Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Taree

A Brett Dodson-trained galloper is looking to add another Cup victory to his burgeoning resume when he heads to Taree, BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Brett Dodson has Full Press ready to make it back-to-back wins at Taree on Friday.

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Taree.

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!

TAREE

BEST BET

Race 7 No. 7: Full Press

Romped away with the Lismore Cup last start. In great shape and always gives his best.

NEXT BEST

Race 2 No. 8: Alicia Roma

Four wins, four seconds and a third from nine starts says it all about this bonny mare.

VALUE BET

Race 2 No. 14: Fictive

A Paul Shailer-trained filly who sent out all the right signs in her recent trial here.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1,2,4,8.10

Race 6: 2,5,6

Race 7: 7

Race 8: 3

BEST EXOTIC

Quinella Race 3 Nos. 4, 7

Andrew Gibbons looks hard to beat in the Jockey Challenge at Taree. Picture: Grant Guy

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Andrew Gibbons will take some beating in the TAB Jockeys Challenge.

**

INSIDE MAIL - TAREE

RACE 1

Chase My Crown drew so well in the Highway on Saturday that you would think it is an offer too good to refuse? Speaking of scratchings, potential or otherwise, Irish-bred gelding Rogue Bear was himself taken out of a race on the Kensington track on Wednesday. That was 1250m, this is 1400m, which reads better on paper perhaps. If he brings one of those fourths he ran to Palmetto or King Of The Castle, then look out. Royal Charge won three in-a-row before his 11th of 14 in a very strong Panorama at Bathurst.

Bet: Chase My Crown to win or if scratched Rogue Bear to win

RACE 2

Fictive is a well-bred filly by Sacred Falls out of an Ocean Park mare. The Paul Shailer-trained three-year-old hasn’t raced her debut fifth of eight on a two-year-old race at Grafton on a Heavy 9 on March 13. There was so much to like about her trial here 13-days ago. Has to be a ‘yes’ unless the market says ‘no’. Golden Copper was $16 to $61 on debut at Grafton but ended up finishing fifth in what looks like a pretty strong country maiden. The Young Years has good form but a bad draw (before scratchings).

Bet: Fictive to win

RACE 3

Nyali Sands was nosed out on debut at Scone in a decent maiden then got to within a neck of Hellcibell (goes well) after that. No wonder she was $1.35 at Dubbo in a pretty skinny race which of course she won. She is rightly the ‘one to beat’ and it would be easy to be supremely confident about her prospects if not for the presence of Headley Grange from the Noel Mayfield-Smith stable. She won on debut at Grafton in a very, very impressive style. Not by far but she was last in the early stages but came down the outside and right over the top.

Bet: Nyali Sands to win, exacta 7 to beat 4, quinella 4, 7

RACE 4

Scud was beaten at $2.30 first-up but it was a very fast run 800m as it turned out. Make no mistake, she still ran a decent race. This is 1000m now which ought to be more to her liking. Good gate, good jockey too. We won’t know for sure until Friday morning how many of the Damien Lane runners show up. For what it is worth, my own rankings are La Pelago, Go Isla Go and All Too Zatso. Outside of them, Asgoodasitgets, is back to country grade after a couple of good runs at Newcastle.

Bet: Scud to win

Trainer Paul Shailer has a couple of chances for the day including Scud. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 5

Our Cousin Al is trained by Stephen Farley who was winning Tramways and Epsoms around this time a little while back with Sincero. The man they call ‘Crusher’ saddles-up Our Cousin Al who is the highest rated horse in the field. On top of that, he is also in very good form with two thirds to open the new campaign. Our Cousin Al has drawn the outside barrier, one spot worse than his main rival Don’t Forget Dad who races well at Taree, he races well most places to be honest.

Bet: Our Cousin Al to win, quinella 1,2

RACE 6

Crown Guinea is from the same family that brought forth the immortal Nijinsky. This daughter of Capitalist was $10 into $8 when she won her one and only start so far and that was at Muswellbrook when Scott Singleton had her. She will have her first run on Friday for Nathan Doyle off some lovely trials. Imatruestar ran second in the MNC Country Championships Heat at Tuncurry back on Feb 12 and was a creditable seventh of 16 in the Final. Trialled really well here on Sep 24. Bantarki knows how to win.

Bet: Crown Guinea to win

RACE 7

Full Press was out of this world impressive when he won the Lismore Cup last start on Sept 21. He has always been a good miler but he has turned into a handy ten furlong style campaigner. He was always going to be hard to beat on Friday and it certainly got easier for him after the top two in the order came out. That said, Superium is an accomplished racehorse. Take away all of those Slow and Heavy starts and his C.V reads rather impressively. Group 3 placed at his last start. Holstein is worth another chance after the Lismore ‘loss.

Bet: Full Press to win, exacta 7 to beat 3

RACE 8

Alicia Roma would have to be the fastest horses racing at the meeting. She ran second in the Hurricane first-up but interesting, in her two wins over the 900m at Newcastle, she actually ran faster time than the winner of the Hurricane. As for this race, she gets three things to suit; good alley, firm track and her favourite rider on her back. If we were on a Heavy 10, it’s Austeja all day long. She has won three times on good tracks so maybe it’s not a prerequisite but still. In A Step has raced at the track and distance seven times for three wins and a third.

Bet: Alicia Roma to win

Originally published as Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Taree