Dubbo preview, best bets and inside mail for Sunday May 4, 2025

It took Zoomorphic 10 starts to break his maiden but the manner of the win has trainer Scott Singleton bullish he’ll be hard to beat again at Dubbo on Sunday.

Zoomorphic can make it back-to-back wins at Dubbo on Sunday after waiting a long time to break his maiden. Picture: Bradley Photos

It took plenty of time and effort from trainer Scott Singleton and his team to get Zoomorphic to show his best but it was worthwhile when he blitzed his rivals to finally break his maiden.

The son of Zoustar and Group 1-winning mare Spright took until start 10 to land that maiden win at Mudgee two weeks ago but he certainly did it in style.

After racing outside the leader, Zoomorphic went into another gear after straightening and raced away to score by just over five lengths.

“When we got him, it took a lot of time and work to get him to want to win and put horses away,” said Singleton.

“He’s a very intelligent horse and would only do what he wanted to do.

“He lives out at the farm in a yard now and is much happier.”

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Singleton is quite confident the four-year-old can win again when he lines up in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m) with Mitchell Bell to again partner the gelding.

“I think he will be hard enough to beat on the way he won the other day and the way he seems to have come though the run,” he said.

“He is owned by a couple of big studs here at Scone – Cressfield and Robrick Lodge – and if he wins this weekend, we will run him in the Highway at Scone over the carnival.

“If he gets beat but still runs well, I will run him on the Friday meeting at the carnival in a Class 1.”

Singleton is also keen on the chances of Deemee in the opening race on the card, the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2200m) with Mitchell Bell on her as well.

Like Zoomorphic, Deemee has only been with Singleton since the start of this preparation.

After two runs in unsuitably short races, the four-year-old New Zealand-bred daughter of Preferment really appreciated getting out to a staying trip when she broke her maiden in a Class 1 set weights race over the 2200m at Dubbo on April 7.

She then backed it up with a nose second behind Wittelsbach on her home track of Scone.

“She is bred for the journey and once she got to it, she has found form,” Singleton said.

“She had a bleed in her last run at Newcastle last campaign so she went to the paddock and had quite a while off before she came to me.

“It’s a slow maturing breed so naturally she has taken time and it takes a couple of runs to get them up to a suitable trip.

“She hasn’t gone backwards in any way, shape or form since her last run at Scone and I expect her to be hard to beat.”

The third of Singleton’s runners for the day is Wanavan in the Maiden Plate (1000m) with Bell onboard him as well.

The son of Wandjina resumed from a 10 month break with a long had second to Enniroc at Muswellbrook before a failed on a wet track second-up run at Scone.

He raced wide without cover when a 2½-length fifth at Dubbo on April 7 before a length third to Rail Trail at Scone after racing wide at Scone a week later.

“I was happy with his last run at home. Reece (Jones) got caught four-deep on him and he was working a little bit around the corner but he stuck to his task OK,” he said.

“This race is no stronger and I’d say he has to be in the mix somewhere as long as the track isn’t too wet which I don’t think it will be.”

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DUBBO TIPS

BEST BET

Race 4 No.7: PROPER TWELVE

Was good in both Victorian starts. Drawn the pole and hard to beat.

NEXT BEST

Race 1 No.5: DEEMEE

Nice win at her first go at this trip before a close second last start. Can bounce back.

VALUE BET

Race 7 No.2: CANAMBLE

Both wins have come first-up including one this track and trip. Good chance again.

QUADDIE

RACE 5: 1, 6, 7

RACE 6: 1, 2, 6

RACE 7: 2, 4, 8, 10

RACE 8: 2, 3, 4, 10

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

MITCHELL BELL looks a good chance the TAB Jockey Challenge.

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DUBBO INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (2200m)

DEEMEE (5) appreciated getting up to a staying trip when she closed nicely to beat Casino Diva over 2200m here on Apr 7. Almost made it two in-a-row when a nose second to Wittelsbach over the same trip at Scone. Can bounce back. D’ORO CHOICE (1) made a mid-race move to go to the front near the 600m when a big winner at Wellington. Was down the order in the Orange Cup then was wide when sixth at Mudgee over 2000m. Runner-up in both runs this track and distance. RUFUS WAINRIGHT (3) has place claims.

BET: DEEMEE to win.

RACE 2: MAIDEN PLATE (1000m)

PRESSNELL (3) raced keenly on debut and wasn’t disgraced when runner-up to Quick Sharp at Scone then raced wide without cover when fifth at Warren. Resumes here off an impressive five-length trial win at Mudgee. WANAVAN (5) raced wide without cover when fifth at Dubbo on Apr 7 and backed up at Scone a week later and again did it tough out wide when a length third to Rail Trail. A win isn’t far away. I DON’T THINK SO (8) is first-up for over two years. Nice trial here on Apr 12.

BET: PRESSNELL to win.

RACE 3: MAIDEN HANDICAP (1400m)

COLONEL LIGHT (1) was three-wide and pushed wider on the bend when sixth to Davikar on debut ta Muswellbrook on Mar 14. Then back and wide from the outside gate when second to Spenzalot at Scone a month later. PIERONIMO (3) raced inside Colonel Light and tracked him around the bend to finish third when resuming in that Scone race. Will be better for the run but has a wide gate to overcome. JEFFO (5) has placed in two of his three runs here and was fourth on the other.

BET: COLONEL LIGHT to win.

RACE 4: SUPER MAIDEN PLATE (1200m)

Former Victorian gelding PROPER TWELVE (7) was carried wide at the 1000m when beaten under two lengths into fifth behind Barbie’sdreamworld on debut at Terang. Raced outside the leader and tried hard when a half-length second to Harrumph Harrumph at Geelong on Mar 15. LORD VETTORI (4) boxed on well when runner-up to Imperial State when resuming from a lengthy spell at Gosford. Disappointed when second last at Wyong second-up. Worth another chance. WENDOUREE (9) has place claims on his first-up second at Coonabarabran. Made up ground from last at Armidale last start.

BET: PROPER TWELVE to win.

RACE 5: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1400m)

ZOOMORPHIC (7) ran a couple of close seconds to start his campaign then failed to handle the heavy track at Scone. Was dominant on breaking his maiden by five lengths at Mudgee on Apr 20. With that confidence-boosting win, he can go on with it. RICH STREET (6) is in terrific form with two wins and three placings from her last five starts. Came wide on the bend and was game in running down Extravagant Choice at Orange last start. MAZITA (1) has a big weight and wide gate but is more than capable.

BET: ZOOMORPHIC to win.

RACE 6: BENCHMARK 82 HANDICAP (1200m)

CROP DUSTER (2) will take improvement from his first-up seventh behind Extravagant Lad in the Cup Day Sprint over 1000m at Orange on Apr 11. Will appreciate the sting out of the track and the step up to 1200m where he has scored three of his six wins. LIFE’S A PARTY (6) closed strongly to win the Bill Aspros Cup from Outback Angel at Bathurst first-up. Is a second-up winner and drawn to get a nice run. THE DRAMATIST (1) got well back from a wide gate and closed well between horses when sixth to Annie’s Rose at Muswellbrook second-up.

BET: CROP DUSTER each-way.

RACE 7: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1000m)

CANAMBLE (2) has won two of her seven and both wins have come first-up. Beat Brutal Love on the Wellington Boot Prelude on debut in March last year. Kicked off last preparation with an all-the-way win from the Mooch over this track and distance. Resumes off a nice trial second behind stablemate Bare To Witness on the Beaumont. CUMNOCK (4) battled away for fifth to Cumboogle when resuming at Orange and will take improvement. Had solid form last campaign including a fourth to Clear Thinking in a Randwick Highway. D’ARPANO (10) and KORA MAGIC (8) have claims.

BET: CANAMBLE to win.

RACE 8: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1000m)

PRESS FORWARD (4) was rewarded for his solid form with a good win over this track and distance last start. Went back to last before coming down the middle of the track to beat D’Arpano. Will gain confidence from the win and can go back-to-back. THIS ONE TIME (10) took benefit from his first-up fourth at Scone with a handy win from Maxandus at Tamworth. Good chance again. BARE TO WITNESS (2) and ROCK ‘N’ REIGN (3) have claims.

BET: PRESS FORWARD to win.