Shayne O’Cass’s best bets and inside mail for Scone and Ballina on Tuesday

Shayne O’Cass analyses Tuesday’s meetings at Scone and Ballina, presenting his best bets, quaddie picks and inside mail – plus his jockey to follow.

Shayne O’Cass

4 min read

November 18, 2024 - 5:00PM

Jockey Ashley Morgan has some good rides at Scone on Tuesday. Photo: Jason McCawley / Getty Images

Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form expert Shayne O’Cass analyses Tuesday’s meetings at Scone and Ballina, presenting his best bets, quaddie picks, inside mail and jockey to follow.

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SCONE TIPS

BEST BET
Race 2 No.7 LE SOUCI
Really hit her straps once she got out to a trip. Go well again.

NEXT BEST
Race 5 No.3 ROCKBARTON FLASH
Been the eye-catcher in all three trials. In good hands/drawn well.

VALUE
Race 8 No.11 ANITLOCAPRA
Big strong filly trained here who was good on debut. Has the talent.

QUADDIE
Race 5: 3
Race 6: 2,5,10
Race 7: 1,5,8
Race 8: 10,11,14

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Ash Morgan will have plenty of admirers to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge.

SCONE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN HANDICAP (1000m)
CRESTA RUN (6) was $4.20 into $3.40 ion debut here on October 25, Long story short, she got back and ran on well over the 1000m to take third, beaten two-lengths, by Quick Sharp who looks above average. Cresta Run won a trial here easily last Wednesday. SIR REMLAP (1) hasn’t raced since a fast finishing and close second in a Muswellbrook 1000m Maiden on July 3. Resumes in the perfect race. LIGHTNING SPEED (3) and FAKE (7) have claims.
BET: Cresta Run to win.

RACE 2: BENCHMARK 58 (2200m)
LE SOUCI (7) is by Husson out of a Flying Spur mare but is much more the 2000m type than 1000m rocket. That could be because her dam is a half-sister to Harper’s Choice who is best known for finishing runner-up in Jon Snow’s ATC Derby. As for Le Souci, she is fit and well and very well ‘in’ at the weights. These staying races can often be lotteries, so anything goes but a horse like RAIDING (1) uncommonly runs well in this style of race. So too the 10-times winner NATURE BOY (4).
BET: Le Souci to win (best bet).

RACE 3: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (900m)
QUICK SHARP (6) is the seventh foal of Shamtastic whose previous offspring include (in chronological order) Darleb, Very Sharp and Sharp Shock – all of them bred and trained by Rodney Northam. Quick Sharp, as alluded to earlier, was a very, very impressive winner on debut here and might be above-average. PEARLS TREASURE (1) has finished runner-up at her past two, both here at Scone and both with Bullock on. DE LUCA (3) was placed her on debut in fast time and has won on a Soft 6.
BET: Quick Sharp to win, box trifecta 1,3,4,6.

RACE 4: CLASS 1 PLATE (1600m)
PIER PRESSURE (9) has 1 win from 16 starts and after what she did as a 2YO, that is staggering, bearing in mind she was third to Bases Loaded on debut, fifth to Kimochi and then third in the Sires to Militarize! As for Tuesday, she loves the slop and really has no reason not to win. BUSH TELEGRAPH (7) is a Scott Singleton-trained local who is fit and ready for the mile now. RELEASE POINT (6) has done more good than bad in his half dozen starts. Market might help us work out CALLIDUS (2).
BET: Pier Pressure to win.

RACE 5: MAIDEN PLATE (1200m)
ROCKBARTON FLASH (3) is one of eight ‘Rockbartons’ on David Atkins’ books at present (according to Racing NSW) and if you had to keep only one of them this would be the one – IMHO anyway. You would be hard-pressed to find a better trialler on the card; he deadset looks like he is going half pace in all of them! Nathan Doyle is deadly with debutants and he could easily add to the tally here with CHURCHILL’S CHOICE (13) who has trialled up keenly as well.
BET: Rockbarton Flash to win, trifecta 2 (standout), 2,4,5,9 (boxed).

RACE 6: BENCHMARK 58 (1300m)
IN SUMMER (5) is an Arrowfield blue blood of the highest order. She is by The Autumn Sun and a half to a South African G3 winner from the family of Master of Design and the Horse of the Year, Typhoon Tracy. Three runs are all good; she win an uncommonly strong Country Maiden here on debut. Rodney Northam has got a few fair dinkum barnstormers in his stable, ZIPPO IDEA (2) is one of them. All about the tempo and timing for him here. Ditto for stablemate GREAT POINT (10).
BET: In Summer to win, quinella 2,5.

RACE 7: BENCHMARK 58 (1100m)
NIGHTS INFERNO (5) was beaten five lengths, each time, at his only two runs at the first prep, one on the Kensington track, the other at Hawkesbury. Fast forward to the present and the son of Shooting To Win resumed with a very popular win ($1.80 into $1.65) at Muswellbrook. Good signs. Local boy CLIMATE CONTROL (1) has raced at this same track and distance four times for a second and two thirds. Third-up now. CIRCLE OF LOVE (8) showed true grit to win last time in Canberra.
BET: Nights Inferno to win.

RACE 8: MAIDEN PLATE (1400m)
ANTILOCAPRA (11) has looked good in her trials and certainly ran an encouraging race on debut here, fifth of 12, over 1200m. The 1400m is key to her changes today. Easy to see why TONKATSU GODDESS (10) has so many fans. Lightly-raced with provincial form, she is by Snitzel so is a good chance to handle the wet but then again so is Antilocapra. SIMPLY AMAZING (14) is a big improver at start two. Respecting TRITI (5) on debut.
BET: Antilocapra each-way, quinella 10,11.

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