Race-by-race preview and tips for Gunnedah on Monday
By Neil Evans
Track soft 7 and rail out 3m from 1000m to 380m into a cut/away and true the remainder.
Race 1: 12.45pm MAIDEN PLATE (1600m)
Tough filly 11. Relentless Ruby is primed to break through after four runs this prep, and staying over the mile trip. Came off a six week freshen-up last start to lead until the final strides in a race with more depth, and has shown enough on any rain-affected tracks.
Dangers: 10. Hot Gospel is the immediate market threat third-up after working home well late in a handy Super Maiden at Dubbo run on a soft 7. Be surprised if the winner comes outside those two; but 2. Descending Mist can add value into exotic plays coming through the same form line as the top selection, and should be kept safe.
How to play it: Relentless Ruby to win
Racing heads to Gunnedah on Monday.Credit: Fairfax
Race 2: 1.20pm MAIDEN HCP (1000m)
Not much between the leading contenders here coming back to the sprint trip. Lightly raced 1. Cooma Hut is well suited at his second start, 27 days between runs. Made up good late ground on debut as a short-priced favourite, and over a touch more ground with a change of jockey, he can finish best. Bred to handle wet tracks being a son of Outreach.
Dangers: Improving mare 12. Sunyani must be a serious threat on a 10-day back-up deep into the prep. Has run home well in her last two against deeper opposition, and if there’s any pattern advantage away from the fence, she’ll be surging home late. 6. Alby’s Mate rates as a good value on debut behind a tough trial win in soft ground. 8. Callie Cool with a new rider on is the best of the rest.
How to play it: Cooma Hut to win
Race 3: 1.55pm MAIDEN HCP (1300m)
Locally-trained and hard-fit filly 10. Showtime Sassy can finally salute after being placed in her last three. Rolled to the front each time, and was only collared very late in races that offered more quality and depth than this. Drawn to repeat the dose with a significant jockey change.
Dangers: 2. Red Duster is tracking towards a breakthrough win coming back from a stronger provincial race where she was only two lengths from the winner. Improving filly 8. Full Commitment returns off a nine-week spell, and is right in the hunt with good weight relief, and was scratched from Dubbo on Sunday to be saved for this. At much bigger odds include 3. Hedged Your Bets with blinkers being added second-up; and 15. Amantaka if she gets a run third-up; in trifecta and first four bets.
How to play it: Showtime Sassy to win
Race 4: 2.35pm CLASS 1 HCP (1000m)
In a sprint of many chances, honest four-year-old 5. Hercules Morse resumes, and emerges as the best value. Rounded out last prep with a strong closing win in a handy maiden over the same trip, and despite not having publicly trialled, he can come to hand sharply. Well treated back down on the limit weight after the jockey’s claim, and has always shown a preference for soft ground.
Dangers: Despite an ordinary record, keep safe 2. Calamity Fox resuming behind a quiet trial. 4. Cumboogle is another improver at each way odds capable of running into the finish fourth-up; while 6. Rewarding Belle and provincial-based mare 13. Keitany, resuming off an easy trial but needs a scratching to get a run; both go in trifecta and first four bets.
How to play it: Hercules Morse to win
Race 5: 3.10pm BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1600m)
Despite drawing wide, improving filly 6. Choice Witness is well credentialed to take care of this lot. Powered home to win in heavy ground at Muswellbrook in mid-May before being ridden too close in a tougher race at Scone and finishing just fairly. Pushed out over more ground now, importantly with blinkers being added. Right at home on rain-affected ground, she can settle back midfield well off the fence, and get to likely better ground at the top of the straight.
Dangers: Big watch on capable 5. Charlotting who couldn’t be fitter, and maps better here drawn to get to the middle. Respect too at good odds for 14. World Atlas second-up coming through a strong CL1 race at Dubbo. 2. Norman is honest enough in and around this sort of grade, although poorly weighted under 60.5kg stepping up from a weaker Picnic Cup race where he could only run into a place as a $5.50 shot. Don’t dismiss both 11. Outback Crumpet who can improve sharply third-up at big odds; and 15. Mellencamp, who drew inside, found a thinner race fourth-up on an eight-day turnaround.
How to play it: Choice Witness to win
Race 6: 3.50pm BENCHMARK 82 HCP (1400m)
Now for an open feature, and despite jumping up in grade, tough eight-year-old 11. Tough Case is well over the odds down in weight and in conditions he loves. Finished hard in soft ground at Muswellbrook a fortnight ago behind a smart BM 66 winner.
Dangers: 8. Musical Affair mixes her form, but can bounce back third-up after flopping badly at Narromine. Faces a better field here, but she gets a huge weight drop back down to the limit; while 1. Indifference third-up is the best of the rest, dropping back from a much deeper metro line-up. Watch the betting on 2. Barellan Bandit first-up for 10 weeks.
How to play it: Tough Case to win
Race 7: 4.25pm BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1000m)
Sparingly raced six-year-old 3. Zoom Outcome can resume off a long break with a bang at big odds. Was competitive enough in better races last prep, and given an easy time in a recent trial. His best form is on rain-affected ground, especially if the surface slides back into heavy range, and reasonably treated at the weights after the jockey’s 2kg claim.
Dangers: Improving 4. Sir Freddie can start life in NSW with a bang, third-up since transferring up from Victoria. Showed good improvement at Moe 15 days ago, and comfortable on rain affected ground. Under-rated 7. Sunday Bell comes off a narrow CL1 win second-up; while a gap to the rest.
How to play it: Zoom Outcome each-way
BEST BETS
Race 1: 11. Relentless Ruby; Race 5: 6. Choice Witness
BEST VALUE
Race 6: 11. Tough Case
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au