Form analyst Shanye O’Cass runs the rule over Tuesday’s meetings in NSW.
BEST BET
Race 3 No. 4: Diva Carolina
Ran an honourable fifth of 14 at on debut in NZ in October last year. With Kris Lees now and has been trialling well.
NEXT BEST
Race 8 No 2: Oakfield Mahogany
Well-bred gelding with a tidy strike-rate. Resumes in the right race with the right draw and the right jockey.
VALUE
Race 7 no. 1: Gulf Of Tomini
No more genuine horse racing at Port Mac on Tuesday. He’ll be coming late, hopefully not too late.
DAILY DOUBLE
1st leg: 1
2nd leg: 12 or if scratched 7
BEST EXOTIC
Exacta Race 3 No. 4 to beat No. 5
QUADDIE
Race 6: 1,7
Race 7: 1,2
Race 8: 1,2,4
Race 9: 3,7,12
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Andrew Gibbons could skip out to an early lead in today’s TAB Jockeys Challenge and be hard to run down.
Andrew Gibbons is the jockey to follow on Tuesday. Picture: Mark Evans – Getty Images
INSIDE MAIL
RACE 1
Mischievous Molly has three seconds and a third from her four runs, suffice to say, she is a very consistent and reliable filly. Is 1500m a query? Only for the fact that this is her first try but it’s not a great field to beat. Cuisensaire went from 1410m back to 1100m in the space of 15 days last month and up to 1500m now. Everything she has done suggests she will appreciate this sort of trip. Denman Blue has a bad draw but enough talent to figure.
Bet: Mischievous Molly to win
RACE 2
Better Not Bitter was $1.35 shot – and won accordingly, in a pretty skinny Maiden here on April 23. Fast forward to May 6 and the Irish-bred son of Starspangledbanner was a beaten $2.50 fav in a Class 1 mile at Taree where he seemed to have his chance. Can atone. Charmed Destiny has a pretty impressive strike-rate of one win and eight placings from 12 runs. Fit horse racing at home today. Your Temptation was third in the Better Not Bitter race at Taree.
Bet: Better Not Bitter to win, quinella 2,3
RACE 3
Diva Carolina is a Kris Lees-trained filly by Tivaci out of the Kris Lees trained Rosa Carolina who was quite a handy mare. Diva Carolina’s one and only run so far was in New Zealand on Oct 12 last year, namely a creditable 5th of 14 at Avondale. Trialling well over here. Rockinfeller has raced four times this prep and each one has been better than the last, particularly that second at Gosford. Another Super could be the value/place runner.
Bet: Diva Carolina to win (best bet)
RACE 4
Silent Russian is a very, very well bred horse by Russian Revolution. His sixth dam is Rough Shod which will mean something to breeding buffs. As for the horse himself, he couldn’t have run better without winning when third at Gosford on debut. Madam Rock is up to 1200m today, bearing in mind that she has been flashing home over 1000m and 1100m (twice) at her last three runs. The Percentage turned in his best run in ages at Taree 10-days
Bet: Silent Russian to win, exacta 1 to beat 6
RACE 5
Our Pappy is from the 14th crop of the 2005 Galaxy winner Charge Forward whose progeny – and there are lots of them, invariably operate fresh. That’s a good sign for Our Pappy given he is on debut over the right trip and at home. Lots to like about the trial here last month. Gaelle wasn’t asked to do much at all in her Grafton trial. In good hands and has barrier 4 and Jenny Duggan. A Tender Lady looked the part winning a 945m heat at Wyong.
Bet: Our Pappy to win, Gaelle to place
RACE 6
Star Of Shalaa was $6 into $4.80 first-up at Coffs and for good reason. Granted she was beaten but not by far and it wasn’t a bad 58 either. This is strong enough too don’t worry but if she can slot in somewhere early, she can play her part late. Shikanic is a three-quarter brother to last Saturday’s Scone winner Comonic. Got the same pattern too; he’ll be right up there with them from the outset. Outreach To Henry has run in Highways at his last couple.
Bet: Star Of Shalaa to win
RACE 7
Gulf Of Tomini was fantastic last preparation, winning three of five at one point in the campaign. This will be the gelding’s third run of the current preparation. He ran fourth to subsequent Scone Country Cup winner Rhythm Is A Dancer first-up and warming to the task, big time, second-up. Surf Sonic is fit and has been racing quite well. Cubic Zirconia will find this a million times friendlier than the first-up 1200m Highway at Gosford. Easy to like.
Bet: Gulf Of Tomini to win, Cubic Zirconia to place
RACE 8
Oakfield Mahogany is one of the better bred of all Bruce Mackenzie’s ‘Oakfields’; this one is by Capitalist out of Impetuous. Oakfield Mahogany has two wins and two seconds to show from his eight starts, also a fourth and two fifths. Resumes off two trials, the last one was a beauty. Devil’s Inn could have been on a hat-trick today had he not been beaten an inch here before he bolted in at Dubbo. No Quarantine ran third in a high quality Class 2 last start.
Bet: Oakfield Mahogany to win
RACE 9
Maslina has drawn wide and been nominated for Thursday so is not a guaranteed starter. Long story short in case she doesn’t come, she has only won once in 17 starts but she has enough ‘provincial form’ to feel comfortable here. Nice trial at Wyong. Talons is a striking chestnut from the Todd Howlett camp. Always had that little something more than the standard horse’ he was third to Humble Star and Kiss Sum on debut in the Star Kinggdom back in 2021. Cavente has some good numbers; she’s finished on the podium at 6 of her 9 starts so far. Bet: Maslina to win or if scratched Talons to win