By Neil Evans
Track likely soft 6 and rail true.
RACE 1 – 1.45PM: TOOHEYS EXTRA DRY CG&E MAIDEN HANDICAP (1000m)
The maiden boys get the transferred meeting underway on a surface that will likely slip well back into soft range, with some rain forecast. Going with Winning Rupert four-year old and long-priced debutant 1. Vermeulen at the value who is trained on the track and starting his career as a gelding. Was strong through the line in a recent trial at Armidale on soft 6 going, and looks ready to go.
A seven-race card in Tamworth awaits punters on Thursday.Credit:Geoff O’Neill
Dangers: Naturally, three-year-old 5. Jackyy Dee is a big threat from a soft draw back in a maiden with less depth second-up, and the scratching of the stablemate was a significant pointer. Must include Divine Prophet three-year-old 2. Heavenly Scent on debut behind a quiet trial and local four-year-old 9. Lord Of The Sun off a quiet trial and nearly six weeks between runs.
How to play it: Vermeulen each-way and box trifecta 1,2,5,9.
Odds and Evens: Odds.
RACE 2 – 2.25PM: XXXX GOLD F&M MAIDEN HANDICAP (1000m)
Keen here on improving mare 4. Soosie Boog who finds an easier race at her second start. Will settle back around midfield with handy speed up front, and well bred to handle any track downgrades.
Dangers: Plenty of them headed by Sidestep mare 2. Swivelling on debut off a handy trial win in heavy ground, and gets a useful weight claim. Keep safe 6. Divine Rendezvous who starts her career behind a quiet trial for a leading country stable while 7. Swindled, who has trialled OK for an underrated home stable, 8. Star Diamond who draws well and 13. Shamalie second-up are all capable of running into the placings
How to play it: Soosie Boog to win.
Odds and Evens: Evens.
RACE 3 – 3.05PM: GUYRA CUP DAY SUNDAY 6/11/2022 BENCHMARK 66 HANDICAP- SPRING CUP (2100m)
Very keen here on consistent provincial mare 2. Lady Audrey who hasn’t missed a place all prep, winning two straight at Taree and Gilgandra up to class 2 level from just off the speed. Was then edged out by a nose in the stronger BM79 Port Macquarie Cup Prelude two weeks ago, run in heavy conditions. Naturally goes up in weight for this drop in grade, but she’s hard fit for the longer journey and boasts a superior record on rain-affected ground
Dangers: Last-start class 1 winner 4. Hyland Bay gets a 2kg weight drop for this tougher test over further, but is ultra-consistent in any ground, while 5. Cliffs Of Moher is hard fit shooting back up to his pet distance and the more rain the better
How to play it: Lady Audrey to win.
Odds and Evens: Evens.
RACE 4 – 3.40PM: BECOME A MEMBER OF ARMIDALE J.C CLASS 2 HANDICAP (1400m)
Home-track mare 1. Maly Malt is the one to beat coming back 200m in distance third-up. Was consistent in Victoria earlier in the year before switching to this region, and resuming with an all-the-way class 1 win at Scone over this trip. Was swamped in this class when stepping up to the mile last start, but back in trip four weeks between runs from a softer draw with a 2kg weight claim is the right recipe to bounce back, especially in a race of far less depth.
Dangers: Big watch on six-year-old 3. Cubic Zirconia who tackled much tougher Highway company two starts ago before boxing on OK from the front in a handy BM58 at this track. Keep safe another six-year-old in 4. Praeferox who steps up in class, but gets a significant weight drop and relishes soft tracks.
How to play it: Maly Malt to win.
Odds and Evens: Odds.
RACE 5 – 4.20PM: ARMIDALE JOCKEY CLUB FUNCTION CENTRE COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN PLATE (1200m)
Like another one trained on the track here — improving four-year-old 3. Civil War — in what is a particularly modest maiden. Failed to run on at home in very heavy ground two starts back against better opposition before improving sharply to hit the line from well back in soft going, again in a deeper affair. Stable has given him another month between runs, and removed the blinkers for the first time in a key gear change
Dangers: Improving four-year-old 5. Hutchy’s Dream was no match for the winner in very heavy ground at Armidale last start, but better placed here on firmer ground and back 100m in trip. Include in exotics 9. Holly Road, who did her best work late here second-up only 10 days ago, while 11. Special Day has trialled well in open company and given five weeks between runs.
How to play it: Civil War to win.
Odds and Evens: Odds a special.
RACE 6 – 4.55PM: ARMIDALE CUP DAY SUNDAY 11/12/2022 BENCHMARK 66 HANDICAP (1200m)
Tough and still improving four-year-old 3. Gobbled rates a near good thing shooting for back-to-back wins over the same distance in a race that has been weakened. Worked home OK in a BM58 two runs back after doing plenty of work from the wide gate before sitting a little closer in a class 2 and charging over the top late. Draws to get a good trail, right at home on soft tracks, and gets in well at the weights after the rider’s 1.5kg claim
Dangers: Plenty of respect for tough seven-year-old 2. The Difference who worked home OK in the deeper Moree Cup while 8. Heredero comes off a dominant win in weaker grade, and also thrives in soft going.
How to play it: Gobbled to win.
Odds and Evens: Split.
RACE 7 – 5.35PM: TOOHEYS NEW COUNTRY BOOSTED BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1200m)
Like the value about ultra-honest six-year-old 8. Time For Don deep into his prep, and having only missed a place once in his last five. Tracked the speed before easily surging home to win two starts back in a handy class 1 at Armidale before again closing off well in heavy going in a similar-graded race. Draws well here, and more experienced jockey takes over.
DANGERS: Naturally, lightly race local five-year-old 1. Mystery Lad is the clear threat third-up behind two solid efforts against deeper opposition while 2. Just In Reach, first-up, and 7. King’s Gold off a dominant third-start maiden win head the rest.
How to play it: Time For Don each-way and quinella 1 and 8.
Odds and Evens: Split.
BEST BETS:
Race 3: (2) Lady Audrey
Race 6: (3) Gobbled
BEST VALUE:
Race 7: (8) Time For Don
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter
