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

A Jason Coyle-trained mare is poised to bring her terrific trial form to race day and add second win when she heads to Nowra.

Proud Image can land a second career win in the opening race at Nowra on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Rousing back-to-back barrier trial wins augurs well for the Jason Coyle-trained mare Proud Image to post an infrequent win when she lines-up in the opener at Nowra.

The daughter of Blue Diamond and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Pride Of Dubai has only managed one single victory in her 14 starts but is looking razor sharp in her lead-up work most mornings at Warwick Farm.

“She has always trialled relatively well so it was probably no surprise,” Coyle said.

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Trainer Jason Coyle could be in for a good day at Nowra on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photos

“You would be disappointed if she didn’t (trial well) but I think she has trialled against a couple of nice horses which is a positive, albeit there were on the bridle.

“I am really happy with how she has come into this preparation and we’ve got barrier one which is fantastic.

“It is just going to be how she leaves the barriers. If she launches out of the gates and is naturally there, that’s fantastic, she can lead them up.

“If she comes out not as good as something else, she is quite adaptable and can take a little sit off hopefully a solid tempo.”

Coyle has found the perfect race at the perfect time for the stable’s six-year-old gelding Mandalorian to take his earnings through the $100,000 mark in the Bomaderry Bowling Club Handicap (1600m).

The Coyle-bred son of the Coyle-trained pair Va Pensiero and Mari Pintau finished well down the order at Canterbury nine-days ago but with excuses.

“I still don’t really understand what happened on the evening,” Coyle said.

“Jay (Ford) suggested that maybe he just hasn’t started to turn on the tighter track.

“He struggled and failed to keep in contact but his determination once balanced to at least close the race off was really positive.

“I think he is going much better than his form suggests and he obviously goes right back to where he has run well in his grade and where he has run some really good races.

Mandalorian can bounce back from his latest run at Canterbury. Picture: Bradley Photos

“A horse like him isn’t going to win often and his racing pattern sometimes alludes to not even finding that first three or four but like I said, if you watch his replays, I think he is going okay.”

Mandalorian has raced at the Nowra mile four times for a win and two seconds.

Another of the Coyle-trained Va Pensiero’s headed south on Sunday is Impressiero whose record at Nowra presently stands as one from one.

“She is not a big mare and she should probably race well fresh but she generally takes a run or two to hit her straps,” Coyle explained.

“1200m is probably still a shade sharp for her, she tends to like that 1300m and 1400m which is where she produced her best last preparation but I think the drop in grade hopefully accounts for that and the inside gate is a positive.

“If she can handle the 60.5kg she is obviously a chance down there.”

Coyle, meanwhile, is forecasting a better outcome for Mythical Moochi in the Carpet Court Maiden compared to her last at Randwick on Boxing Day.

“I don’t know what happened at Randwick,” said Coyle.

“Maybe the long trip out to Bathurst, I just shouldn’t have turned up ten days later. He is probably not that sort of horse just yet.

“He is still a little bit fragile and hopefully that is a full-on forget and now that he has had a few weeks between runs and if he can produce that first-up or second-up run over the 1300m, I think he looks well-placed there.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No. 6: Proud Image

Only managed one win in 14 starts but has trialled well and is in the ‘right race’.

NEXT BEST

Race 4 No. 1: Donegal Lights

Unbeaten in his two starts at the Nowra 1600m which were his last two starts as it happens.

VALUE BET

Race 4 No. 5: Merchant Speed

Grandson of Let’s Elope who has won a trial since his moderate debut last month.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1

Race 5: 3, 5

Race 6: 2, 3, 4

Race 7: 10, 11

Shaun Guymer looks set for a good day at Nowra. Picture: Bradley Photos

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Shaun Guymer has prospects of winning a very open TAB Jockeys Challenge.

INSIDE MAIL – NOWRA

RACE 1

Proud Image has so far only managed to win once in her 14 starts (with two thirds). It is true that the Jason Coyle-trained mare is a good trialler, but she has been impressive by any measure in her two Warwick Farm heats. Drawn 1 so will surely be prominent throughout. Troika won at Goulburn and Kembla (beating Kattegat) within her eight starts for Mark Newnham. Her two recent trials for Brad Widdup indicate a forward showing.

Bet: Proud Image to win, exacta 6 to beat 1, quinella 1, 6

RACE 2

Jewel Approach hasn’t done much to enthuse in her three starts but turned in the best run of her short, stuttering career when a distant fourth here at Nowra to the obviously talented I’m A Steel. That was her first run for Danny Williams and off a break of 12 months and three weeks. Vereeva is a Nowra-trained mare who was third in that same I’m A Steel race and had won at Kembla back in August. Drawn to win if good enough and looks as though she is.

Bet: Jewel Approach to win, quinella 1, 4

RACE 3

Sooboogeliscious has a tidy C.V of two wins, two seconds and a third from her 12 starts, some of them in quite respectable races along the way. The Nick Olive-trained chestnut was good first-up, better again second-up, all of which suggests that she may be headed to a peak. The ‘old’ Lady Kah would likely run right over the top of these. Was never a factor in the Gallant Star Highway last start but this is much easier of course. Robin Sparkles is a last start winner drawn well. Blood Ties and Tillman are in the mix in an open Class 2

Bet: Sooboogeliscious to win

Donegal Lights an bring up the hat-trick when he heads to Nowra. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 4

Donegal Lights was scratched from Kembla on Saturday which was hardly surprising given the suitability of this one. Long story short, the Paul and Martha Cave-trained bay is unbeaten in his only two runs at the Nowra mile and they just happened to be his last two starts. Flic En Flac is a Maher and Eustace-trained mare who has raced seven times for two wins and three placings. She is very fit and can race up on the speed. Port Douglas was runner-up to Donegal Lights last start and to Nieces And Nephews before that.

Bet: Donegal Lights to win

RACE 5

Merchant Speed is a spectacularly well-bred horse. His dam, Karata, is a daughter of the Caulfield Cup winner Elvstroem out of the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner, Let’s Elope. This Richard Collett-trained galloper has been trialling brilliantly ahead of his somewhat underwhelming debut at Goulburn. Important to note, he has been back to the trials and won, easily, again. Speaking of trials, Capitalist’s son No Questions Asked chased home the speedy Spaceboy in their Dec 22 heat at Warwick Farm. Tom Cruising is on an upward trajectory.

Bet: Merchant Speed to win, Daily Double 1st leg (5), 2nd leg (11)

RACE 6

She’s Jessie is a Benjamin Smith-trained mare who has two wins and nine placings, seven of them seconds, from her 17 starts. The daughter of Territories is not only consistent but has, at times, performed honourably in harder races than her assignment. This is her best trip and she was runner-up at her only visit here. Impressiero is in fact ‘one start, one win’ at Nowra. Granted that was over 1400m and this is 1200m but she has drawn favourably and Alysha Collett rides her exceedingly well.

Bet: She’s Jessie to win, quinella 2, 3

RACE 7

Sky Artist races in the same colours as her outstanding young sire Trapeze Artist. This particular Vieira family galloper remains a maiden after his eight starts but she has placed three times, one of them at Wyong. Just for the record, she actually ran a really good race in the Gimcrack on debut. Trialling like she is the one to beat on Sunday. This race is already subject to numerous scratchings. Sky Artist herself is a dual acceptor.

Bet: Sky Artist to win

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