Shayne O’Cass’s best bets and inside mail for Grafton on Tuesday October 29, 2024

Gold Coast visitor Special Master crosses the border on Tuesday to contest what shapes as the perfect race for the son of Galileo, bred on the same cross as Frankel

Grafton-bound Special Master is bred on the same cross as the great Frankel.

Racenet form expert Shayne O’Cass analyses the eight-race card at Grafton on Tuesday, where he’s pinning his hopes in a horse that’s bred on the same cross as Frankel.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

GRAFTON TIPS

BEST BET
Race 3 No.6 SPECIAL MASTER
Primed for the step up to 1710m now after two excellent efforts over 1200, and 1410m.

NEXT BEST
Race 8 No.11 WONDERLAND STAR
Matthew Dunn trained mare who is one for one at this track and distance.

VALUE
Race 4 No.4 SIGLO DE ORO
Trialled like a bomb subsequent to he first-up failure.

DAILY DOUBLE
1st Leg (4), 2nd Leg (11)

QUADDIE
Race 5: 2,4,7
Race 6: 4,7
Race 7: 1,4,13
Race 8: 11

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Matthew McGuren will be popular to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

GRAFTON INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1006m)
DUSAN (1)’s third dam, Rekindled Applause, is the mother of Giga Kick. A Grafton local who has three out of eight so far, Dusan has won easily each time and in some pretty good looking races now in hindsight. Saying ‘yes’ to him unless the market says ‘no’. WRITTEN FAME (2) ran out the 1200m last start but one feels that he is better suited at this sort of trip perhaps. PIXIE HALLOW (4) and MONTE DRIFTER (7) have obvious claims.
BET: Dusan to win, quinella 1,2.

RACE 2: COLTS, HORSES AND GELDINGS BENCHMARK 58 (1181m)
KEVIN MCKEEN (3) has done more good than bad in his seven starts despite ‘only’ two wins and no placings. The Brett Dodson-trained gelding was seventh of 13 last start at Port Macquarie but he had some issues thrust upon in the late stages. ASK THE QUESTION (4) was really quite impressive winning on debut. Beaten a fair way in the Class 1 next time out but it was a Heavy 10 that day. SAXINOUE (8) is a well-bred 3YO who was excellent in his short first prep.
BET: Kevin McKeen to win.

RACE 3: MAIDEN PLATE (1710m)
SPECIAL MASTER (6) is a son of Galileo out of a Danehill mare – just like Frankel, as it happens. Gold Coast trainer Marcus Wilson has found the right race at the right time for the horse to get out to 1710m bearing in mind his first two runs (both good) were over 1200m and 1410m. BOLOGNA (1) finished the best of the beaten brigade in a 1730m Maiden here on October 22. Go well again. PENNIES DESTINY (8) gives every impression that this is the trip she wants today.
BET: Special Master to win (best bet), exacta 6 to beat 1.

RACE 4: MAIDEN PLATE (1006m)
SIGLO DE ORO (4) was in demand at his first run for Marcus Wilson at Ipswich but was too bad to be true. The former Ciaron Maher-trained son of Lope De Vega went back to the trials and won a heat at Deagon on October 1 in convincing style. HARE STREET (1) ran what could be argued as a P.B when fifth of nine, beaten two-lengths, behind the above average Calvary at Murwillumbah last start. Drawn well again. WELLWITHINREACH (8) is from THE form stable up here.
BET: Siglo De Oro to win.

RACE 5: FILLIES & MARES BENCHMARK 58 (1181m)
PISA CAKE (2) managed to win her debut on the Beaumont track back on March 25 and spelled after her follow up fifth at Tuncurry. Not shown up at the trials, but has the blinkers on for this which is significant. UNCUT GEM (4) is another one from the Marcus Wilson yard. The mare has only won 1 from 16 but she has placed 8 times and is ‘3’ and ‘2’ in her only two starts for Wilson. TYPHOON NETA (7) and MISS MAZERATI (8) are in contention.
BET: Pisa Cake to win.

RACE 6: CLASS 1 PLATE (2200m)
MONTE KAHUNA (4) is a So You Think gelding from the Noel Mayfield-Smith stable who has just one win in 18 starts but that win was as recently as three starts ago and it was over a similar (long) trip as today’s which is his ‘go’. Grafton suits him better than Lismore where he was runner-up last start. ZAYNUDIN (7)’s lone win thus far was over 2816m in Ireland so we know he will stay this trip! Ran a fantastic race at Murwillumbah at start one for Daiki Chujo.
BET: Monte Kahuna to win, quinella 4,7, Daily Double 1st Leg (4), 2nd Leg (11).

RACE 7: MAIDEN PLATE (1410m)
RISK FOR REWARD (4) is trained by the aforementioned Daiki Chujo at Ballina. This son of All Too Hard has raced four times for a second, a third and a first-up fourth at Murwillumbah, the highlights. Could be that any one of those runs would be good enough to medal here and in fact, win. SEKI (13) is an interesting 3YO son of Dundeel and grandson of Kanzan. The Matthew Dunn-trained gelding was a real eye-catcher in that 1200m debut at home on October 15. Trip suits.
BET: Risk For Reward to win, exacta 4 to beat 13, quinella 4,13, box First 4: 1,4,5,7,13.

RACE 8: BENCHMARK 66 (1410m)
WONDERLAND STAR (11) is a Matthew Dunn-trained mare by Brave Smash who has won three of her 11 starts and was second at another. One of those wins was at her only start (so far) at this track and distance. She ran a huge race at Eagle Farm first-up and is unbeaten in her only two second-up starts. Easy to find and even easier to like. MY MUM’S TOYBOY (1) is back to Grafton (from Doomben) for this bearing in mind that he has won two from three at the venue.
BET: Wonderland Star to win, exacta 11 to beat 1.