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

The Milligan clan are chasing an early Christmas present with a couple of good chances on their home track.

Trainer Glen Milligan can start Christmas early with some good chances at Taree on Sunday.

Former Chris Waller galloper Golden Honour can end the year and his first campaign for Glen Milligan with a win at Taree’s Christmas Eve meeting.

Bought originally at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $220,000 in 2021, Golden Honour was unplaced in his eight starts for Winx’s trainer.

The grandson of Scat Daddy was Lot 114 at the 2023 September Inglis Digital sale where Milligan enters.

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Golden Honour can end his campaign on a winning note at Taree. Picture: Bradley Photos

“I paid $13,000 for him,” Milligan said. “My wife and I own him. He has been pretty good to us.

“He won his maiden and he has run a couple of placings. Barrier draws have cruelled him at his last couple and he has come up with a shocker on Sunday too.

“Win, lose or draw he can go to the paddock after Sunday.”

Milligan has a strong hand to play at Taree, beginning in the opener where he saddles-up the lightly-raced filly, Floss’s One who hasn’t been beaten far in her only two runs, both for Hunter horseman, Tim McIntosh.

“She will be a nice little filly or mare when she comes back after a spell,” Milligan said.

“Just Mum and I own her so we have been patient with her.

“I have had her since she was a weanling actually. I paid $4,500 for her as a weanling so it would be nice to win for Christmas for Mum, especially since it being the first Christmas without Dad this year.

“It will be a bit rough on Mum this year.”

Milligan is naturally eager to see how stable recruit Uncut Gem measures up when she makes her country racing debut in the Merry Xmas Maiden Plate (1300m).

“She came from Brad Widdup,” Milligan said.

Uncut Gem is from the family of Group 1 winner Victory Vein.

“I bought her off Inglis Digital. She is not a bad type of mare.

“I am still learning about her; she has probably only been here about a month but I am happy with her.

“Zac (Wadick) rode her in a half mile jumpout on the track and she went very well.

“She is a bit one-paced so I expect from the alley jump out and use the barrier to her advantage and be on-speed and hopefully she can tough it out.”

Uncut Gem boasts some residual value once her racing days are complete given her family tree.

Her fourth dam, Protective, is the mother of Bede Murray’s champion two-year-old filly Victory Vein who was beaten a short head by Calaway Girl in the 2002 Golden Slipper before going onto to win the remaining two legs of the Triple Crown beating Choisir in the Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes.

Milligan has two chances of winning the Elders Real Estate Handicap (1000m) with Courageous Queen and Madiba Rose squaring off.

“We have got two in the race and we have drawn 11 and 12,” Milligan lamented.

“It is a hard race but they are a pretty even lot really. Courageous Queen is a lot better mare than Madiba Rose but she has got to carry the big the weight first-up.

“Madiba Rose is no superstar but she just tries and is knocking on the door.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 4 No. 5: Renewed Impact

A Kris Lees-trained mare who was spelled after a 1900m maiden win on the Gold Coast in the winter. Has trialled well, twice, ahead of her return.

NEXT BEST

Race 3 No. 14: Silver Halo

Was $7.50 into $5 on debut in a very strong maiden at Gosford and loses no fans for running third to two handy enough horses.

VALUE BET

Race 7 No. 9: Napoli

Problematic galloper who sent out some positive and encouraging signs first-up for the new management.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 5

Race 5: 6, 7, 8

Race 6: 4, 5, 10

Race 7: 2, 4, 9

Andrew Gibbons looks set for a good day at Taree. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Andrew Gibbons has some good rides at Taree, none better perhaps than Renewed Impact.

INSIDE MAIL – TAREE

RACE 1

Miss Adamas has also accepted for Tamworth today. For the record, she has been with James Dobie for four starts, ran three seconds and a third in respectable company. Go well wherever she appears. My Mum’s Toyboy is a royally-bred gelding on debut, His third dam is the mother of Diatribe while his sixth dam produced Northern Dancer no less. As for this Brett Dodson-trained three-year-old, he won a trial in good style back in late September when Samantha McGuren had him. Super Jaie has shown enough talent to win races in his trials.

Bet: Miss Adamas to win or if scratched My Mum’s Toyboy to win

RACE 2

Rebel’s Edge has won five races and placed eight times, five of them seconds, from a total of 31 starts which makes him a reliable and consistent galloper. The son of Rebel Dane beat a good lot at Newcastle prior to his distant fourth in the Mudgee Cup behind the tearaway winner, Tavi Time. Will find this easier. The scratchings have elevated the already bright prospects of Oh No Bro who ought to be fitter for that first-up fourth at Gunnedah. Strobing is more or less pitched in now after the claim.

Bet: Rebel’s Edge to win

RACE 3

Silver Halo is trained by the astute Lou Mary who has found the ideal race for this grey daughter of Sooboog. She was $7.50 into $5 on debut in a very strong maiden at Gosford on a blisteringly hot day. Mary’s filly did well to hang on and run fourth. Drawn 4 and should have zero issues with 1300m. Awesome Tycoon has either been nominated or accepted for four races over the holiday period. He wears the same colours as his well-credentialed stablemate Awesome Lad. Trials like a nice horse. Thedaythemusicdied has been a little unlucky not to have won a race yet.

Bet: Silver Halo to win

Trainer Lou Mary has found an ideal race for Silver Halo. Picture: Bradley Photo

RACE 4

Renewed Impact is NZ-bred mare with a nice pedigree; being out of a Savabeel mare. Her fourth dam is AJC Oaks winner Royal Regatta. Renewed Impact has raced six times for a win, a second and a third. The win was over 1900m so the mile first-up today (with two lovely trials) shows real intent. Opus is out of a Carnegie mare so the 1600m is going to present no issue for him. If anything, it is perfect now after that eye-catching first-up run at Tuncurry. Vardon is very fit and has always raced well at Taree. Born Conqueror has claims.

Bet: Renewed Impact to win, exacta 5 to beat 13

RACE 5

Sixfootone has some quite reasonable form over in South Australia before coming to New South Wales and take up residence at the Jake Hull stables at Gosford. The son of Toronado was beaten at his local debut at Tamworth but it was a good quality Class 2. No luck at all at Tuncurry after that. A total forgive. Ditto that last bit for Taking The Mikki who was going to be in the finish at Tuncurry himself but found a spot bother. He has foot on the till and contests another suitable and winnable race on Sunday. Local Golden Honour races well at home but has the dreaded visitor’s draw.

Bet: Sixfootone to win

RACE 6

Cavente’s third dam is the iron maiden herself, Ossie Cossie, who won 19 races and placed 18 times in her 58 starts, most famous of all perhaps for her third in the Moir Stakes to Al Mansour and Spartacus. As for Cavente, she gets barrier 3 for the return on Sunday. Looking at her numbers, this appears to be her ‘pet trip’. Golden Cow has improved in all three of her career starts, culminating - for now - with that all-the-way win at Newcastle over 900m. She’s A Revelation likewise, won from the front at her Kempsey debut on December 2.

Bet: Cavente each-way

RACE 7

Napoli is a nine-year-old son of Snitzel having only his 26th start on Sunday so without knowing his life-story, it would be easy to assume that he has had some issues of one kind or another along the way. Napoli was having his first run for Joseph Burges at Tuncurry on December 11 and all in all, it was bordering on outstanding to the eye and to the clock. Extessive has a very good strike-rate of three wins and six placings from her 14 starts. On top of that, she excels at this distance and has finished runner-up at two of her three visits to Taree in the past, both at 1250m.

Bet: Napoli each-way, quinella 4, 9

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