five and a quarter length win in a Wyong trial on December 15.

“Her first couple of trials (in May and June) were just educational trials and then the other day we wanted to give her a nice trial just for some fitness,” Lane explained.

“She has been a work in progress but she seems to be ticking all the boxes at the moment.

“She is obviously a very speedy filly and gets in light with Anna’s (Roper) claim and it looks a nice race for her to kick her career off in.”

Dize is an exceptionally well-bred filly with the rare honour and distinction of tracing back on a direct line to a Golden Slipper winner.

Talented apprentice Anna Roper rides Dize in her race debut at Gosford. Picture: Grant Guy

In Dize’s case, it is her fifth dam, Sweet Embrace, who won the 1967 Slipper while a maiden for Jack and Bob Ingham at odds of 40/1.

Lane, meanwhile, has managed to find a suitable race for three-year-old gelding Pluckten to have his first start.

A son of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck, Lane’s entry has trialled like he will win his share of races.

“He is half-brother to a little mare we had called Denetta that was a nice little filly,” said Lane.

“This horse is probably double the size of her.

“He will definitely get out to 1400m or a mile but we kick him off in a 1200m.

“We’ll just come back from the gate and let him possie-up and get a little bit of cover and make his last furlong be his best furlong.”

Lane will wait until the last moment on Sunday morning to decide whether to start the blue-blooded Quinky Deel (Dundeel - Marquardt) in the Beats N Eats Maiden Plate (1600m).

“He is knocking on the door and is ready to win a race,” said Lane.

“I have also got him in at Kembla next Wednesday.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 3 No. 5: Subarctic

Placed four of 10, three of them seconds including first-up at 1200m here. The mile is better.

NEXT BEST

Race 5 No. 5: Caring Lass

Won easily at Canberra before an honourable second to Utopian Wine here last time; 1900m suits now.

VALUE BET

Race 6 No. 8: Safado

Has a win and three placings from his four Gosford runs. Was good last start behind Bojangles.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1, 3, 4, 6

Race 5: 5

Race 6: 1, 2, 8,

Race 7: 4

Ash Morgan looks set for a big day at Gosford on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Ash Morgan is currently second on the NSW Statewide Jockeys Premiership standings.

INSIDE MAIL – GOSFORD

RACE 1

Still Alice was okay in her first two trials in August. She has, however, gone up several notches in her two December trials, winning her most recent heat at Rosehill. Jay Ford has been on her back since day one. He is there for the debut. Only worry is the draw. Dize and Santasia are the absolute trial stars of the race. Both are very fast fillies. There are a few scenarios as to how the race pans out but it does look to be a high pressure, take no prisoners 1000m.

Bet: Still Alice each-way

RACE 2

Carpaccio is a half-brother to Hong Kong Group 3 winner Healthy Happy. This colt’s dam is by Lonhro and was stakes-placed herself. Carpaccio was an impressive trial win at Rosehill on December 5. Strangely, he was seventh of eight in a heat there 13 days later for whatever reason. Drawn well for the Sunday debut. Outakandy finished third at his opening two career starts, one of those was at Warwick Farm. Trialled well and is in good hands. Pluckten is one that should be strong late here.

Bet: Carpaccio to win

RACE 3

Subarctic is by So You Think who won his first Cox Plate as a three-year-old. Subarctic’s third dam is New Zealand Oaks winner Savannah Success whose son Savabeel was also a Cox Plate winner at three. As for Subarctic, he was second of four runners in a 1200m Maiden here first-up. If it has been a field of 14, he probably wins that day. Mile suits him a whole lot more now. Cranberries is a half-sister to Lindermann (same owner and trainer). She’s working her way towards a win and is in the right race.

Bet: Subarctic to win

Lady Extreme can make it two from two when she returns to Gosford. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 4

Lady Extreme has trialled exceptionally well prior to her December 7 debut here on a 1000m Maiden which she won by upwards of two lengths in pretty good time. The wide draw is obviously a negative but she is likely to come in a few spots with the scratchings. Liangelo did some good things at his first preparation in the winter. He very nearly won debut at Kembla and the two trials leading into this were both good. Our Lady Stardust has enough talent to win and ‘peaks’ third-up perhaps.

Bet: Lady Extreme to win

RACE 5

Caring Lass had her last start as a three-year-old in the Queensland Oaks. She finished 13th of 18 but to be fair, she was coming off a Class 1 win here at Gosford. As for more recent times, the Matthew Smith-trained daughter of Sebring bolted in at Canberra second-up before and honourable second here to Utopian Wine who goes okay. Silent Russian is building up nicely and has a ‘beautiful’ foundation for the 1900m. New Republic has the highest benchmark rating of them all and that must count for something.

Bet: Caring Lass to win, Daily Double 1st leg (5), 2nd leg (4)

RACE 6

Safado is a nine-year-old son of Lonhro from the same crop as Kementari. Both share the same third dam, Crowning Jewel, and sixth dam, Denise’s Joy. Safado has a very good record at Gosford with a win, a second and two thirds from four runs at the venue. He really caught the eye at home at Wyong, second-up behind Bojangles. Market watch essential here on the Bjorn Baker recruit Ostracised whose trials have been very, very good indeed. Toro Toro gives every impression that he wants 1200m now. One for one at the track and trip.

Bet: Safado each-way

RACE 7

To The Extreme is a Ron Quinton-trained filly who turned in a super encouraging fourth on debut at Canterbury in a race where Zouphoria was runner-up. To The Extreme was back at Canterbury soon after and won this time, charging over the top in fact winning by a length and a half. Has obvious talent. Azayaka had run in some strong maidens prior to her trip away to Muswellbrook first-up where and when she proved just too good for her rivals. That will boost her confidence for the rest of the campaign. Big watch on Wolves. That last trial was a beauty.

Bet: To The Extreme to win

Originally published as Race day focus: Preview, best bets and inside mail for Sunday’s meeting at Gosford