Shayne O’Cass’s best bets, inside mail for Scone, Narromine on Monday June 23, 2025

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Scone and Narromine on Monday.

  

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Scone and Narromine on Monday.

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SCONE TIPS

BEST BET
Race 2 No.5 HERMAN SAID: Kris Lees-housed 2YO who has trialled exceedingly well.

NEXT BEST
Race 7 No.6 GIRAWHEEN: Placed twice here in qualuity races. Trial indicates a bold return.

VALUE
Race 6 No.8 MANAGE THE CYCLE: Ran third to Saturday’s Highway winner at his last start.

QUADDIE
Race 4: 4,12
Race 5: 1,2,8,9
Race 6: 8
Race 7: 6

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Star apprentice Braith Nock is back ‘home’ at Scone on Monday.

SCONE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 4: Class 1 Plate (2200m)

Pieronimo is a Triple Crown-owned grandson of the 2YO Triple Crown winner, Pierro. The Archibald (at Scone) housed gelding has run by far, more good races than bad and performed, excelled even, in much better company than this. SO YOU READY (4) was nothing short of emphatic when he shed his maiden status in a 2100m Class 1 at Gosford. Gets Bullock here. DEEMEE (7) is a big improver back at home after visiting Kensington last start with no success.

BET: Pieronimo to win.

RACE 5: Benchmark 66 (1000m)

PANTA RHEI (9) is a dual acceptor. Long story short, he is a lightly-raced and talented type. His only two runs at Scone were a second to Sir Remlap and a third to Shropshire Lad. RITZSUN (1) is a Highway-class galloper with some truly compelling numbers. He obviously races well here at home. Pearls Treasure also has a liking for this venue. LADY MEMPHIS (8) was disappointing first-up but could be the sharpest improver on the card.

BET: PANTA RHEI (9) to win or of scratched, RITZSUN (1) to win.

RACE 6: Benchmark 58 (1300m)

MANAGE THE CYCLE (8) is a Jeremy Gask-trained local whose winning strike-rate is 10 per cent – four from 40 to be exact – but he has placed nine times. The biggest and best draw to the horse today is that he’s run twice at this track/trip and finished third at each; that June 10 one was behind Saturday’s Highway winner. HIBIKI HARMONY (5) has far fewer convictions as they say; in fact she has medalled at six of her 10 starts. First time running at home.

BET: MANAGE THE CYCLE (8) to win, exacta 8 to beat 5.

RACE 7: Class 1 Handicap (1200m)

GIRAWHEEN (6) is a 3YO filly who won the coveted Silver Goblet at Dubbo at her 2YO debut and has barely put a foot wrong in her six starts since. We know that she performs well fresh and the trial win the other day was an absolute beauty. ARCHAIC FORCE (5), the son of NZ Oaks winner Bramble Rose, has been racing well without any luck at all for most of this preparation. His best is as good as most, if not all of these. Ortensia’s grandson SOLITARIO (3) is on an upward trajectory.

BET: GIRAWHEEN (6) to win, exacta 6 to beat 5, box First 4 Nos. 2,3,5,6,13.

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NARROMINE TIPS

BEST BET
Race 1 No.1 BRUMMAGEN: Form reads superior to most of his rivals. Go well.

NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.3 MAJOR LIGHTNING: Handed in career best last start at Muswellbrook. Ready to win.

VALUE
Race 6 No.8 DUPENNY: Winner at only prior start at this track and trip.

NARROMINE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 4: Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1300m)

MAJOR LIGHTNING (3) wears the colours of his multiple stakes-winning (in three states!) dam Avoid Lighting. Like most of his siblings, he is trained by Jeremy Gask who seems to have found him the ‘easiest’ race he’s contested so far. ANDALE (1) is tracking the right way towards the winner’s stall. Both runs contained merit and he will love 1300m and more again after that.

BET: MAJOR LIGHTNING (3) to win, exacta 3 to beat 1.

RACE 5: Class 1 Plate (1600m)

WEST HEAD (4) is a grandson of the NZ Group 1 winner Calveen which explains his $320,000 price tag at the Gold Coast The son of Pierata made his Brett Robb stable debut at Coonamble last Sunday, coming away late to win with a fair degree of comfort. TRUST A KITTY (7) has only won 1 from 20 but he has placed 10 times and when you give away such big starts, that’s a pretty good strike-rate.

BET: WEST HEAD (4) to win, TRUST A KITTY (7) to place, quinella 4,7, DD 1st leg 4, 2nd leg 9.

RACE 6: Benchmark 58 (1100m)

DUPENNY (8) is a Brett Thompson-trained galloper whose record here at Narromine is sound; namely three visits for a win and a second. Worth noting that the win was over this same trip in a strong 58 that day with barrier 2. Keep in mind he has barrier 1 this time. THE MOOCH (6) has only kicked 3 goals in his 42 attempts, but he has 10 seconds and six thirds. Most relevant is that one of those rare wins was at the same track and distance.

BET: DUPENNY (8) each-way.

RACE 7: Country Boosted Benchmark 66 (1300m)

MISS CLAMROSA (9) was probably the biggest moral of the season when she turned up at Warren in that Class 1 on June 2. She was $1.50 into $1.35 and had it won at the turn, final margin was five-and-a-bit lengths. She’s a long, long way off moral status this time – it’s a cracking field but barrier 1 and Clayton Gallagher will take her a long way closer to victory. Stablemate DEION (2) has box two and never runs anything but a good, honest race.

BET: MISS CLAMROSA (9) to win.