Race-by-race preview and tips for Monday meeting at Muswellbrook
By Neil Evans
Track Heavy 8 and rail out 3m from 1000m to 300m into a cut/away
RACE 1
7. Queen Of A Hand who powered through inside runners to win easily at Coffs off a freshen-up, and drawn to land a nice trail. 2. Dayu ran home okay when resuming, and drew to get a soft run. 3. De Luca can improve sharply with blinkers going on. Gap to the rest.
Muswellbrook will host Monday’s NSW feature meeting.Credit: Brendan Esposito
How to play it: Queen Of A Hand to win
RACE 2
7. Xerxes was impressive on debut, charging home late to miss by under a length in a handy maiden. Bred to get further, and well suited here in a weak race after the short-priced favourite came out. Home tracker 10. Sunset Panorama is value, hitting peak fitness fourth-up from a softer draw. 1. Apache Jack is trained on the track, and goes through trifecta and first four plays.
How to play it:Xerxes to win
RACE 3
Yet another Scone raider, 7. Pensativa is primed to make it two wins from her last three. Was hard in the market when sweeping home to win her maiden before close-up in a tougher BM 64 provincial lineup. Ideally placed, with the blinkers coming off and a senior jockey going on. 4. A Pound Of Salt was well-supported before running home okay at Coffs, but more depth in this. 1. Gustav 10 days after a tough maiden win on heavy ground; while local 6. Eagledge can pump value into wider exotic plays.
How to play it: Pensativa to win
RACE 4
7. Hell Of A Lad is a talented three-year-old from the Kris Lees stable, resuming for his second prep off a 21-week break, and two quiet trials. Showed more than enough in that initial campaign at home, twice in the placings before bolting in as the hottest of favourites in heavy going in what was a handy maiden. Drawn to get cover off speed, and will relish the long and wide run home in a weakened race. Naturally, well-bred 1. Tapa Kick is a huge market watch resuming off an easy trial. Big gap to the rest.
How to play it: Hell Of A Lad to win
RACE 5
2. Straand Care has been given a month since a tidy debut in a deeper provincial field and showed more than enough on debut to suggest he can take care of this average lot. 4. Sir Tom is still chasing a breakthrough win ahead of his 25th start but has been placed 16 times incredibly, and is versatile enough in any company. Monitor the betting too on lightly raced 7. Starsarise who resumes with no official trials, and blinkers going on.
How to play it: Straand Care to win
RACE 6
4. Withstand is a capable and locally-trained three-year-old primed to open his account fourth-up. Has run home well in and around the money in three outings this campaign, drawn to park a little closer over the same trip, and a superior rider takes over. 1. Showrunner is a three-year-old son of Showtime on debut for a leading Scone yard behind two progressive trials. 9. Fejer Dawn is sound value back from provincial level over more ground second-up. Honest 12. Star Venture heads the rest fourth-up, with blinkers going on.
How to play it: Withstand to win
RACE 7
8. Outback Ringer is a smart five-year-old who can strike first-up, despite not publicly trialing. Bolted in when fresh last prep before progressing to deeper BM 85 level. Reportedly has been working well, a leading country stable has made some key gear changes, and right at home in soft ground. Can take his winning strike rate to 33 per cent from 15 starts. Stablemate 2. Two Ya Got has had two runs this prep without much luck and can peak here back 100m in trip. 6. Yukan Rose is also in each-way contention, shooting for three wins from four this campaign. 9. Standing Bear who has hit the line hard in his last couple; 7. Feirme Prince off a last start win in a similar class; and home track mare 11. In Spades drawn inside; can all run into the minor money.
How to play it: Outback Ringer to win
BEST BETS
R2 7. XERXES
R4 7. HELL OF A LAD
BEST VALUE
R6 4. WITHSTAND
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au