Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Goulburn and Armidale

Pennypacker is by a Golden Slipper winner in Capitalist and related to another one namely Rory’s Jester. The Goulburn bound gelding is ready and able to go back-to-back.

BEST BET

Race 3 No. 3: Pennypacker

Progressive son of Capitalist (also) with the Snowdens who beat a handy horse or two last start. On the up.

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Race 6 No. 9: Pure Hydrogen

Turned in two big runs in town to start the new campaign. Drawn wide but so easy to like in this grade.

VALUE

Race 5 No. 2: Stand In Line

Will have derived benefit from his ‘not too bad’ debut at Nowra. At home this time.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1,4,6

Race 5: 1,2

Race 6: 9

Race 7: 6,9,13

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Robbie Dolan will take beating in the TAB Jockeys Challenge if ALL his rides show up on the day.

ARMIDALE

BEST BET

Race 2 No. 4: Social Outcast

Made up ground in a fast run 1000m maiden on Dec 24 and has trialled well since. Barrier 4 and Bullock.

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Race 1 No. 7: Benbulben

Savabeel gelding who just can’t get to 1900m fast enough; that is to say, he is a rolled-gold stayer.

VALUE BET

Race 5 No. 4: Tribute King

Cardiac arrhythmia in the Highway last month. Freshened and trialled up well in the meantime.

INSIDE MAIL

GOULBURN

RACE 4

Our Baez is famous for her big finish. She earned herself another Highway tilt after winning at Wagga three weeks prior and when all said and done, her seventh of 15 beaten two and three-quarters at Randwick on New Year’s Day was an honourable performance. Small field suits, down in class of course and this is her home track. Dragons Breath led throughout to win at Moruya on Jan 2. Drawn to be prominent; he just has to see out 1300m that’s all.

Bet: Our Baez to win, exacta 4 to beat 1

RACE 5

Stand In Line is trained here by the now four-times Highway winner Danielle Seib. This son of the Bart Cummings bred/Mike Moroney trained Tivaci was $5 out to $8 on debut at Nowra on Dec 4. It was more a case of lack of experience than lack of talent. Expect better from him this time perhaps. Cab Perrio totally belied her $13 to $21 drift when she ran second on debut at Albury over 1175m. Trip suits big time. Matthew Dale trained debutant Dolce Bella is market watch. Her last trial was quite good.

Bet: Stand In Line to win, quinella 1,2

RACE 6

Pure Hydrogen drew 11 of 11 but will be no worse than 7 of 7. John Thompson has nominated for Warwick Farm on Wednesday. All five starts for the daughter of Exosphere have been in town and only one of them was bad (and she had excuses). Thompson’s mare would be a moral here if it wasn’t for the presence of GB-import Kingdom Of Logres. He is a son of Camelot who will get 2000m easy one day but 1400m on debut is doable. Did enough in that last trial to warrant respect.

Bet: Pure Hydrogen to win, exacta 9 to beat 7

RACE 7

Light Press has raced eight times for a solitary second but bear in mind that she has run fourth five times, fifth once and when she ran sixth, that was in town and she was less than two-lengths from the winner and closing fast. This is a long way off being a slam-dunk for her but she’ll be hard to beat nonetheless. Ballon Bleu, the great-granddaughter of Shantha’s Choice is on the verge of a breakthrough. Queen Astrid’s fourth dam is Emancipation.

Bet: Light Press to win, box trifecta 6,9,13,14

INSIDE MAIL

ARMIDALE

RACE 4

Cyber Attack led throughout to win his first run for Stirling Osland on Armidale Cup day. Fast forward to New Year’s Day and this grandson of Sky Cuddle was a neck second in a Class 3 no less on the Inverell Cup undercard. Blinkers first time today. Crime Spree turned in a couple of runs in the summer of 2022 that made you think he might be a pretty good horse. Alas, he hasn’t gone on to any great heights hence why he is no longer part of the Triple Crown/Snowden camp. Sometimes a change is as good as a holiday.

Bet: Cyber Attack to win, Crime Spree to place

RACE 5

Tribute King was $41 into $26 when he came to Randwick on Spring Champion Stakes day but was eased down in the straight and beaten 50-lengths; he was later found to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia. Freshen-up and had an easy (mandatory) trial since. Talented enough type. Ah Well deserves some reward for effort. She’s been good to very good (without winning) for a whole lot of the current campaign. Half of her six wins are at 1400m.

Bet: Tribute King to win, exacta 4 to beat 2

RACE 6

Shooting Zaa is a well bred mare with a tidy C.V of 12 starts for two wins and five placings. A couple of things worth noting is that her only previous run at this track and distance saw her finish second to So Country who won a Highway at his next start. The other point of importance is that Shooting Zaa was third to another handy horse in Brudenell before she (Shooting Zaa) won at Gilgandra. Timely Bel has a decent record at this track and distance herself. Gets in well enough too after the claim. Our Lil Sistar beat So Country when she won her maiden.

Bet: Shooting Zaa to win

RACE 7

The Lion has an unbelievably low benchmark rating for a horse of his talent - past and present. If you guessed his rating is 49, take a bow. How he’s not in the 50’s or more, is bizarre. Anyway, this former Highway winner is a trusty enough stead given the right set of circumstances and this doesn’t look to be an overly deep race. Yes Kurt has only won once in his 25 starts but the good news is that the win was at this very same track and trip. Pyramid of Fire is a massive player - obviously.