Tips and race-by-race guide for Gunnedah on Monday
1. Musumeci is an emerging three-year-old by Capitalist which made up good late ground from near last on debut in a better maiden at Tamworth. With that experience over more ground and on a track that will be either close to on back to good, he gets his chance to break through. 4. Yanabah is well suited second-up after closing off OK in that same race as the top selection. 3. Takeover Lad is bursting to break through deep into the prep and has been freshened since running home late into a place as an odd-on favourite. Has been in the money seven times from 11 starts. Watch the betting on 8. Stolen Summer, a filly by The Autumn Sun on debut for the Paul Messara-Leah Gavranich stable from the inside draw behind two quiet trials. 2. Star Of Salisbury has been only fair behind the placegetters in two runs this prep, but can run into the minor money.
How to play it: Musumeci to win.
Race 2
3. Jonny Be Swift is well placed to finally crack it for a third career win back from tougher provincial company and with a couple of rivals being preferred at Sunday's Dubbo meeting. Kept chasing behind a smart one in heavy ground two starts ago before holding his ground in a much tougher BM 64 at Wyong after being well supported at each way odds. Draws to get a cheap run just off the speed. 2. Descending Mist is a tough improver which will relish coming back from a stronger race deep into the prep. Swept home to win a similar race at Armidale two starts back before outclassed in a BM 85 at Tamworth. 1. Cascade Mountain is ultra-consistent, having won his last two as a short-priced favourite. More depth here though, and has to get in from a trickier draw. 4. Nature Boy, a last-start all-the-way winner in deeper grade, is well in the mix again; while 8. Tycoon Lad, back out in trip from a soft draw, goes in trifecta and first-four plays.
How to play it: Jonny Be Swift to win.
Race 3
10. Silverturn is a lightly raced filly which can claim a tricky maiden at only her second start. Was disappointing on debut at Armidale as a hot favourite coming off two progressive trials, although was never suited in the run on a soft 7, and is much better placed here on firmer footing. 2. Eclater, a Pierata three-year-old on debut in blinkers for the Greg Hickman stable at Warwick Farm off two quiet trials, can make a statement. 5. Sizzling Boy can run into the money dropping back from steeper provincial company third-up. Big watch on 12. Miss Arisa, a two-year-old filly by Headwater on debut for the John Ramsey yard at Muswellbrook, which starts behind a dominant trial win in soft ground and was scratched from Dubbo on Sunday to be saved for this. 1. Crusader Razor is a market watch resuming off a long break and having his first run for the new Wyong stable since transferring down from the Chris Waller base in Qld.
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News.com.au
07-07-2025
- News.com.au
Muswellbrook, Goulburn Tuesday preview: Winx and you'll miss it
Kind of. Enter Wayne Wilkes ' home-bred first-starter Bellerata. Granted, Bellerata was foaled 10 years after Winx arrived but her own dam, Uratta Belle, wasn't just a contemporary of Winx, she was once a rival. Housed on the Central Coast by Kylie Gavenlock, Uratta Belle was sent out a $4.40 favourite in the IBIS Milano Restaurant Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on June 4, 2014. Try as she might, Uratta Belle finished a distant third to one of Chris Waller 's debutantes, namely, Winx. On Tuesday at Muswellbrook it will be the turn of Uratta Belle's second foal, Bellerata, to make her racetrack debut in the Godolphin Maiden Plate over 1000m. Bellerata was among the 116 foals from the first crop of Greg Hickman's All Aged Stakes winner Pierata. Wilkes' filly has trialled twice, finishing third of four in a December 30 heat at Taree before resurfacing at Port Macquarie on June 24 to clock in a close second of the half dozen runners. 'She has just got to do things right in the race,'' Wilkes said. 'She did a little bit wrong in her trial so I am just looking for a good educational run. 'She is a nice filly but she is still probably a bit young in the head too.' It may not be too long again before Wilkes is back in Sydney on a Highway quest. The Taree master is eager to test his handy chestnut Tanglewood Jimmy in another Highway after his barnstorming fourth in his first Highway back on Spring Champion Stakes day, 2024. Tanglewood Jimmy gets the job done with the big weight! ðŸ'° @Wilkes_Racing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 17, 2024 'I would like to find a nice 1600m Highway for the next start would be ideal,'' Wilkes says. 'Jimmy's' immediate mission will be Tuesday's Arrowfield Class 3 Handicap (1450m). It will be the horse's second run in 2025, the best part of a month after his eye-catching third at Muswellbrook in a 1280m Benchmark 66. 'I was very happy with him,'' Wilkes said. 'He was probably a little bit on the fat side first-up but still found the line. 'The 1400m will suit him, it's just if he gets the right run.' Both Bellerata and Tanglewood Jimmy will be steered on Tuesday by Wilkes' talented apprentice jockey/daughter Shae, whose tally of winners has reached 60 in quick time, with 23 of those wins are shared with her father. Trainer Wilkes' third and final runner on the Muswellbrook card today is Sheila's Fanta Sea who boasts a tidy CV of two wins, three seconds and two thirds. Sheila's Fanta Sea will no doubt find Tuesday's assignment decidedly easier than her last start when pitched against all-comers from around the state in a 1200m Class 3 TAB Highway at Royal Randwick. 'She just goes up a little bit in weight but she comes back to the country,'' Wilkes said. 'I nominated her for Scone as well on Friday and this is quite a tough race but I don't expect Scone to be much easier. 'She's had a couple of goes at Scone and hasn't done well there, whereas she has placed twice at Muswellbrook the only times she's been there.' Sheila's Fanta Sea boasts a fascinating pedigree. Her fifth dam is none other than Sweet Embrace who still holds the somewhat dubious honour of being the longest priced winner of the Golden Slipper. The Jack and Bob Ingham owned daughter of inaugural Golden Slipper winner Todman was sent out at 40/1 when successfully shedding her maiden status in the 1967 renewal. â– â– â– â– â– Cleary wants a win for 'Uncle Gerry' Trainer Joe Cleary aims to deliver the man he affectionately knows as 'Uncle Gerry' a parting gift when blue-blooded mare Juliette's Joy makes what could very well be her final racetrack appearance on Tuesday. Juliette's Joy was bred by Gerry Harvey and foaled down in New Zealand. Not only is she a daughter of New Zealand's nine-times Champion Stallion Savabeel, she is from the same family as the Harvey-bred 2003 Golden Slipper winner Polar Success. 'The wet track won't worry her, she is rock hard fit, 2100m – there's more positives than negatives,'' Cleary says. 'I have taken the blinkers off her, she's just been getting a little bit revvy with the hoods on so hopefully she can just get back and relax and find the best part of the track. 'And I think that will be it for her on Tuesday. I think she heads home after (today). 'She's been a ripper. She really cops her work and she enjoys her work and her racing but it is that time of the year when Uncle Gerry wants his mares home and I think she'll be one of them.' 'Uncle Gerry' can reciprocate by handing Cleary a present of his own should the in-form Pretty Vegas cash in on Tuesday. A daughter of Exosphere, Pretty Vegas made her way to Cleary's Queanbeyan HQ from Harvey's Baramul Stud in the Hunter Valley via Adelaide when offered at the 2021 Magic Millions. 'She is super consistent,'' Cleary said. 'I just thought I would stay away from Saturday's Highway and try and find her a confidence booster and I think I've found the right race for her on Tuesday. ' Keagan (Latham) seems to ride her really well, they seem to have clicked, and she carries weight okay. 'An outside barrier won't be a hindrance with the way the track is going to play, so it is probably a bonus drawn out to be honest, and she has trained on well since her good effort in the Highway (June 21). The Canberra Raiders tragic will also saddle-up stablemates Pick A Symphony and Crazy Atom. 'Pick A Symphony has still got his L-Plates but he is going to be a nice horse,'' Cleary said. 'Crazy Atom is screaming out of a bit of a journey and a bit of juice in the track and she is going to get both.'

Courier-Mail
06-06-2025
- Courier-Mail
Newcastle preview: Home track has Nathan Doyle's gelding set to Attack
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Connections of Rush Attack are putting his last start failure down to not handling the Hawkesbury track and expect to see him return to form back on home turf. Rush Attack settled midfield on the fence bit failed to run on and beat just three home behind Enter The Dragon on April 9. Prior to that run, he won a Benchmark 72 Midway at Rosehill before a nose second in another Midway at Randwick behind Pocketing. 'There are some horses who go to Hawkesbury but just don't handle it,' said David Dyson, racing manager for Nathan Doyle. 'His previous form was very good in town which holds him in very good stead here.' The gelding drops back to a Benchmark 58 and gets in well with 59kg on his back after the claim of Mollie Fitzgerald. 'He is one of the most consistent horses in the stable,' Dyson said 'He has had a little gap between run hence why we trialled him on Monday just to get him ready. 'There's a bit speed in this race and he has drawn to get a beautiful run just behind them. 'One thing this horse does is try and he will put himself in the finish. That's just what he does.' Queen's Rhapsody kicked off her campaign on a bright note with a length win at Hawkesbury on May 15. While she won comfortable in the end, feedback from jockey William Stanley was that she floated once she hit the front. Doyle has put visors on the three-year-old this week to help her focus and she looks extremely hard to beat in the Class 1 Handicap (1250m). 'We have put the visors on this week to help he concentrate a little bit more,' Dyson said. 'She worked in them about 10 days ago and was really good. She was very sharp. They seemed to have taken her to the next level. 'Once again, we have opted to claim again. Mitch Stapleford takes three kilos off which gets her into the race beautifully.' Bohemian Art looked to have the race won at the 200m on debut when she hit but just didn't know how to put them away and Impressionism kicked back to narrowly beat her. Queen's Rhapsody is looking to make it back-to-back wins when she steps out at Newcastle. Pucture: Bradley Photos She then went to Kembla where she was a well beaten fifth to Monte Veebee but was found to have bled from one nostril. Having galloped to stewards satisfaction since then, the stable expects her to bounce back in the Maiden Plate (1400m) for fillies and mares. 'Put a line through that run,' Dyson said. 'She galloped for the stewards here last Friday over 1000m to clear that embargo and she worked very strongly. 'We are very happy with her we think she is back to where she was at her first-up run.' Doyle also has two youngsters making their debut in the 2YO Maiden Handicap (1200m). Divo is a grandson of Makybe Diva by Capitalist who has shown plenty of ability winning his two trials this preparation. Just Response is by Justify and like his stablemate, has won both his trials. 'Divo has got a lot of speed. My one query with him is the long time between his last trial on April 24 and his race debut,' said Dyson. 'It would be great if it could get back to somewhere near a soft because the drier the better for him. 'Just Response isn't as sharp as Divo but he has got the fitness edge on his side. He trialled on the Beaumont on Monday and went very well. 'The wet track was absolutely no issue to him so he is one horse we know will get through it.'

Mercury
06-06-2025
- Mercury
Newcastle preview: Home track has Nathan Doyle's gelding set to Attack
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Connections of Rush Attack are putting his last start failure down to not handling the Hawkesbury track and expect to see him return to form back on home turf. Rush Attack settled midfield on the fence bit failed to run on and beat just three home behind Enter The Dragon on April 9. Prior to that run, he won a Benchmark 72 Midway at Rosehill before a nose second in another Midway at Randwick behind Pocketing. 'There are some horses who go to Hawkesbury but just don't handle it,' said David Dyson, racing manager for Nathan Doyle. 'His previous form was very good in town which holds him in very good stead here.' The gelding drops back to a Benchmark 58 and gets in well with 59kg on his back after the claim of Mollie Fitzgerald. 'He is one of the most consistent horses in the stable,' Dyson said 'He has had a little gap between run hence why we trialled him on Monday just to get him ready. 'There's a bit speed in this race and he has drawn to get a beautiful run just behind them. 'One thing this horse does is try and he will put himself in the finish. That's just what he does.' Queen's Rhapsody kicked off her campaign on a bright note with a length win at Hawkesbury on May 15. While she won comfortable in the end, feedback from jockey William Stanley was that she floated once she hit the front. Doyle has put visors on the three-year-old this week to help her focus and she looks extremely hard to beat in the Class 1 Handicap (1250m). 'We have put the visors on this week to help he concentrate a little bit more,' Dyson said. 'She worked in them about 10 days ago and was really good. She was very sharp. They seemed to have taken her to the next level. 'Once again, we have opted to claim again. Mitch Stapleford takes three kilos off which gets her into the race beautifully.' Bohemian Art looked to have the race won at the 200m on debut when she hit but just didn't know how to put them away and Impressionism kicked back to narrowly beat her. Queen's Rhapsody is looking to make it back-to-back wins when she steps out at Newcastle. Pucture: Bradley Photos She then went to Kembla where she was a well beaten fifth to Monte Veebee but was found to have bled from one nostril. Having galloped to stewards satisfaction since then, the stable expects her to bounce back in the Maiden Plate (1400m) for fillies and mares. 'Put a line through that run,' Dyson said. 'She galloped for the stewards here last Friday over 1000m to clear that embargo and she worked very strongly. 'We are very happy with her we think she is back to where she was at her first-up run.' Doyle also has two youngsters making their debut in the 2YO Maiden Handicap (1200m). Divo is a grandson of Makybe Diva by Capitalist who has shown plenty of ability winning his two trials this preparation. Just Response is by Justify and like his stablemate, has won both his trials. 'Divo has got a lot of speed. My one query with him is the long time between his last trial on April 24 and his race debut,' said Dyson. 'It would be great if it could get back to somewhere near a soft because the drier the better for him. 'Just Response isn't as sharp as Divo but he has got the fitness edge on his side. He trialled on the Beaumont on Monday and went very well. 'The wet track was absolutely no issue to him so he is one horse we know will get through it.'