Race day focus: Preview, best bets and inside mail for Sunday’s meeting at Cowra
A more mature Lockdown Gamble begins his quest for a return to shot at the Country Championships when he resumes at Cowra.
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Past Country Championship Finalist Lockdown Gamble’s quest for a return visit to Royal Randwick in 2024 begins in earnest on Sunday in what has now been elevated to a must-see last race on Cowra’s Cup Day card.
Lockdown Gamble won his way through to the 2022 Country Championships Final in Sydney after finishing third in the CDRA Heat behind the subsequent withdrawal, Zoo Station.
Lockdown Gamble finished an honourable ninth of the 16 runners in the $600,000 Final but was short on experience and maturity at the time.
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!
One-two for @RacingBathurst trainer Gayna Williams in the @NewhavenPark CDRA Country Championships at @MudgeeRaceClub as Zoo Station holds off stablemate Tags to take the $150,000 race. Lockdown Gamble finished third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/BjjpoYK5s4
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) February 27, 2022
Fast forward to the present, and trainer David Smith has mapped out a path towards getting his ‘bigger and better’ gelding to The Championships, albeit that path better described as a long and winding road.
“He has had close to 11 months off and is coming back from a little paddock accident.” Smith explained.
“He quartered his heel so that just took a while to heal up.
“But it has probably played into our hands because I thought both trials back have proven that he is back to somewhere near his best and the timing is just right.
“We really want to concentrate on the Championship Heat at Mudgee (on February 25) and really have him cherry ripe for that. He’ll have this one and one more and be smoking hot for that Heat.
“It is really interesting because obviously last prep was really disappointing, especially towards the end of it but like I say, his trials have really shown he is back in good shape.
“He has come back stronger but what I really like about it is with that extended time off, he has come back smarter. Mentally, he has calmed himself down.
“He is doing everything right this time around on the training track
“We had little issues like tying-up and stuff before and during last preparation which just he hasn’t showed this time around so all the signs are really positive with him this in so I am hoping for a big run.”
A $5,000 paddock purchase during Covid hence the unusual moniker, Lockdown Gamble is scheduled to resume in the Railway Hotel Memorial Class 3 Handicap with the luxurious weight of 56.5kg after the two off for rider Coriah Keatings.
“He is only a kilo and a half above the minimum and with the draw he naturally puts himself on speed and around Cowra (so) he is going to be a tough horse to run down I would imagine,” he said.
“But the knock on him is the 11 months off at 1375m first-up.”
Smith is in line for the quinella in the last with the fit and in-form Mike lining up alongside Lockdown Gamble.
Mike had won two of his previous three outings (both at Orange) before his January 9 third placing but with excuses.
“He just sort of lost his spot and got shuffled back at the wrong time between the 600m and the 400m,” Smith said.
“He still ended up on the back of the winner but he was just a little bit too sharp for him Mike couldn’t wear him down.
“His win before that was ultra-good then backed it up in tough company but what I really like about him is that he is dropping four kilos off his last run so he gets in on the limit.”
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 9 No. 1: Lockdown Gamble
Surely the ‘best horse’ in the race, just a matter of fitness for the 1375m first-up off the extended break.
NEXT BEST
Race 2 No. 9: Miscavolini
Ran quite honourably in two stronger races that what she contests on Sunday. Go well.
VALUE BET
Race 5 No. 8: Island Rock
Only managed one won from 18 starts but has placed six times. Drawn wide but has ‘the form’
QUADDIE
Race 6: 1, 6, 8
Race 7: 4
Race 8: 1, 7, 3
Race 9: 1
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Nick Heywood is sure to be popular with TAB Jockeys Challenge players.
INSIDE MAIL – COWRA
RACE 1
Miscavolini is a daughter of Written By out of a handy Fastnet Rock mare, Miskish. This filly was sold for $90,000 at the Inglis Classic. She has had two runs either side of a spell and ran quite honourably in what could be argued were stronger maidens than this one. Little Be Known remains winless after 26 starts but she has placed seven times and there is a tail to this race. Swilken Bridge only has to repeat either of his last two runs to figure.
Bet: Miscavolini to win
RACE 2
Lucky Force is owned by his co-trainer Cherie Curtis. A son of Rubick, this bay four-year-old faded out to finish seventh of eight in a very strong Kembla maiden on debut then went to Wyong and nearly pulled off a Lasqueti Spirit-like upset at $151. Drawn wide but easy to like. Able Red, a Bjorn Baker-trained The Autumn Sun son is suited at this trip on debut. Single Shot, the grandson of Isolda, is better than her current resume reads.
Bet: Lucky Force to win
RACE 3
Up To Me hasn’t won yet in 13 starts but he has almost never run a bad race. For the record, the son of Shamus Award has placed five times. The Gary Kirkup-trained bay is first-up and it is worth noting that he very nearly won first-up for Kirkup at Moruya back in December 2022. Foxwell, a striking black horse, is lightly-raced and has done enough in those four starts to warrant respect. Hammering Away trialled exceedingly well at Muswellbrook.
Bet: Up To Me to win, quinella 1, 3
RACE 4
That’s Better, once with Snowden Racing, has really come to life this preparation for Orange trainer Alison Smith. The horse was runner-up to Life’s A Party first-up. Better still, he was an easy winner at his last start. Magnucat is a Darby Racing and Bjorn Baker filly who gave nothing else a look-in when she breezed home at Muswellbrook on debut. Note; she might be at Scone today instead. Maybe include Norris in the exotics.
Bet: That’s Better to win
RACE 5
Island Rock has so far only managed one solitary win in his 18 starts but he has placed six times, half of those were seconds. This is hardly a strong contest, so much so that you could make the case that he has the best form and the most talent. Just has to overcome that wide alley though. Benyatta has been beautifully placed throughout by Connie Greig. How else can you win seven from 27? This is a simple case of a mare in form and thus she has to be respected.
Bet: Island Rock to win, quinella 1, 8
RACE 6
Mean Girls is a very consistent mare. Granted, she has won once in her 19 starts but she has half a dozen placings, three of them were seconds. You would be hard pressed to find a bad run from this Gilgandra housed mare. Drawn the outside alley but she does have a big finish and a jockey who knows her and rides her well. White Liar has likewise drawn out a bit but her form is better than anything else in this race. Bon Zipper caught the eye at Orange last start.
Bet: Mean Girls each-way, quinella 1, 8
RACE 7
Driving Force is a real blueblood. Long story short he is a direct descendant of Winged Beauty; a very well regarded colonial family in the Australian Stud Book. As for his racing ability, Driving Force has 25 starts on the C.V for five wins, five seconds and four thirds which makes him a pretty reliable customer. Oh, one more thing, he has won his last two. Laffing Waters is another Cowra Japan Cup participant with a terrific strike-rate. First-up form doesn’t flatter her but the trial at Dubbo was a beauty in the Sizzle Minizzle heat. Kattegat rates 82 for a reason.
Bet: Driving Force to win
RACE 8
Athena’s Lad has raced twice at Cowra before, both at the Cowra Cup meeting. Indeed, the Michael Mulholland-trained gelding won the Cup in 2022. The son of Golden Rose runner-up Albrecht has turned in a really good country cups horse; he only needed another stride or two and he beats stablemate (and Cowra Cup rival) Sea Of Flames in the Gilgandra Cup. Lemaire is well drawn and well weighted.
Bet: Athena’s Lad to win
RACE 9
Lockdown Gamble is back in action on Sunday and the timing couldn’t be more perfect with the 2024 Country Championships just around the corner. This David Smith-trained son of Casino Prince is exactly the type of horse that could win that Mudgee Heat. So far as Sunday goes, Lockdown Gamble is just shy of a year between starts but the trials indicate that he is back, possibly better than ever. Gratz Vella’s Region Time has compelling second-up form.
Bet: Lockdown Gamble to win, exacta 1 to beat 3
Originally published as Race day focus: Preview, best bets and inside mail for Sunday’s meeting at Cowra
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