Best bets and inside mail for Muswellbrook on Monday 21 October 2024

Lou Mary-trained gelding Open Pearly Gates looks a bet heaven-sent for punters when the son of Invader steps out after a close call on debut.

Jockey Mitchell Bell has some good rides at Muswellbrook on Monday.

Form expert Shane O’Cass analyses Monday’s NSW meeting at Muswellbrook, presenting his best bets, value selection, quaddie picks and inside mail.

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MUSWELLBROOK TIPS

BEST BET
Race 1 No.3 OPEN PEARLY GATES
Trialled well ahead of a meritorious debut 17-days ago. Good alley, right style of race for him.

NEXT BEST
Race 5 No.9 BADBOY MCCOY
Up to 53 starts after this one but Jan Bowen has him racing as well as ever. Go well.

VALUE
Race 7 No.11 KLISHA
Kris Lees-trained mare who hasn’t been seen in a long while but has a degree of talent.

QUADDIE
Race 5: 8,9
Race 6: 1,3,4
Race 7: 5,7,11,14
Race 8: 4,11,16

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Inaugural Country Championships Final winner Mitchell Bell will have plenty of admirers in the TAB Jockeys Challenge

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MUSWELLBROOK INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: MAIDEN PLATE (1280m)
OPEN PEARLY GATES (3) has trialled well before his debut at Dubbo where he was a narrow runner-up in a Super Maiden. Drawn well again and has the benefit of race experience now. EXCELLENT STRAAND (12) is a grandson of Primrose Sands who won her first eight starts, culminating in the 2001 Parramatta Cup. As for Gerry Harvey’s own Excellent Straand, he ran a huge race on debut coming from 14 of 14 at the turn to clock in fifth in a 1000m maiden at Dubbo.
BET: Open Pearly Gates to win (best bet) exacta 3 to beat 12.

RACE 2: MAIDEN HANDICAP (900m)
MAGNOLIA JEWEL (3) was $101 and ran accordingly on her one and only start so far, at Wyong April 11. Needless to say, this race is a lot easier and she has trialled like a completely different horse ahead of her Monday mission. MAJOR LIGHTNING (4) is a debutant out of Avoid Lightning who was very good on the track and quite good in the breeding barn. Can run well. MISSILE LOVE (9) could launch late here first-up. TOYGER (17) is too consistent to leave out.
BET: Magnolia Jewel to win, box trifecta 3,4,9,17.

RACE 3: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (900m)
DON’T DOUBT MERLIN (5) is a lightly-raced and handy prospect who was a predictable winner on debut at Goulburn on June 3. Spelled after his June 11 fourth there in a Benchmark 58. Is known for trialling well, his Sep 30 heat win was more of the same. Drawn 1 here. WILLINGALE (4) has a lot more race experience than Don’t Doubt Merlin and importantly, he has a pronounced race-fitness edge on him too. DISTANT (6) is from an astute yard. Market watch advised.
BET: Don’t Doubt Merlin to win, quinella 4,5.

RACE 4: MAIDEN HANDICAP (1500m)
PASSALACQUA (1) is son of Starcraft who has finished second at the last two of his three career starts at this, his first (encouraging) preparation. Trainer Paul Perry could not have found a more suitable race for the horse. OCEANFRONT (6), a third generation descendant of Pontal Lass was $9/50 into $7.50 on debut at Newcastle – for good reason – and surely the Sara Ryan-trained gelding lost no admirers in defeat. Has a future. CASHBURN (11), MAD HARRY (3) and SO YOU READY (8) have claims.
BET: Passalacqua to win, quinella 1,6.

RACE 5: BENCHMARK 66 (1500m)
BADBOY MCCOY (9) has won six times and placed 11 in his 52 starts but you could make the case that he has never raced better. A few of those silvers and bronze could have golds but for his pattern – slow early/fast late. WAITAPU (8) has been the eye-catcher in more ways than one in his two starts for Jane Clement. The ‘best’ OLLIE’S SECRET (4) just about wins this nine times out of ten. He shapes a big second-up improver, not to imply that he was ‘bad’ first-up.
BET: Badboy McCoy to win, exacta 9 to beat 8.

RACE 6: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1450m)
MEDIA FRENZY (4) is a John Thompson-trained mare whose best career runs have more or less been her last two and that’s taking into account her easy maiden win at Goulburn earlier this year. Bad draw but flies late. Speaking of draws, barrier one should be a help not a hindrance (on paper at least) to Angela Davies’ last start winner ALICE MAE (1). Ditto the good draw scenario for the ever reliable PARIS LAD (3).
BET: Media Frenzy to win or if scratched Alice Mae to win.

RACE 7: BENCHMARK 58 (1280m)
KLISHA (11), a $100,000 Magic Millions yearling, is by So You Think; her third dam is the AJC Oaks winner Savana City. Trained by Kris Lees, Klisha’s form reads as good in parts, terrible at other times but she is back from a long break and deserving of the benefit of the doubt. There is no doubt how last start winner RUSSLEY TIARA (14) is going. IN SPADES (7) could deal himself into the game now that he steps to 1200m – at home. EDGE OF MIDNIGHT (5) command respect as a last start winner.
BET: Klisha each-way.

RACE 8: BENCHMARK 58 (1000m)
IVY DIVA (11) went close to winning a good quality Gunnedah maiden on debut then went to Scone 13-days later and finished right over the top of her rivals to win and it was off to the paddock. Trainer Tim McIntosh has found her a race at home to resume in and she looks to be flying too off that trial win here on Oct 9. CLIMATE CONTROL (3) has been a model of consistency throughout and often in some very respectable company. MOVIN’ DENMAN (7) ran a huge race in the Denman Dash here last start.
BET: Ivy Diva to win, quinella 4,11, box trifecta 2,4,7,11.