Scone Cup punting tips, form and bookie bonuses for Friday May 13
THE two-day Scone Carnival is one of the highlights of the year for many racing enthusiasts.
Day one kicks off this Friday with the Listed $200,000 Scone Cup.
A full field of 20 runners have been accepted for the feature race, including the highly-touted import Goldstream, which won the Group 1 Italian Derby by three lengths in 2015. Now with Kris Lees, the four-year-old is on a path towards the Melbourne Cup and there will be plenty of interest on track.
The $100,000 Inglis 2YO Challenge also features a nice field where unbeaten filly Miss Amajardan is looking to make it three wins on end. Favourite punters could fill their pockets early in the day which will make the bookmakers nervous.
Eight races on the card in total which can all be viewed on Crownbet’s Live Vision where punters watch and bet on live horse racing.
Race 1 – Cressfield Maiden Handicap (1000m)
Team Hawkes will be looking to get their day off to a good start with Ahri in the opening race. The three-year-old travels from Victoria with handy form and the drop back in distance to 1000m should help its chances. Drawing wide in barrier 13 isn’t ideal, but consider at an each way price.
Brobak is a consistent type for trainer Todd Howlett and the best thing going for it is having James McDonald in the saddle. This isn’t the strongest field to kick off a carnival, but Brobak has been around the mark in recent times and is a winning chance.
Blazing Steel is on debut for trainer Kris Lees and that should always be respected. The two-year-old by Smart Missile has a good barrier draw of five and jockey Kerrin McEvoy is a nice addition. Betting will indicate its chance.
Race 1 tip: Brobak to place at Crownbet.com.au
Race 2 – Segenhoe Stud Maiden (1300m)
The Chris Waller-trained Sanaya will be well supported as it has in all four runs this season. The three-year-old filly is still in maiden grade, but it has been working hard and it finds a soft field here. The daughter of More Than Ready will be very tough to beat and it might run as the odds-on favourite.
Stablemate Hogmany is another runner which has been knocking on the door this season. The Lonhro gelding finished third at Warwick Farm last time out and the form behind Arancini should hold up. It has place form on good and wet tracks so consider for the win.
Idlewild is a John O’Shea-trained filly which has three placings from six starts and looms as a chance at this level. The daughter of Lonhro was well backed at $2.15 last start, but it should pay a better price here. The Godolphin team should always be respected so include in multiples.
Race 2 tip: Sanaya to win at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 3 – Inglis 2YO Challenge (1100m)
Barbass has placed in its last three starts and its second placing behind Alliterate is a good form guide. The form out of that race has stood up and despite drawing barrier seven, it should get a good ride from the in-form Blake Shinn. Looks a handy chance in a tricky field.
Miss Amajardan looks the class runner of the field after two blistering wins from two starts. The Jenny Graham-trained filly won by 3.5 lengths on debut in a slick 1000m time of 58.31 seconds and it followed that up with an even more impressive win. The daughter of Hinchinbrook won the Victory Vein Stakes by one length in a time of 56.93 seconds which suggests it’s a horse on the rise. Should run at short odds.
Kris Lees lines up Our Girl Charlie which ran fourth on debut at Taree. The two-year-old filly ran a moderate time over 1000m, but it gets a luxury weight of 54.5kg for this and McEvoy in the saddle. Betting will indicate how forward it is, but place chances appear best.
Race 3 tip: Miss Amajardan to win ($1.60) at Bet365.com.au
Race 4 – Criterion At Newgate C1 Handicap (1600m)
Cash Strapped was disappointing last time out at Randwick in a tough race so it should find this much easier. The Gary Portelli-trained gelding was a narrow winner three back on the Beaumont track and dropping down to 53.5kg which give it a chance in a wide open race. Follow the market for any positive leads.
Storm System mixes its form, but at its best it could take this out. The Gerald Ryan-trained gelding was a winner at Canterbury five starts back and it hasn’t had the best luck since. The inside draw should switch it on and James Innes takes 3kg off its back. Looms as a strong chance at each way odds.
Gouldian has drawn horribly in barrier 18 which might extinguish its chances, but you can never rule out Team Godolphin. The four-year-old has good statistics at this distance and it went extremely close at Warwick Farm last April. James McDonald needs to produce a stellar ride, but we don’t doubt his class.
Race 4 tip: Storm System to win ($6) at Crownbet.com.au
Race 5 – Class 1 Handicap (1100m)
Bonny O’Reilly couldn’t have been more impressive on debut when it won by 9.5 lengths, but granted that came in a four-horse field. The well-bred filly by O’Reilly won as the $1.40 favourite and we expect its price to be near odds-on again. Drawing 16 is a big deterrent, but this horse could be special and it will be exciting to see how it goes against a big field.
Pale Ale has been poor its last two starts, but its win three back at Hawkesbury has since been franked. It defeated Yuma Desert by a half-length and it subsequently won easily on Wednesday at Canterbury. James McDonald lands another good ride and a much better effort is now expected.
Waitandwatch redeemed itself last time out when it won by 4.5 lengths at Wyong. The patiently-handled four-year-old ran as a $1.80 favourite on debut after a stellar trial effort, but was left floundering in the straight, ultimately finishing seventh. Punters climbed back aboard last start, however, and it showed its true potential. Should go close again.
Race 5 tip: Bonny O’Reilly to win ($6) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 6 – Turangga Farm C2 Handicap (1300m)
Torpenhow will attract plenty of support and we’re not expecting its price to be overly generous. The John O’Shea-trained gelding won by 5.8 lengths on debut at Beaumont and then blitzed its rivals by four lengths second up. This is a harder task here, but it drops in weight and it looks a real horse for the future.
Red Extension is a quality gelding which took on tough company in the Hawkesbury Guineas two weeks ago. The Bryce Heys-trained gelding won back-to-back races prior and with the addition of Blake Shinn in the saddle, it should return to that form.
Dixie Chick defeated Sanaya two starts back and that could become a good form guide earlier in the day. The three-year-old by Star Witness didn’t have the best of luck last start, but its form prior was good and it can produce a quick sprint. Consider for the win.
Race 6 tip: Torpenhow to win ($2.50) at Bet365.com.au
Race 7 – Emirates Park Scone Cup (1600m)
Goldstream is the class runner of the field having won the Group 1 Italian Derby last year. The four-year-old has yet to win since, but it will get better with time in Australia and the Melbourne Cup is a serious target later in the year. The winner of five from eight starts is paying a good each way price and it should give a good sight.
High Midnight has come into calculations after winning back-to-back races for trainer James Cummings. The nicely-bred High Chaparral gelding is making the rise in class for this which will make it tough, but it drops from 61kg down to 54kg and that’s a significant drop. Punters have climbed into the $6 it opened up at and it is the current $5.50 favourite.
Mighty Lucky is an eight-time winner which flashed home for second in the Hawkesbury Cup last start. The Fred Cowell-trained gelding will be forced to carry 60kg which is why punters have let it drift from $6 to $6.50, but it has won at Scone in the past and it has plenty of class factor.
Scone Cup tip: Goldstream to win ($6) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 8 – Pages Event Scone Country Cup (1400m)
Pera Pera has been consistent in tough races which included a second placing in the Country Championship Final at Randwick. It is another well supported runner which has been dealt a tough barrier draw (19), but we can’t fault its form and only a touch of luck is needed.
Murranji is a local runner which has had five starts at Scone for three placings. The Rodney Northam-trained gelding was a last start winner at Muswellbrook and its form prior was good enough to suggest a solid effort is in store. This is a very tough field, but consider down in the weights.
Harry Hotspur has the task of carrying 61kg after the claim of Blaike McDougall, but it has won two from its last three. The Kim Waugh-trained runner has won eight from 33 starts and it can handle all track conditions. Gets a nice draw and it could go close.
Race 8 tip: Murranji to place ($3.75) at WilliamHill.com.au