Tips and inside mail for racing at Wagga on Monday
BEST BETS WITH SHAYNE O'CASS
WAGGA
BEST BET
Race 2 No. 3: Donegal Bay
Third-up, at home, in form. Key is the 1200m. Be strong late.
NEXT BEST
Race 1 No. 12: Serenading
Well-bred first-starter from a top yard with a top jockey. Has a future.
VALUE
Race 5 No. 1: Galston Gorge
Gerry Harvey/Joe Cleary blue-blood drawn perfect in an ideal race.
BEST EXOTIC
Race 4 quinella Nos. 2,3
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1,6
Race 6: 1,4,6,7
Race 7: 1,4,7
Race 8: 2,4,8,10
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Blaike McDougall has ridden 105 winners ar Wagga, more than any other venue he has visited.
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WAGGA INSIDE MAIL
RACE 1
Serenading was bred by industry legend Neville Begg who has a few horses with Danny Beasley including this filly's brother Donegal Bay which runs in the race after this one. As for this filly, she is on debut and trialled well enough back in January. This is winnable if she actually has the talent that she seems to. Miss Pepeha is bred to win the Grand National Steeplechase but funnily enough back to 1000m suits her.
Bet: Serenading to win, quinella 8,12
RACE 2
Donegal Bay, as mentioned above, is a Begg/Beasley housed Wagga local. One thing we can absolutely say for sure about him, is that he is looking for 1200m on a nice big track like this. If anything, the wide draw might have done him a favour. Bonnie Murringo was spelled after a solid enough debut to a handy horse here back on December 17 and has trialled well of late. Tassy Fox is slow early but fast late.
Bet: Donegal Bay to win (best bet)
RACE 3
Pride Of Jezza has placed three times in his nine starts and you could argue that the best of all runs was in fact his last start in a Super Maiden. Bomerton ran fourth in that same race. He was a half length behind 'Jezza' at the finish but was several horses behind him at the 400m. Daintains Prize was second in that very same, very instructive race! Sets up for a really absorbing rematch today.
Bet: Pride Of Jezza each-way, box trifecta 1,3,4,7
RACE 4
Special Prophet has raced at 1600m twice and they are in fact her two most recent runs. She was beaten a lip at Narrandera the first time and won here the next. She can get herself up there on the speed and carries weight too; just a matter of handling the wide draw today. That goes too for Miss Fennell whose record speaks for itself and while it speaks loudly, this is her first time to 1600m. Adasiti was the horse that beat Special Prophet at Narrandera.
Bet: Special Prophet to win, quinella 2,3
RACE 5
Galston Gorge is by Zoustar out of Oakleigh Plate winner Mrs Onassis. Bred by Gerry Harvey, he was passed in with a $450,000 reserve at the Magic Millions. Fast forward to the present and Joe Cleary has had the gelding for five starts, winning two of them, one of those was by three-lengths over Mahogany Girl, first-up, like he is today. Hope And Glory won a strong Maiden on debut in January and was runner-up to a handy horse on June 17.
Bet: Galston Gorge to win, quinella 1,6
RACE 6
Miss Stalwart has the same barrier and jockey booked for Goulburn on Tuesday. Hard to beat wherever she goes. Choice Witness is trained in Victoria but is just as comfortable and competitive on this side of the border. Best of all perhaps is that he is one for one on Heavy. Three Musketeers, another one housed at Wangaratta, is one for at the Wagga 1200m. His only other run here was a late surging fourth in a Benchmark 82!
Bet: Three Musketeers to place
RACE 7
Brial Rose has been a bonny mare for Ron Stubbs from day one when she was third to her stablemate Prophet Time on debut then runner-up to Gundy Guy after that. You really couldn't punch many, if any, holes in her form and keep in mind she was unlucky in a Highway last year. Unbeaten on Heavy. Antisocial has the race fitness edge having just won at Swan Hill. The Other Straand won by six at Gundagai and jumped from 12 of 12!
Bet: Brial Rose to win
RACE 8
Badhatharry has got back and run on hard at his first two starts but when he got a good draw and up to 1400m, Jeff Penza was able to take him to the lead and timed it such that the horse had enough left to win. That was 1400m here on a Soft 7 so a pretty similar set-up today except of course this is a Benchmark 58. That said, it looks as though the quality and quantity of the race will, and has, fallen away a bit. Of those who might come; Darkely is a major player.
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