Latest News

By Neil Evans

Track is a Soft 7 with the rail in the True position for its Racing NSW Country Showcase Cup Day meeting.

Kicking off a good meeting under overcast skies (top of 25 deg) with the maidens over the short course. Keen on Canberra 3YO 2. Erwin ($3.80 favourite on TAB) at his debut after bolting in a trial here. Draws nicely and bred to handle the wet with his sire a Group winner in heavy ground.

Dangers: Local 3YO 1. Get Shafted ($6) won narrowly on debut here at big odds, while Queanbeyan filly and likely leader 5. Jesta Diva ($3.90) has missed narrowly in two runs this prep, run down by a handy one at the Sapphire Coast last start.

How to play it: Erwin to win
Odds and Evens: Split a special

Plenty of chances in this one headed by Kembla 4YO 3. Stays On Tour ($5) who should be able to find the front and will be hard to gun down. Form through stronger provincial company has been okay and he's better suited around the smaller course. Second run in soft going but bred to handle it.

Dangers: Expecting 3YO 7. Important Product ($3.50 fav) to improve third-up with the blinkers on and back slightly in trip after two disappointing efforts in deeper races. Include home track 4YO 5. Tornac ($3.80) who will appreciate a drop in class third-up off a long break, although a query in the ground.

How to play it: Stays On Tour to win and box exacta 3,5,7
Odds and Evens: Odds

Home track 4YO 5. Kattegat ($2.10 fav) is primed third-up off two very progressive Highway runs hitting the line behind a couple that are on the smart side. Looks reasonably well treated at the weights and drawn to get to the outside.

Dangers: Improving 3YO 3. Tickler ($3.30) is also well-placed third-up from the draw after two solid closing efforts in Highway grade. Gets a little more ground and only success so far came on debut in heavy ground at Warwick Farm. Include 7YO 6. Zardoro ($6.50) who has worked home late in consecutive Highways behind two high-class Scone gallopers and also draws to come down the middle.

How to play it: Kattegat to win and trifecta 5/3,6/3,6
Odds and Evens: Odds

Surprised by the price of local 4YO 5. Pahang ($14) who can peak over this trip. Hit the line from a long way back resuming and only career win came here second-up in soft going.

Dangers: Improving 5YO 2. Clay Pan Boogie ($2.30 fav) finished well into a place resuming in a Highway and the second horse Kattegat goes around in the previous race so a form pointer awaits. Kembla 4YO 4. Sir Eagle ($6) found the line nicely resuming in a deeper race and wet track credentials are sound.

How to play it: Pahang each-way
Odds and Evens: Split

Back to the sprint trip and there should be plenty of heat on up front. Canberra mare 1. Eltham Palace ($4) was way below her best resuming here in the Xmas Flying but despite a sharp rise in weight, will find this easier. Unbeaten on heavy ground and won or been placed three times in four starts on the slow.

Dangers: Not much went right for stablemate filly 10. Emma's Gift ($3.20 fav) second-up here after being slow away. Had previously won her maiden at home and the second horse then won next start. Trainer has applied winkers and gets a soft draw provided the inside going is okay. Track the market on ex-South Australian mare 5. Salome ($5) having her first run for a new Nowra stable off a two-month break, while local 3YO 8. I Am Bolt ($7.50) resumes from a good draw.

How to play it: Eltham Palace to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Feature sprint is typically wide open with a stack of chances. Home track mare 8. Revitup Rednut ($4.40 fav) loves rain-affected ground and can peak fourth-up with blinkers going on. Finished like a train right behind the placegetters in the Xmas Flying and again drawn to get to the outside.

Dangers: Naturally, plenty of them. Tough Canberra 5YO 6. Major Time ($5) surged home from midfield to win that Xmas Flying and is hard fit. Should handle the wet being by Epaulette but the three who finished behind him in a blanket finish all meet him better at the weights. Local mare 10. Snitzagirl ($19) hit the line okay in the Xmas Flying and is way over the odds in ground she loves. Smart Canberra mare 7. Eve's Miss ($7.50) has a near 25% winning strike rate from 30 starts and has never raced better. Surged late to miss by a long head in the Xmas Flying here before rubber-stamping that run with a strong closing win in a good BM 82 at home. Big watch on 4YO 9. Rothenburg ($7.50) resuming for a new local stable off a handy trial. Bolted in a Highway on heavy ground in late June. Keep safe Warwick Farm 6YO 2. Wander ($6.50) who charged home to win a BM 64 at Wyong and has a strong wet track record, while local 6YO 1. Up Trumpz ($8.50) hasn't won for a while but kept chasing a smart sprinter second-up at Canterbury. Has to carry 61kg but up to 1200m at the right time.

How to play it: Back Revitup Rednut on an each-way basis and take the first four 6,7,8,10/6,7,8,10/1,2,6,7,8,9,10/1,2,6,7,8,9,10
Odds and Evens: Evens

The big one of the day is also wide open, but 5YO Canberra mare 12. Perfect Pitch ($7) is suited after banging on the door all prep. Charged home late in a metro BM 72 before again finishing on well in a Highway. Drops 4kg from that run and the leading country rider has been booked.

Dangers: Free-wheeling 4YO 9. Donandkim ($3.50 fav) was heavily backed leading until the final stages third-up in a metro BM 72 over the mile and if he finds his top form coming back in trip, will take some running down. Local 6YO 7. Whisky'n'diamonds ($14) has won his last two here including last-start Xmas Cup when he motored home from well back. Draws to get a soft run and should be right at his peak fourth-up. Canberra 5YO 4. Gunga Din ($6.50) was impressive at home in a BM 70 sailing home from well back under a big weight. One of the better-weighted runners carrying 4.5kg less, but has only finished one placing in four starts on soft. Big-finishing 7YO 6. Ruthless Agent ($15), like many, is a real each-way show at big odds after making up a ton of ground in the Xmas Cup here and drops significantly in weight for this harder test. Local 7YO 5. Hay Bale ($11) is another chance at double-figure odds. Run down late in the Xmas Cup, but has only missed a place once in seven starts here and relishes wet tracks. Include in exotics Canberra 7YO 13. Balonne ($14) who rocketed home to win a Federal starts back before again hitting the line in a tougher-graded Federal, but has only been placed once in nine runs on the soft.

How to play it: Perfect Pitch each-way
Odds and Evens: Split

Keen on locally-trained 4YO 7. Boom And Zoom ($6) at the weights. Held his ground okay resuming in a CL 2 here, but gets out to his best trip carrying 2.5kg less and excels on rain-affected ground.

Dangers: Canberra 4YO 5. Loafing ($7.50) will also relish the longer journey after working home late in that same CL 2. Drops 2kg with blinkers added and cruised home to win his maiden here on a Heavy 9 in the winter. Smart 5YO mare 1. Proven Class ($2.50 fav) rattled home to win a Highway over further three starts back and was again good late in a Highway a month back. Sparingly raced all prep and likes it wet and by late in the meeting, an outside draw may be favourable. Kembla 5YO 2. Devil Dan ($5) upset a promising one first-up at home but rises in class and weight.

How to play it: Boom And Zoom each-way and box exacta 1,5,7
Odds and Evens: Odds

BEST BETS
R1 2. ERWIN ($3.80)
R3 5. KATTEGAT ($2.10)

BEST VALUE
R6 8. REVITUP REDNUT ($4.40)

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Moruya here