Wagga races: Preview, best bets and inside mail, Sunday racing

Consistent mare Falreine is finally ready to shed the bridesmaid tag and enjoy her own day in the sun at Wagga Wagga on Sunday.

Goulburn trainer Neil Osborne has had a string of near misses with his talented five-year-old and is desperate to see her hit the target this weekend.

Falreine has placed in seven of her 13 starts with five of those coming since the mare joined Osborne’s yard from Kim Waugh last year.

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The Choisir mare has returned in top order this preparation with a pair of narrow seconds at her first two runs this time in at Wagga and Orange.

She returns to Wagga third-up from a spell to break her duck in the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale (30-31) Maiden Plate (1000m).

“Falreine is busting to win a race,” Osborne said.

“She doesn't like the wet a lot but we are hoping the track continues to dry out.

“She has been effective on soft going but she is better on top of the ground as the two runs back have shown.

“If we had of drawn a barrier the other day, we probably turn the result around.”

Falreine will take on a competitive field of 14 runners with in-form jockey Shaun Guymer booked.

Osborne expects Guymer will need to go back from a tricky barrier 12 draw but believes Falreine will be well suited to being back in the pack.

“She will have to go back from the gate,” Osborne said.

“Because we missed it at Wagga first up, we probably learnt something about her that she didn't have to go forward.

“She is probably a bit better held up a little bit.”

Stablemate Spirits Burn Deep will have just her second career start in the Captain Morgan F&M Maiden Plate (1000m).

The Deep Field filly was a beaten $2.80 favourite on debut at Goulburn but Osborne felt his three-year-old had legitimate excuses on a day where not much went right.

“She was a little bit slow away, got back in the ruck and got in a bit of strife,” Osborne said.

“I was happy enough where she finished. She is not timid but is a sensitive sort of filly.

“One of the boys said you should turn her out and I said ‘if you turn her out she will come back exactly the same’.”

“She needs to learn what it's all about and what is going on.”

Billy Owen pilots Spirits Burn Deep while he’s also been booked to ride Osborne’s third runner on the card, the three-year-old first starter Mouldy.

Mouldy is a son of Astern out of the mare Blue Carlou, which won on all surfaces and up to 2000m in her career.

Osborne has only give Mouldy, an eye catching grey, one trial in preparation for his first start in the Wagga Wagga Marketplace Maiden Handicap (1300m).

“It's all about education for him,” Osborne said.

“He will want further being out of Astern and a staying sort of mare. Whatever he does on Sunday he will improve on.”

Osborne remains in the ownership of all three of his contenders so would have plenty of reason to celebrate if he can come away with a winning result on Sunday.

MITCH COHEN’S TOP SELECTIONS

BEST BET

Race 1 No.4: ASSOCIATE

City class galloper that can bounce back to his best in the bush.

NEXT BEST

Race 6 No.8: PARTICIPATOR

Raced without luck in the Country Championships qualifier. He can get his consolation prize here.

VALUE BEST

Race 7 No.5: BACKWATER TRADER

Track and distance specialist. Won convincingly at his last visit here.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 2, 3, 6

Race 6: 8

Race 7: 2, 5, 10

Race 8: 3, 5, 15

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Danny Beasley has hit the target at the last two Wagga meetings and looks well poised to do it again.

INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1

Nutbush Ambush is a son of Invader that has shown some promise early in his career. While she‘s yet to win, she has come close finishing second in both starts at Albury. She gets the winkers for the first time here and can go one better if she can overcome the wide gate. Hurricane Coni is returning from a break after placing in both of his first preparation runs. The son of Nicconi will be doing his best work late. Spirited King was knocking at the door before going for a freshen up and only needs to recapture that form.

Bet: Nutbush Ambush to win.

RACE 2

Danceenuff is back from a 16-week break and can win first-up. The Wayne Carroll-trained filly narrowly missed out on breaking her maiden first up last preparation and has trialled well in the lead up to her third start. Group 1 jockey Danny Beasley should get all the favours from the gun draw. Mosgold is certainly the main danger. She was tenacious in both of her debut prep second placings and expect she will deliver a similarly forward showing first up here. Spirits Burn Deep should be a sharp improver at her second race start.

Bet: Danceenuff to win. Quinella 10, 11.

RACE 3

Forty Four Cubits is a first starter by Bon Hoffa out of an unraced mare Languedoc. She finds a nice race to make her debut after recently comfortably winning her most recent trial. The Keith Dryden-trained filly gets a gun draw and can run a big race at odds. Falreine has placed in seven of her 13 runs. She’s getting closer to break through and it shouldn’t surprise if her day arrives on Sunday. It’s a similar story for Kaphands but she boasts a superior draw (barrier two).

Bet: Forty Four Cubits to win.

RACE 4

Associate comes into this a month between runs after failing to run up to expectation first-up in town. The Danielle Seib-trained gelding only beat one runner home at Kensington when a $2.80 chance. He’s better than that and trusting he can bounce back in style back in the bush. Too Sharp has made a nice enough start to his career, placing at three of his first four starts. A tricky draw in barrier 10 could hamper his chances. Gobbo’s Mate is a consistent enough galloper that should get every chance third up from a good gate.

Bet: Associate to win.

RACE 5

Les Goh has been a model of consistency and that shouldn’t change here. She has placed in her past five runs with two wins in that stretch while she was a narrow runner up last time. Molly Bourke’s 1.5kg claim and the two gate are both big ticks for her chances. Snap Brook will jump from one to her outside. The lightly-raced galloper only needs to see out a strong 1800m to finish around the money. Miss Athena isn’t without a hope after finishing no worse than third in her past five runs.

Bet: Trifecta 2,3,5,6.

RACE 6

Participator saw his Country Championships aspirations come up disastrously short in the SERA qualifier after he never got a crack at them and ended up out the back. He was favourite for the qualifier on the strength of a dominant Wagga win before that. Expecting him to bounce back in a big way in his return to Wagga. Ruban Bleu will keep the top pick honest if he isn’t at the top of his game. He’s a consistent enough seven-year-old that races well in the Riverina. The same goes for Wichita Warrior.

Bet: Participator to win.

RACE 7

Backwater Trader saves some of his best racing for Wagga and produced a slashing performance to win at this track and trip last time. It boosted his record to two wins and two placings in six attempts over the Wagga 1000m. He handles wet conditions if the track doesn’t dry out. Oh No Mikki worked home from the back fresh from a break and can be a sharp improver second-up. Drawn to take the shortest way home here. Pretty Extreme returns to the scene of her slashing last start success and should be competitive again.

Bet: Backwater Trader to win.

RACE 8

Mo Chara is an emerging galloper that can make it a winning hat-trick on Sunday. The Scott Spackman-trained gelding has put together a couple of nice wins at Wagga at his past two. His chances only get better the drier the track becomes. Magmetric comes into this six weeks between runs after winning on debut at Albury. He’s certainly got upside. Zoe Shark is another last-start winner after saluting at Corowa and has a superior draw to several of her main rivals in an open affair.