Taree races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail
Trainer Tony Ball is confident veteran gelding Ljungberg can end an run of outs when he steps out on his home track.
Local trainer Tony Ball is heading into this meeting full of confidence in his team which includes a horse he has declared a Country Championships contender but it is a veteran gelding he feels is his best chance for the day.
Ljungberg is coming off a huge effort in a TAB Highway at Rosehill two weeks ago where he finished 10th behind Stormy Witness but no doubt should have finished closer with a touch of luck.
The eight-year-old has drawn perfectly in barrier 4 in the Open Handicap and drops to 53kg after the claim of apprentice jockey, Mollie Fitzgerald.
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“His run in the Highway last start was astronomical,” Ball said.
“He sat four and five deep the trip and was beaten less than four lengths.
“He only just got beat here at Taree the start before at Mollie’s third race ride.
“From barrier 4 on Sunday, he will be back running fourth or fifth in the run and I think he will be very hard to beat.
“If anything, I feel he is my best chance for the day.
“This race is also a qualifier for the Port Macquarie Cup with the winner exempt from ballot so it would be nice to lock in a spot there.”
In the Country Boosted Class 2 Handicap over 1005m, Ball saddles up Bantarki and Sterlington.
Bantarki is Ball’s Country Championships contender for next autumn and he is confident the gelding can kick start his campaign on a winning note with Aaron Bullock in the saddle.
“He is probably three lengths better than what I had him last time in.
“I haven’t trialled him but he has had two jumpouts and I couldn’t be happier with him.
“His main aim is to win this and then a Highway to help boost his rating to get into the Country Championships in the autumn.
“He will go straight to Sydney for a Highway after this run.”
The four-year-old son of Sooboog won his maiden in good style at Port Macquarie back in April and followed up with a close second to Discreet Lady at the same track a week later.
He then headed to Gosford’s stand-alone meeting on May 6 where he finished midfield behind Remlaps Commander in the Class 3 TAB Highway even though he is eligible for easier races.
He was then a close fifth and runner-up at Port Macquarie at his last two runs before a spell.
“He was only beaten three and a quarter-lengths after copping severe interference in that Highway,” he said.
“I think he will go right through his grades this fella. He’s got plenty of talent.
“I pushed him out to 1500m last campaign and he was only just beaten so he will have no problem running the 1400m of the Country Championships.”
In the same race, Sterlington is backing-up from his ninth at Coffs Harbour on Monday where he just pulled too hard.
“He has pulled up very well from that run though. He has been bucking and squealing so he hasn’t taken any harm from the run,” he said.
“I've told Mollie if he wants to get keen after the first 50m then let him run.”
In the open race on the card, Ball is expecting Cynic to settle closer than he has been and feels the drop back 2100m to the mile is ideal for the gelding.
“His run was good at Tuncurry last start. He just got trapped out on a limb,” he said.
“Dropping back to a mile this weekend doesn’t worry be because he is rock hard fit. I think he will be hard to beat.”
ADAM SHERRY’S TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 3 No. 2: Bantarki
The lightly-raced gelding has only one the one race so far but is ready to build on that record this campaign. Placed in both run this trip, drawn well and Aaron Bullock rides.
NEXT BEST
Race 4 No. 5: Ljungberg
He hasn’t won for four years, but has run some good races. Narrowly beaten here two starts back before a tough run in a Highway at Rosehill where he wasn’t disgraced.
VALUE BET
Race 7 No. 4: Lion Class
Also had a wide run in a Highway last start but kept trying to the line. Nice win prior to that and will give this a shake.
QUADDIE:
Race 4: 3, 5, 6
Race 5: 2, 3, 6, 9
Race 6: 1, 2, 4, 5
Race 7: 1, 4, 7, 8
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
No surprise that Australia’s leading jockey of last season, Aaron Bullock, is the one to beat in the TAB Jockey Challenge.
INSIDE MAIL - TAREE
RACE 1
Cynic was trapped out wide without cover when sixth in a Class 1 over 2100m at Tuncurry on Sept 8. Was two lengths off Devocean in a Class 1 over 1600m here on Aug 18. Back to maiden grade and the mile. Drawn ideally and Aaron Bullock rides. Tootsie was a handy fourth over 1450m at Kempsey before finishing a length and three-quarters second to The Coat Hanger 1605m at Coffs Harbour. Will be prominent again. Apache Doc has run home into second place in both runs this campaign for new trainer Ben Lees. The latest was over 1400m at Dubbo and he should appreciate going to the mile. Muckabout drops back from a Class 1 at Newcastle last start. Handy third at Wyong behind Kingston Charm prior to that.
Bet: Cynic to win
RACE 2
Drums Of War turned in a solid effort on debut when a short neck second to Navy Blood at Newcastle after leading on Aug 29. May have been a shade unlucky after Tim Clark lost his whip at about the 100m. Rolls forward to be on speed again and will prove hard to beat. Bob’s Last One came from worse than midfield with a run between horses and was beaten a half head by Chester Le Street on debut here. Had a similar run second-up when held up on the turn before finishing fourth to Noci De Cocco at Tuncurry on Sept 8. Drops to 55kg after the claim. The Young Years was runner-up on debut in that same Tuncurry race. Ocean Alps is trialling well.
Bet: Drums Of War to win
RACE 3
Bantarki is a promising gelding resuming from a spell and has placed in both runs at this trip. Unlucky in a TAB Highway at Gosford three runs back before being beaten a neck when fifth to Sandpiper at Port Macquarie then was runner-up at his last run at the same track. Ready to kick off with a win. Dis Is Heaven is also resuming from a spell. Closed off his first campaign with back-to-back wins at Port Macquarie and here at Taree. Nice forth in his trial behind Sir Ravanelli recently. Sterlington in on a quick back-up. Overraced at Coffs Harbour last week but was a handy third there the start prior. Namid is unbeaten in two first-up runs.
Bet: Bantarki to win
RACE 4
Ljungberg was trapped out very wide throughout in a TAB Highway at Rosehill two weeks ago. He was checked near the turn before finishing a three-quarter length second to Royal Charge in the Livermore Cup here the start prior. Drops to 53kg with the claim. Casirina was good winning first-up at Mudgee and has been okay in three starts since. Got to the line nicely for fifth at Newcastle last weekend. Races well on his home turf. Claptone is up in grade but in good form. Narrowly beaten at Tuncurry two starts back before an all-the-way win at Coffs Harbour last week. Scorched Land was fourth in the same race at Casirina last week.
Bet: Ljungberg to win
RACE 5
Miss Cartel bumped into a one who looks quite promising in Chilli Filly who led all-the-way to win on debut at Tuncurry on Sept 8. Miss Cartel sat outside her and wasn’t disgraced in finishing second despite being two and three-quarter lengths away. Handy fourth to Gunship and Missile Defence at Newcastle prior to that. Drawn well and will go close. Edge Of Midnight drifted back to last and was spotting the leaders a big start before running home okay for fifth behind Solar System and Countyourblessings and he wasn’t far off third at Wyong first-up. Incendio has trialled nicely ahead of his debut. Hell Of A Show got home well to finish second to Beetson at Tuncurry last start. Has drawn out wide which makes his task harder.
Bet: Miss Cartel to win
RACE 6
I Know The Trainer chased home Convincibility into second place in a Class 3 here two starts back on July 18 with the winner going on to win again and place twice in town. He then finished a two and a half-length fifth to Olakau’tau in a Bm66 at Coffs Harbour on Sept 4. Back to a Bm58 here and will go close. Don’t Forget Dad was a length and three-quarter fifth to Barney Rabble in the Bowraville Cup last week. Drawn to be prominent again. Duble Memory got home well for third to Vilified and Don’t Forget Dad at Tuncurry two starts back. Place claims on that run. Barrys’s Lane dead-heated with Don’t Forget Dad at Kemspey before a half-length fifth to Wine Time at Muswellbrook.
Bet: I Know The Trainer to win
RACE 7
Lion Class covered ground back in the field when 10th to Derry Grove in the TAB Highway at Randwick last week. Scored a nice win at Kempsey before that. Can bounce back. Wokenwithakiss raced wide without cover when down the track in a Bm66 behind Lucifer’s Reward at Kempsey on Aug 28 and has been freshened. Handy third to Michelle’s Girl on the Beaumont before that. Back in grade suits. Strobing raced consistently last time in and is ready to resume with a bold run. Has placed first-up previously. Golden Breeze got home strongly from last to score a length win from Echo Sunshine at Grafton.
Bet: Lion Class to win
Originally published as Taree races Sunday: Preview, best bets and inside mail
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