Moruya best bets, inside mail for Tuesday, August 5, 2025
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BEST BET
Race 3 No.3: LAGUNA SECA
Local who races well here at home and is a known fresh performer.
NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.2: HELLINDA
Raced 19 times, won twice, runner-up seven times. Beat a good field when won here.
VALUE BET
Race 2 No.5: BRUME DE SOLIEL
Could be ready to deliver third-up. Headed in the right direction.
DAILY DOUBLE
1st Leg: 11, 2nd Leg: 1.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 2, 5
Race 5: 2, 5, 12
Race 6: 7
Race 7: 1, 4, 5
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Quayde Krogh has a red-hot chance of winning the TAB Jockeys Challenge.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ MORUYA INSIDE MAIL
RACE 1: MAIDEN PLATE (1020m)
PERFORMING DIVA (7) has a globally recognisable pedigree, her fourth dam is the mother of Storm Cat while her fifth dam foaled down Royal Academy. Trainer Pat Murphy scratched Performing Diva from Forbes on Sunday and Wagga on Monday to run here and for good reason. AZZUCCA (4) has finished runner-up twice in six starts to date. In a good stable, Jeff Penza on, and has done enough in better races than this one. EAGERLY AWAITS (9) is very hard to line up with two starts, two seconds, one at Morphettville Parks and at Murray Bridge.
BET: PERFORMING DIVA to win.
RACE 2: MAIDEN HANDICAP (1310m)
BRUME DE SOLIEL (5) is '8x77' leading into this but the two runs this preparation, she was beaten 'only' 4½ then six lengths but keep in mind that she was in a field of 14 last time and closed off rather well. This is not an especially deep race. SHOREMAN (9) who races in the colours of the Northern Suburbs Shute Shield team, is yet to score in his six starts but he's pretty nippy and could be hard to catch from box one in this line-up. ICONIQUE (1) was $101 first run for Nick Olive on July 21 and ran a career-best third. Might have turned a corner?
BET: BRUME DE SOLIEL each-way, box trifecta 1, 3, 5, 9.
RACE 3: CLASS 2 HANDICAP (1020m)
LAGUNA SECA (3) is by Sebring, both horses are named after motor-racing tracks in California and Florida respectively. Laguna Seca is a locally-trained gelding who has three thirds from four Moruya starts. While all of his best form is on good tracks, it wouldn't be right to say he is a duffer. Tom Wilson has had GIZA (5) flying since he bought her off Godolphin. She has won twice and placed twice in nine runs including a really impressive one here last start. COMMANDORO (10) has some fabulous numbers here at home.
BET: LAGUNA SECA to win.
RACE 4: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1210m)
HELLINDA (2) has finished first or second at nine of his 19 starts; that said only two of them are wins so he has been quite costly for punters. That said, he is a lot more consistent and competitive than most. What really makes him almost impossible to go past here is that he won over this track and trip three runs back beating Winning Emotions (goes well!). BLUE BAYOU (5) was $18 into $13 and almost landed the plunge when a close and closing second to Deni Girl in a 1210m Benchmark 58 here on July 21. Reliable type. SNAPPY JIM (1) excels on Heavy tracks.
BET: HELLINDA to win, quinella 2, 5.
RACE 5: COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN PLATE (1435m)
SAWMILL (12) is a Gerry Harvey-bred son of All Too Hard out of Testa Rossa mare with broodmare sires including Secretariat, Nasrullah and Man O' War. Apart from being rather well bred, Sawmill is rather handy too, certainly by maiden standards, given she has placed in all five starts to date and in some uncommonly strong maidens too. BRANNUM (2) likewise has placed at every start he's had so far, that's two seconds and a third. Big run here first-up, not sure about the draw though. FEEDBACK (5) is another Gerry Harvey-bred participant; only he kept this one.
BET: SAWMILL to win, Daily Double 1st Leg 12, 2nd Leg 1.
RACE 6: COUNTRY BOOSTED BENCHMARK 66 HANDICAP (1435m)
VERMICELLA (7) is owned and bred by that man again, Gerry Harvey! The Joe Cleary-trained mare will be off to Baramul to join the broodmare band next spring rather than this one you'd think. By the by, she is a daughter of Pierro is from one of Harvey's best families – St Kate. Cleary has ensured that she will retire with a handy little record of (as it stands today) three wins and three seconds from eight starts. Run twice at Moruya and KO'ed Stallone at the first one. Let's stay with the 'Rocky' theme for a minute given the presence of EPAULLO CREED (2) (close enough!). In fine form.
BET: VERMICELLA to win, box trifecta 2, 3, 4, 7.
RACE 7: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1660m)
PERUNO (1) was bred by guess who? Gerry Harvey. A son of the aforementioned Pierro, this gelding is a descendant of Denise's Joy. Though born and raised at Baramul in the Widden Valley, Peruno is very much a Moruya local having raced there 19 times for three wins, three second and five thirds. On top of that, he has a win and a second from three runs at the track/trip. One for one on heavy too. BEAUER (5) paid for himself in the trip away to Grafton with back-to-back placings. Go well here. EASEMENT (4) and SOUL TAKER (6) have claims.
BET: PERUNO each-way. Horse Racing
The dynamic duo of trainer Joe Cleary and Gerry Harvey can add to their extraordinary tally of shared winners in back-to-back races at Moruya Horse Racing
Champion mare Via Sistina will lead an all-star cast of horses at Thursday's delayed barrier trials as the full list of finalists for the Australian Racehorse of the Year awards were announced.
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