Shayne O’Cass’s best bets for Wagga and Narromine

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Chautauqua makes history at the TJ Smith Stakes1:15

Horse Racing: Chautauqua makes history at the TJ Smith Stakes.

• April 1st 2017
• 19 hours ago
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Landlocked, ridden by Glen Boss, wins the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup. pic Mark Evans

A DECISION to wait another week is set to pay off for Stephen Aldridge as the Wodonga trainer declared Dalrada “spot on” for the Michael Inglis Flying (1000m) at Wagga.

Aldridge had planned to run ­Dalrada first-up last week but he decided against it and feels that his decision will be ­justified on Sunday.

“She always races well first-up and she was going to go around last week in the Flat Knacker (at Albury) but I just thought she wasn’t 100 per cent right, so we decided to wait for another week and I think she is right in it,” Aldridge said.

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“As it worked out, the Flat Knacker wasn’t a real strong race either but I just felt she needed one more gallop and she worked on Wednesday morning and it topped her right off for this week. I can’t be more happy with her going into this race and I think she is spot on for (Sunday).”

Dalrada has only had the one run for Aldridge, a close second at Corowa over 1000m in December, but the six-year-old mare won first-up last preparation at Bendigo and has also been placed another two times fresh.

“She ticks all the boxes,” Aldridge said. “She has drawn well and she gets the 3kg off (with Lachlan King’s claim) and ends up with 52kg on her back, so I think it’s a nice race for her.

“If she is good enough, that’s another thing but I think she is pretty well spot on for this race.”

Trainer Stephen Aldridge will be hoping to snare a winner at Wagga on Sunday. Picture: Mark EvansSource:News Corp Australia

Aldridge rated Dalrada his best chance of a winner at Wagga today but he also gave a solid push for His Spirit in the Lion Class 3 Handicap (1400m). The six-year-old won a Class 2 at Corowa over the mile by almost four lengths last start and Aldridge is upbeat he can go on with the job.

“His last two runs have been good, his (Wangaratta) run was perfect and Corowa was spot on,” he said. “He is coming back to a 1400m race (today) but it has been three weeks between runs as well. He is a horse you don’t gallop so you’re going in a bit blindfolded but he has done really well and I couldn’t be happier with him.

“He is a horse that is coming right into it nicely at the right time and he is going to be there in the thick of things as well.”

Aldridge’s Wagga team rounds out with Mawolf in race four.

“He went around at Berrigan last start and ran second there,” he said. “I think this race is probably out of his depth a little bit but you’ve got to give them a try and we will be doing our best with him. He is a horse that we will win a race but he needs everything to go right.”

SHAYNE O’CASS’S BEST BETS

BEST BET: MISS LIFFEY (Race 7, No. 2)

Talented mare from the Trevor McIlrick stables that ran three successive 2nds to open the campaign before that last start failure in the Camarena at Canberra where she drew 14 of 14 and was much further back than usual. Can certianly bounce back from the better alley.

NEXT BEST: DYRHAM PARK (Race 3, No. 3)

A handy type who is rarely if ever far away at the finish. He is very fit having his fourth run in this campaign and whilst he goes to 2000m for the first time, he looks capable of carrying it of. Honest and quite classy on his day, he’ll give a good account of himself.

VALUE: I’VE GOT THIS (Race 5, No. 7)

A superbly bred Stracraft out of Merele De Lago from the Matthew Dale camp. This 3YO is 7s 1-0-1 and has frequently mixed and match it with better horses than a C1 and Maiden that he goes around in this afternoon. His only win so far was at this venue.

It's Somewhat holds on for win in the Doncaster Mile 0:55

Horse Racing: It's Somewhat holds on for win in the Doncaster Mile.

• April 1st 2017
• 19 hours ago
• /video/video.news.com.au/Sport/Horse Racing/

NARROMINE

Hard to go past Lane’s pair

Shayne O’Cass

NARROMINE is a long haul from Wyong but if you can come away with a perfect score it’ll be __like a trip around the corner.

That’s the happy scenario facing Wyong trainer Damien Lane who has it tailor-made for his pair, Bench Star and Neon Jungle, the likely favourites in their respective races.

“I think it’s part of the game now, we’ve got to travel and everybody is prepared to do it,’’ Lane said. “But it’s a lot easier taking them out there when they are competitive, it’s a long way to go if you are taking them out there for nothing.’’

Bench Star will take a power of stopping in the $20,000 USMC Kokoda Trail Handicap over 1600m after his last-start placing at Scone behind the in-form Red Knot. He may be an eight-year-old but the son of All Bar One appears to be tracking in the best form of his career.

“He has been racing really consistently of late and he’s had no wet-track form throughout his career so I was 50-50 whether to scratch him at Scone; anyway, we went around and I thought he battled on really well ­actually,’’ Lane said. “He’s loving life at the moment and is enjoying his work, he is in a good vein of form so hopefully we can get him over the line.’’

Lane’s only other runner at Narromine is the lightly-raced Neon Jungle whose five starts have heralded a win and two placings. Those placings were both at home at Wyong behind crack Godolphin three-year-old Eusebio and ­recent Albury Guineas winner Siren’s Fury.

The son of Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort comes off a last-start win at Tamworth at his first try over today’s trip of 1600m.

“I think eventually he will end up back at the provincials,’’ Lane said. “His only poor run was at Scone one day when we tried to ride the horse off the speed and it just didn’t work so I think he is definitely a horse that has got to be ridden forward.’’

One of the highlights of today’s card is the Narromine Diggers Cup (1300m) where the Kayle Kirkwood mount Baites looks primed for a bold bid at each-way odds with the featherweight.

SHAYNE O’CASS’S BEST BETS

BEST BET: NEON JUNGLE (Race 6, No. 3)

Lightly raced galloper who has a record of 5s 1-0-3. Those two thirds are behind crack 3YO Eusebio and later to Siren’s Fury who subsequently took out the Albury Guineas. proved himself at this trip with a win at Tamworth last time out. The one to beat.

NEXT BEST: BENCH STAR (Race 9, No. 6)

Stablemate to Neon Jungle. This 8YO has never been racing better it seems with three straight placings, the last two at Scone against somewhat superior opposition to what he faces today. Going well and sure to be in the finish.

Originally published as Preview: Best bets for Wagga, Narromine