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

After waiting nine starts for Christmas Star to break through for her first win, trainer Paul Jones is confident there will be a quick repeat at Dubbo on Sunday.

Christmas Star is chasing a second straight win when she heads to Sapphire Coast on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photos

A grey horse carrying the pink colours of racing and breeding industry’s great all-rounder Shelley Hancox is the best of the Joseph/Jones troupe heading to the Sapphire Coast on Sunday.

That’s according to Paul Jones who is as eager as he is optimistic about the Hancox Racing filly Christmas Star repeating her utterly emphatic Gundagai win in the Gallagher Insurance Brokers Class 1 Showcase Handicap (1200m).

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A daughter of Vinery Stud resident sire Star Turn, Christmas Star joined approximately 70 per cent of her Star Turn siblings who have won a race when she roared away for her first one at start nine.

“We all went broke backing her,’’ Jones quipped.

“That said, if you look at this preparation, she was a little bit unlucky at the 1000m first-up at Orange.

“A horse ran out in front of her halfway up the straight and she just lost her momentum for two strides and then she picked up and really flattened out.

“She would have been at Wagga (on Friday) if she drew a bit better but with the better gate down there at the Sapphire Coast, and probably against a lesser opposition, she’s nearly our best on the day,’’ Jones said.

The Joseph/Joseph camp have found the perfect time and place for the well-bred Inchyra to make what will effectively be her “hometown” debut in the Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1007m).

Not only does the filly boast the Group 1 ATC Coolmore Classic winner Alverta as a relative, she is bred on the same Brutal/Flying Spur cross that delivered the untapped reigning Champagne Stakes winner, Nepotism.

“She trialled really well,’’ Jones said.

“She’s had knee chips removed from both knees and has taken a little bit of time to get to the track even though she is only three.

“She is bred to get over further but she is surprising us with her gate speed. I think she is going to be hard to beat.”

Jones, meanwhile, is forecasting a performance more in tune with Wauchope’s true talent when she aims to turn a disappointing debut into a podium finish when she steps out in the Kalaru Industrial Estate Maiden Handicap (1209m).

The filly – a close relation to the AJC Derby winner Naturalism – was well below her best, finishing last of the six in an April 4 Maiden at the Sapphire Coast but could improve sharply with the addition of blinkers.

“She is a horse with ability,’’ Jones said.

“We had her going to Nowra a couple of weeks ago but we just wanted to give her another couple of gallops (in blinkers).

“She’s worked with some Class 1 horses and she’s holding her own against them.’’

The camp’s fourth and final runner on Sunday’s card is Princess Halo who goes around in the Merimbula RSL Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1007m.

Born and raised at historic Wagga nursery, Kooringal Stud, the daughter of Asgarda’s sire The Brothers War, boasts a tidy record of four wins and four placings from her 19 starts.

“She’s had a couple of goes down there at the Sapphire Coast for some good results,’’ Jones said.

“And she really appreciates wet tracks.”

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SAPPHIRE COAST TIPS

BEST BET

Race 6 No.8: GIZA

Had two runs for Godolphon, sold, and since turned in three ‘rippers’ for the new management.

NEXT BEST

Race 5 No.4: CHRISTMAS STAR

Got the confidence sky-high after a big win at Gundagai second-up.

VALUE BET

Race 4 No.7: NAGADEC

Lightly-raced, very reliable mare whose only win was here.

QUADDIE

RACE 4: 5,7

RACE 5: 3,4

RACE 6: 8,12

RACE 7: 4,5,6,14

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

JESS TAYLOR has a 17 per cent win and 44 place, strike rate at the Sapphire Coast

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SAPPHIRE COAST INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: MAIDEN HANDICAP (1209m)

WAUCHOPE (7), the distant but direct relative of Naturalism, wouldn’t be the first horse that improves sharply on an underwhelming debut. She was last of six here on April 4 on a Heavy 9 but she’s got blinkers first time, has the race experience now, and she had trialled well before that run. COLD MIST (4) wasn’t as bad as it reads in his two career starts. Only guessing but, reckon the 1200m tempo will suit him better than those 1000m scampers he’s been in until now.

BET: WAUCHOPE, COLD MIST each-way.

RACE 2: CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1209m)

CAPITAL HEART (4) has only managed one win in 21 starts but he has placed eight times, four of those are seconds. One of those seconds was on a heavy track but, like a lot of Capitalist offspring, he’s better on top of the ground. That said, his form reads “strong” and “deep” in patches. FIRE AND GEMSTONE’s (9) numbers tell the story, eight runs here for five placings, three of them seconds, two of his three wins are at this trip and he’s placed twice on heavy.

BET: CAPITAL HEART to win; quinella 4, 9.

RACE 3: MAIDEN PLATE (1410m)

GLOBAL DEEL (1) is trained by Theresa Bateup who has led in 82 winners, at 16.7 per cent, and 141 placegetters here at the Sapphire Coast. This son of Dundeel has placed at two of his five starts since joining her stable, one of them was here. Blinkers first time, this is well within his capabilities. CONQUER THE DREAM (6) will, one can assume, take a bit of racecraft and experience etc, out of her debut from Moruya on April 19. In good hands and you’d like to think she’d get to a mile, so 1410m this suits.

BET: GLOBAL DEEL to win, CONQUER THE DREAM each-way; quinella 1, 6, box trifecta 1, 4, 6, 10.

RACE 4: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1610m)

NAGADEC (7) was born and bred at Moruya Stud, just like Takeover Target, et al. This mare was retained by Tony and (son) Dr Nick Hartnell and handed to Mark Gee who has guided her to one win, two seconds, and a third in her seven starts. Significant to note that her win was in a 1400m maiden here on a Soft 7. Go well. Nagadec ran second last start at Moruya, splitting GREATESTOFEASE (6) and FLASHY ICON (5), both of whom front up again on Sunday. Good race for ZARIZ NO WATER (10) to break the drought.

BET: NAGADEC to win.

RACE 5: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1410m)

CHRISTMAS STAR (4) was building an unwanted reputation as a costly conveyance with five thirds from her first eights starts prior to her booming win at Gundagai on April 6. One shouldn’t be too hard on her for her prior defeats given she was going around in some pretty strong maidens. Can go on with it now perhaps. TOMMY FLYER (3) ran them off their legs to win at Queanbeyan last start. This is harder of course but he was placed here on a Heavy 9 just before that win. MISSILE MAIDEN’s (2) record at this track is two wins and a second from four visits.

BET: CHRISTMAS STAR to win; Daily Double 1st Leg 4; 2nd Leg 6.

RACE 6: MAIDEN PLATE (1007m)

GIZA (8) had two lacklustre runs in the Godolphin blue and was subsequently sold for $8500 online. She’s now had three more runs, all of them for Tom Wilson, and each and every one has been a ripper. How good does a fifth to Urafikli and Me Me look now?! Just so long as the 1000m isn’t too short for her. DE RAZILLY (12) is a 2YO filly by Tassort out of a Manhattan Rain mare trained by Nick Olive and off an April 26 trial in Canberra where she finished a distant, but unhurried, second in the 900m Open Heat.

BET: GIZA to win, exacta 8 to beat 12.

RACE 7: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1007m)

SOHO SUSHI (6) has finished on the podium 10 times in 19 starts. Granted only two of them were wins but she runs well no matter what the standard of opposition, bearing in mind she was only beaten four lengths in a Highway before that last start third in a 66 at Wagga. With all that said, this is a 58 on the weekend. MISS SCOOP (5) is a major player (if she comes). Take out PRINCESS HALO’s (4) last run (there were some excuses) and her form reads exceedingly well to medal this time. Throw One In is absolutely flying!

BET: SOHO SUSHI to win, Throw One In, each-way.