Tony Thomas likes an $8 chance each-way at Sandown while Shayne O’Cass is keen on a $71 shot at Randwick.
SANDOWN HILLSIDE WITH TONY THOMAS
RACE 1: MAFIA looks the value play here. Know he only beat three rivals and it was a Wyong maiden but loved his acceleration late when resuming and he looks a promising type. Will sit on speed and even fitter. Take the $9.50 now as he may well start shorter. Also going to save on MARCHING. He was just gunned down late when resuming and is also good value at the $9.50 mark.
Suggested bet: Back Mafia and Marching each way.
Tips: Mafia 1, Marching 2, Listentozou 3, Altruist 4.
RACE 2: Pretty keen on VAGRANT, who was just beaten by Jenny Jerome at Flemington last start and meets that horse 4kg better. The $5.50 on offer still looks good value to me. EXTRATWO bolted in last start in easier grade and is helped by the claim. Looks the main danger.
Suggested bet: Vagrant to win.
Tips: Vagrant 1, Extratwo 2, Free Willed 3, Jenny Jerome 4.
RACE 3: Reckon STRAWBERRY ROCK is ready to peak. He quickly jumped from 1800m to 2400m second up and was trapped wide throughout before fighting on in the straight behind Outlandos at Rosehill. I like the $8 on offer about him now. Drawn well to get a better run too. MYSTERY ISLAND is also worth an each way go at the big odds of $23.
Suggested bet: Strawberry Rock to win, small each way bet on Mystery Island.
Tips: Strawberry Rock 1, Jaykayann 2, Mystery Island 3, Mimi’s Award 4.
Mutamanni is all the better for his first Aussie win and will take tossing at Hillside on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images
RACE 4: Lot to like about the way ARKTIKA toughed it out at Flemington last month behind Party For One, who has since won again. Suited with the claim and drawn well. Reckon the danger is a roughie in LET’S SAY GRACE. She is a bit underrated. I know she didn’t go around a horse to win first-up at Cranbourne but she beat home Dunalley who was only just beaten at Sale on Wednesday.
Suggested bet: Small bet on Let’s Say Grace each way.
Tips: Arktika 1, Let’s Say Grace 2, Gentility 3, Frigid 4.
RACE 5: Given he is a Group 1 placegetter, GENERAL BEAU looks ridiculous odds at $8. Reckon he will start shorter come post time if the track stays relatively firm. He was okay in the Goodwood last start and this grade looks perfect from the gun draw. Is he going well enough? Taking the $8 is worth it to find out. ESTA LA ROCA is the danger and she is also good odds at $6.50.
Suggested bet: General Beau to win. Also taking 1,3 in exactas and quinellas.
Tips: General Beau 1, Esta La Roca 2, Starry Legend 3, Curran 4.
RACE 6: Think MUTAMANNI can win if he gets a run. Looked very good at his Aussie debut at Lakeside but he is at his right price at $3. Maybe wait until to post time as he could drift a little. NABOO STAR bolted in in weaker grade last start but the strength of the win suggests he can measure up with 1.5kg less.
Suggested bet: Small wager on Naboo Star each way.
Tips: Mutamanni 1, Naboo Star 2, Chartres 3, Bigolino 4.
RACE 7: Forget LETHAL THOUGHTS’ run at Flemington last start when the rider thought the colt had throat problems and eased him down close to the line. He started favourite after his strong win over Dashing in the Mornington Guineas. Has trialled with ease since and drawn to get the gun run here. He’s the play at $5. MAGARTEN was very unlucky last start behind Elkington Road and has good place claims at the $13 mark.
Suggested bet: Lethal Thoughts to win. Small place bet on Magarten.
Tips: Lethal Thoughts 1, Golden Path 2, Elkington Road 3, Magarten 4.
Normandy Bridge bounces back to his best at Hillside last month. Picture: Getty Images
RACE 8: HE’S OUR BONNEVAL is ready now. Two runs back have him cherry ripe. Had the blinkers on last start and hit the line well here two weeks back. Gets the claim and only has 1.5kg over the limit. I’ll take the $3.40 now as he could start shorter come post time. PROWLING was close up in that same race here two weeks back and looks over the odds at $12.
Suggested bet: He’s Our Bonneval to win. Taking 2,3,6,12 in trifectas, first fours.
Tips:
RACE 9: No reason to drop off NORMANDY BRIDGE, who was back to his best here two weeks ago. He does rise slightly in weight but drawn well to get the good run in midfield and should finish hard again. MAKRAM is great value here. He was pretty solid first-up and has a terrific second-up record. He could be the each-way play at $16.
Suggested bet: Makram each way.
Tips: Normandy Bridge 1, Makram 2, Daytona Bay 3, Milford 4.
BEST BET: He’s Our Bonneval (race 8)
BEST VALUE: General Beau (race 5)
ROYAL RANDWICK WITH SHAYNE O’CASS
RACE 1:
OZZMOSIS was a barber shop tip and a half when he lured James McDonald up to Gosford for his debut. It was straight between the sticks for horse who swaps park footy for the big league now. Barrier 7 could be the issue. SWEET PROPOSAL could be saved for Warwick Farm on Monday. Goes well. FLEETWOOD showed a whole lot of desire and professionalism to win at Warwick Farm first-up. ROYAL TRIBUTE is well-bred and has trialled well. SOVEREIGN FUND has the best form as it stands.
Suggested bet: Ozzmosis to win
RACE 2:
Darby Bloodstock would be $1.01 to win any TAB Owners Challenge at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Ozzmosis, Iowna Merc later on and my humble pick, SOAMI, here in the Midway. The son of So You Think and the handy Longoria was $21 into $17 when he finished a diminishing three-and-a-half-lengths behind Iowna Merc here over 1100m second-up. Third-up now of course and has an added 100m to reel them in. Ditto nearly all that and more for the stablemate BROKEN ARROWS who somewhat strangely is 0 and 13 at Randwick.
Suggested bet: Soami each-way
RACE 3:
ZOUATICA is just about the most interesting horse racing at Randwick for me. Why? Because he is as untapped as he is talented. You could cast a shadow a mile long over what he has beaten but he has thrashed them to be fair. For context purposes, let me say that I was all over SWIFT CHARM in the Highway at Rosehill on May 20 and even those who weren’t would have to agree that he was unlucky. Will need a lot of luck from barrier 1. CLIFF HOUSE is very genuine and he’ll carry the weight; just wish he drew better.
Suggested bet: Zouatica to win, Swift Charm to place
Zouatica can bring up the hat-trick in the TAB Highway. Picture: Bradley Photos
RACE 4:
Just for the record, there are 126-days until the Kosciuszko and surely PARTICIPATOR will be there. Imagine how much he is going to love a fast run 1200m at Royal Randwick. The Tim Donnelly-trained son of Contributer gets his chance for a dress rehearsal of sorts on Saturday. The aforementioned IOWNA MERC had it handed to him (by Rachel King) when he won here first-up but take nothing away from him; he’s a ‘winner’. GROWL is the big improver not just in this race but on the whole card.
Suggested bet: Participator to win, Growl to place
RACE 5:
Pin Me Up is a fascinating (and valuable mare). She is a daughter of Pins and is now with the man who trained him, Clarry Conners. Pin Me Up’s fourth dam is Emancipation. In regard to her own C.V, Pin Me Up has won or placed at eight of her 12 starts with her current P.B being her win in the $1 million Karaka Mile on Jan 22. Good on debut here two weeks back. Kouklara is going to peak very soon, could be Saturday, fourth-up. Centrestone is very progressive.
Suggested bet: Pin Me Up each-way
RACE 6:
BOSS LADY ROCKS was nominated for Swan Hill on Sunday; they gave her 63kg there and 59kg here minus 3kg for apprentice Benjamin Osmond. The Albury resident has a compelling strike-rate of five wins, four seconds and a third from 15 starts. This looks to be a take no prisoners 1000m’s on Saturday but she is used to high pressure races. PASSEGGIATA will either run them off their legs or get run over late. Not much help I know, but I really don’t know what to make of horses that are so quick that sometimes they are too quick for their own good. LADY BROOK can improve sharply.
Suggested bet: Boss Lady Rocks to win
RACE 7:
WILD PLANET has a million dollars in prizemoney so he’s no slouch. He ran a very respectable fifth behind Stradbroke contender Vilana in the Hall Mark Stakes. There weren’t too many better runs in the Octagonal here on May 27 than Wild Planet’s (maybe one; Super Strike). Alas, another shocking draw for the Hawkes galloper. STEELY was runner-up in the ‘Wild Planet race’. Third-up on the weekend; he might be in line for ‘run of the race’ here. SUPER STRIKE drew 15 of 16, was 15th on the turn yet third in the Wild Planet race.
Suggested bet: Wild Planet each-way, box First 4: Nos. 5, 6, 7, 10, 12
Never Talk (right) can build on her strong record at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images
RACE 8:
Let’s have a decent look at some of the Randwick performances of NEVER TALK. Second in the Light Fingers, Sapphire and Nivison, third in the Wenona Girl, fourth in the Surround and P J Bell, fifth in the $2 million Invitation. Only needs things not to go against her. ZETHUS (who once beat Home Affairs here) has his share of weight but it is somewhat offset by barrier 3. WEWILLROCK was brave at his Australian debut. Drops in weight, perfect alley but way up in class. CONSCRIPT was unbelievable in the At Sea.
Suggested bet: Never Talk to win
RACE 9:
The form of SUPER PURSUIT is in one word – deep. He was fourth to Subpoenaed at Te Rapa at his second career start. He beat Roch ‘N’ Horse at Ellerslie one day and gave the future Newmarket and Darley Sprint winner 6kg. His form over this side of the Tasman includes a fourth to I Am Me and a fifth to Mariamia. Ucalledit was bred in NZ but has an Australian champion in his family tree; his fifth dam is Special. Will find this easier than what he has been running around in up in Brisbane.
Suggested bet: Super Pursuit to win
RACE 10:
Brad Widdup has a strong hand in the last with PHEARSON and CROSS THE RUBICON facing off. It’s fair to assume, is it not, that Cross The Rubicon will be spotting Phearson a few lengths up the rise but unless the former is ‘off and gone’, I can see a scenario where Cross The Rubicon mows him and others down here. I still say she was unlucky not to have gone close to winning the Provincial Championship. BATTLETON was a certainty beaten last week at Rosehill.
Suggested bet: Cross The Rubicon to win