MARK Newnham’s promising filly Mosuo will be short odds to remain unbeaten in her two starts since coming down from Queensland when she lines-up in the Jewell Builders Class 1 Handicap (1000m) at Goulburn on Sunday.
Mosuo, a flashy daughter of Blue Diamond winner Star Witness, made an inauspicious beginning to her career by finishing nine lengths behind the winner at odds of $ 81 when she made her debut at the Sunshine Coast in April.
BRUT FORCE: WEIR WINS FIRST VICTORIA DERBY
Fast forward almost four months and this time the filly was $ 7 to $ 5 for Newnham winning at Nowra despite some significant obstacles placed in her way during the run.
“She was in an awkward spot and still had a lot of work to do in the last 100m yet managed to do it and do it well,’’ Newnham said.
SHAYNE O’CASS’S BEST BETS
GOULBURN
BEST BET
MOSUO (Race 2, No.9)
Came down from Queensland to join the Mark Newnham camp and was a hugely impressive winner when striking at Nowra in a maiden on August 26. Bolted in to win a trial at Warwick Farm on October 23. Talented type.
NEXT BEST
BENFICA MAID (Race 4, No.1)
Bumped into a handy horse when ½-length second at Newcastle on debut on October 20. Had trialled well beforehand and was scratched from Newcastle yesterday to run here where she drew one.
VALUE
ARRONDISSEMENT (Race 7, No.13)
Swept down the middle to win going away here last month. Really showed what she is capable of that day when the race was run to suit. Harder here but sheds 4kg.
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
ADAM HYERONIMUS heads to Goulburn to fulfil a very good book of rides and will be hard to beat in the TAB Jockeys’ Challenge.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,5
Race 5: 2,4,7
Race 6: 1,3,8
Race 7: 8,13
SCROLL DOWN FOR SHAYNE’S EXTENDED PREVIEW & TIPS
MATT JONES’S BEST BETS
MUSWELLBROOK
BEST BET
I AM AWESOME (Race 4, No.2)
She ran well in better grade last start and chased home a nice horse. She gets in here with a good weight and is placed to win.
NEXT BEST
MIAMI DADE (Race 6, No.3)
He has been running some encouraging races but has been giving the leaders a big start. If he’s within striking distance here, he can run over the top of them.
VALUE BET
OLD HARBOUR (Race 2, No.6)
This horse is building towards a win and Robert Thompson sticks with him after he ran on well last start. Is fit enough now to run a nice race from a good draw in the big field.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 2,3,5,7
Race 5: 2,3,9
Race 6: 2,3,5
Race 7: 2,6,7,15
TRAINER TO WATCH
KRIS LEES brings a good team to Muswellbrook with Crowd Surfer, I Am Awesome and Kadah looking like top picks in their respective races.
JOCKEY TO WATCH
GREG RYAN has a winning chance in each race he contests today. Voyages could cause an upset in the third.
******
“She has had a little setback after Nowra and we just had to give her a bit of time to come right. She trialled up the other day and it looks a suitable race for her.
“I wanted to give her another easy assignment before we step up too much but it looks a winnable race. I’d imagine there would be enough pace for her (Sunday) to sit back off them and launch in the straight.’’
A recent impressive trial placing from lightly-raced gelding Valarian stands him in good stead in the Radio Goulburn Maiden (1200m). The son of Ad Valorem had two starts, both in May, at his opening campaign finishing on the heels of the placegetters each time.
“He has strengthened up a bit since his first prep,’’ Newnham said. “His work’s been good, his trials have been good, he gets blinkers on (today) so I’d expect him to run in the first three.’’
The trainer’s representative in the feature Waratah Thoroughbreds Anniversary Cup (1300m) is Cyrus Rocks, who is resuming.
“He had a long time off after being with Gai (Waterhouse), he had a bowed tendon,’’ Newnham said.
“He’s done a good job to win a couple of races. Whether he’d be sharp enough for 1300m is probably debatable but it’s a nice race to start him off in.’’ Cyrus Rocks raced well over the summer months in late 2017, early 2018 — his last win was at Canterbury over 1900m with Josh Parr and 59kg on his back.
“He is sort of stuck there somewhere between a Wednesday and a Saturday class horse at the moment so we’ll just see how he goes (Sunday),’’ Newnham said. “There is always the Goulburn Cup and a couple of nice night meetings at Canterbury where he has been effective.’’
MUSWELLBROOK
PIPPI’S Pride has won his past two races thanks to new tactics and trainer Stephen Gleeson is giving jockey Cejay Graham all the credit.
The eight-year-old will be trying to win her third cup race in a row today when he contests the Sandy Hollow Cup (1450m) after victories in the Denman and Kayuga Cups when Graham led all the way on him.
“You never would’ve dreamt of riding him like that. When you used to go to the front on him he’d never find the line so it’s funny how things work out,” Gleeson said.
“I just think he’s enjoying Cejay riding him where he can be the boss. She’s not fighting him and he’s enjoying racing his own way. They’re both clicking together and it’s just worked.
“There’s no point in changing. She’s done it twice now and got away with it. On paper, Dreamnomore on his inside has been leading too but I think he can race forward without too much effort.”
From barrier three Graham should get him into an ideal spot but he does rise 2.5kg in weight which shouldn’t be a huge problem considering he races on the speed.
“The more you go up in weight the harder it gets but he’s the type of horse that can carry weight,” Gleeson said. “The wins have given him more confidence and it’s been good to see him win.”
Voyages is also a big chance for Gleeson in a Maiden Handicap (1500m) where Crowd Surfer is set to start favourite for Kris Lees.
But Gleeson’s runner is fourth-up now and has a big fitness edge on the fresh favourite.
“He’s been consistent and his last run was very good after he got held up and the winner then came out and won well again,” Gleeson said.
“He indicates that he’s ready to run 1500m and has had the perfect grounding for the race.
“He’s pretty close to a win. He does meet an odds-on favourite in the race but if he gets a nice smother early he’ll be hard to hold out.”
La Loi is a first starter for the stable and she’s had just two trials in the past year but won her most recent one at Muswellbrook over 880m ahead of her Maiden Plate (900m) race today.
The biggest obstacle for her is barrier 13.
“She’s always shown ability which is why we’ve put up with her for so long. She’s gone shin sore four or five times and we haven’t been able to get past the trials,” Gleeson said.
“She wasn’t tested in her last trial so we don’t know fully what we’ve got but she’s got ability. The wide draw will be hard for her and from that gate she’ll have to go forward and she’ll give a good sight.”
So what’s Gleeson’s top winning chance on Sunday?
“I think Voyages is my best hope. He’s ready to win and only has to beat one on paper. Pippi’s Pride is going well but it’s hard to win three straight but he’ll be a good show,” he said. “The wide gate is all the worries me with La Loi.”
INSIDE MAIL WITH SHAYNE O’CASS
GOULBURN
RACE 1 (1.50pm)
Song And A Prayer has raced far and wide throughout her 10 starts and while she has only won the one race, she does have a pattern of get back/run on that often has made it hard for her to get there in the end. The big, long straight here at Goulburn should give her the opportunity to reel them in if good enough. Battle Fury should get a good run just off the speed from the favourable alley and is never far away at the end. Lui Bang is a Wagga Wagga visitor who has only missed a place twice in five runs. Should medal here.
BET STRATEGY: SONG AND A PRAYER win; Exacta 2 to beat 1.
RACE 2 (2.25pm)
There are five last-start winners in the field of six but the decision still looks clear cut. The Mark Newnham-trained Mosuo came down from Queensland after failing at the Sunshine Coast but was incredibly impressive against some obstacles to win at Nowra at her stable debut. Went back to the trials and waltzed in. Indicators On was well backed to win at Orange on debut and is ready to take the next step. Bobby Dazzler is a three-quarter brother to Straspangledbanner and won on debut from almost last.
BET STRATEGY: MOSUO win; MOSUO win all-up BENFICA MAID win R4 No.1.
RACE 3 (3pm)
Triple Hero was scratched from a scheduled engagement at Gosford to run here instead which is a positive lead from a very astute trainer in Clare Cunningham. Failed first-up but is seven starts for zero return when fresh but improves out of sight with a run or two under the belt. Ignore the first-up run. Marabel has been racing far, far superior horses having contested a Group 3 last start but did fade out quickly. Big weight here. Red Heat is racing in great form at present.
BET STRATEGY: TRIPLE HERO win; Exacta 8 to beat 1.
RACE 4 (3.35pm)
Jason Coyle has a decent opinion of Benfica Maid and rightly so. The filly trialled extremely well before her debut at Newcastle where she had the misfortune to bump into a handy horse from the James Cummings yard but pushed him to his limits just the same. Scratched from Newcastle on Saturday and has drawn one for this. Winspear was a real eye-catcher winning her trial at Warwick Farm the other day. Has plenty of speed and may prove hard to catch. Korrawi is a Bjorn Baker narrow runner-up from last start.
BET STRATEGY: BENFICA MAID win; Exacta 1 to beat 5.
RACE 5 (4.10pm)
Speaking of Bjorn Baker, he has the $ 900,000 yearling Nordicus resuming here. The colt is by his father’s great champion Dundeel out of the Golden Slipper winner Miss Finland. Pure and simple, if this colt runs up to his trials then he will be winning. Bought to win much better races than a Goulburn maiden. Unknown Universe is a capable type but finds a strong race to resume in.
BET STRATEGY: NORDICUS win
RACE 6 (4.45pm)
Thorn In My Side is a Bryce Heys-trained son of Golden Rose winner Duporth out of a Snitzel mare. The gelding has a solid record of three wins and nine placings from his 18 starts and sent out all the right signals with that first-up second at Canberra when tried hard right the way to the line. With Purpose is a beautifully bred last start track/distance winner by Pierro out of Paprika who was beaten a nose by Phelan Ready in the Magic Millions. Go well again. Nines Enough is a ready to peak third-up today.
BET STRATEGY: THORN IN MY SIDE win; Quinella 1,8
RACE 7 (5.20pm)
Danny Williams-trained Arrondissement showed what she is capable off when the tempo is on and she gets a straight clear crack at them when charging past her rivals to win a Bm58 here last start. Goes up in class considerably here but she drops down from 58kg to 54kg and has Kathy O’Hara up. Magicaz is a midweek winner who wasn’t at all disgraced when five lengths off the winner at Warwick Farm at her most recent outing. Go well here. Equal Balance is another local who is wholly equipped to figure.
BET STRATEGY: ARRONDISSEMENT win; Quinella 8,13
