SA racing industry journalist Lincoln Moore’s preview for today’s Naracoorte program has landed. Linc has dissected the seven-race card, plus provided a BEST BET, a BEST EACH WAY tip and a VALUE selection.
RACE 1 - 12:45PM LONGMIRE Naracoorte horse of the year / SABOIS Maiden Plate (1000 METRES)
Looks an opportune race for ULTIMATE VICTORY who drops back from Saturday class and gets the winkers for the first time. He was specked on debut when he made good ground on Daniyah at Murray Bridge back in April before resuming when 5.8 length 6th behind Chosen Blonde at Morphettville earlier this month. He draws out but has upside. The big question will his first trip away and prospects of a heavy track. MELHOOPEN showed ability in her first campaign finishing runner-up at Murray Bridge and Bordertown. She comes into this on the back of a Balaklava trial win beating Xingyun, who was a winner at Gawler last Wednesday and the Travis Doudle stable has an excellent strike rate. SWEET MINSKY is an ex-Anthony Freedman-trained mare who was sent out favourite at last run in Victoria at Ballarat when she led and was beaten 11 lengths. She was previously placed at Mornington which is solid enough form for this. GIRLINTHEMIRROR has placed at five of 10 starts and has run well first-up previously. She has been placed twice in soft going. FEDE SEMPRE showed speed but was well beaten in a recent jump out behind Promoter
SELECTIONS: ULTIMATE VICTORY, Melhoopen, Girlinthemirror
RACE 2 - 1:20PM Mini Jumbuk Naracoorte Cup 7th February 2021 Benchmark 66 Handicap (1430 METRES
SEBONNA is a former New South Wales galloper who was left in the gates at his local debut back in April. He looked pretty good in a recent trial here when placed behind Outinthestreet and Soul Fire (who was placed first-up in town behind Octane). He was heavily back from $2.15 into $1.75 and led throughout on a heavy track at Wyong last September. CRIMSON TYCOON tends to mix his form and was a drifter in betting before leading throughout and giving a big kick to score at Bordertown last time. He’s won four of 12 and gets into this well with the claim. He did get through a soft 7 to win at Murray Bridge four starts back. NEAR MAGIC is racing well in similar class winning two of his past four. He only battled behind the white-hot Territory Titan in town last time, but the winner is low flying and gave nothing else a look in on that day winning by more than 3 lengths. ROHLON DRUNK has a good record here with two wins (and one placing) from five runs. He was a Gawler winner two starts back but looked disappointing on face value last time at Bordertown when he was slow to jump and didn’t make an impression behind CRIMSON TYCOON. However, he does get a weight turn around, the blinkers go off and he’s drawn perfectly. RED DYNAMO could be the improver. He won three races back in New Zealand and was specked at a price ($26-$12) but only battled in much stronger class when 7.7 lengths last behind Silverhawk at Morphettville last time but the leaders did set a cracking tempo.
SELCTIONS: SEBONNA, Crimson Tycoon, Rohlon Drunk
RACE 3 - 1:55PM TAB / SABOIS Maiden Handicap (1430 METRES)
Big field and really open race which I’m keen to stay out of. SANDHILL REBEL has been placed two of three starts including on debut here when beaten 3.1 lengths behind Cool Magnum on a heavy 8. He grinded to the line well at Bordertown last time and has each -way appeal. IRONICAL was runner-up behind Young Lars at Penola two runs back before making ground in the race won by Budget King back in May. That horse has obviously gone onto better things on the dirt and he must be respected on his home track. BURN THE TURF debuted at Ballarat last March in a race won by Super Seth. His last three runs from a break weren’t bad for a race of this depth, but he’s trialled only fairly for his return. CASINO SEVENTEEN got back and made ground at his only start in Victoria before joining the Travis Doudle stable. ROMANTIC VOYAGE was beaten 46 and 31.5 lengths respectively at his first two runs over the border but did improve at Murray bridge last time, though still beaten 9.3 lengths behind Mr Wolf. He could be the improver. DR CHOCCY has been placed in heavy conditions, while SOUMAH is a former Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace four-year-old first-up for John Dunn and Krystal Bishop.
SELECTIONS: IRONICAL, Burn The Turf, Sandhill Rebel
RACE 4 - 2:30PM SE Motor Company Benchmark 62 Handicap (1200 METRES)
Plenty of winning chances. DENREKLAW tried hard behind Cool Magnum here two starts back before having solid support and defeating The Olympian at Murray Bridge last time. He’s drawn a sticky gate but has the claim. Stablemate NEVER SHORT was a winner here two starts back and then got a long way out of his ground behind Just Chipping Away at Bordertown. He hasn’t missed a placed in three runs here on his home track and must be respected. OUR BOY BAILEY looked good leading throughout at Gawler in Saturday grade two runs back before sitting up on speed but fading behind Brimarvi Rooboy at Gawler last time. The claim and good gate brings him back into calculations. KIRSHIMA has been placed at 10 of 24 starts (with just one win) and was solid behind Just Chipping Away last time. The blinkers go off and visor on, and he draws a good barrier. TERINDAH ran really well beaten just four lengths behind The Difference at Morphettville two starts back before jumping favourite in the race won by Crimson Tycoon at Bordertown last time. He’s the best wet tracker in this race with two wins and two seconds from seven starts. KILOWATT has won seven races and does go OK fresh. He ran second behind Icon at Morphettville back in February and draws the inside.
SELECTIONS: TERINDAH, Never Short, Denreklaw.
RACE 5 - 3:05PM Coopers Benchmark 62 Handicap (2000 METRES)
BEAR ARMS is going well for a race like this with two wins her past four. She thrashed HAASTA LA BULLET by 7.3 lengths here two starts back and has a proven record on heavy tracks with two wins from three starts. She draws a nice gate and looks hard to beat. HASTA LA BULLET has a good record this track and handy form over the 2000m plus trips. He was runner-up here behind BEAR ARMS two runs back before he got a long way back and finished off well behind Just Rolling at Murray Bridge last time. He gets into this race OK despite the big weight and can bounce back. THE BLUES BROTHER looks a big improver. He’s unbeaten on heavy tracks and usually makes his own luck in running. FANTASTIC MAGIC is a four-time winner over 2050m, all on his home track at Strathalbyn, but he hasn’t won since the 2018 Cup there. His past couple of runs have been fairly good and he was placed on a heavy track here in June last year. This looks his best chance of regaining winning form. MULGA LIL has been working towards a win and made ground behind Ace Of Clubs at Bordertown last start and the winner took that form to Murray Bridge and was a winner in city grade last weekend. OUT PROVEN comes out of the Ace Of Clubs race at Bordertown last time out and was a winner over 1550m there in June. She draws a nice gate in barrier three. SIERRA MOON ran OK behind Black Syrah last time and has a good record on heavy tracks.
SELECTIONS: BEAR ARMS, Hasta La Bullet, Out Proven
RACE 6 - 3:40PM NRC Committee Benchmark 58 Handicap (Heat 2 NJT Series) (1430 METRES)
DR DEE DEE defeated Brother Ned here four starts back and has been runner-up his past two behind Near Magic and Black Syrah. He was $2.20 into $1.70 favourite last time when he led, the wide gate hasn’t helped his claims and his best form is on top of the ground. FREE ATBARA is a horse with upside and caught the eye at Oakbank back in January when he stormed home to be narrowly beaten by Zoffala before going to Bordertown to win his maiden as a $2.60 favourite. He was sent to the paddock after running down the track behind Keysor at Bordertown but draws a nice gate and must be respected. SYLVAN CREST resumed with a nice run when third behind Ice Crusher at Balaklava when he went around at $41. He will not be anywhere near that price here, has won four races (with 13 placings) and this looks a good chance to return to winning form for the first time in almost a year. BROTHER NED was placed twice at Bordertown and in between ran seventh behind Royalty at Murray Bridge but was only beaten 3.8 lengths, He is a winner on heavy ground and must be respected. Top weight CANNOT BE SERIOS ran pretty well behind Left Hand Man first-up at Morphettville and will be in the mix here with the claim for Maggie Collett, is a winner on a heavy track and the stable is going very well. ITS MAGIC is a winner on heavy going and has the blinkers back on
SELECTIONS: DR DEE DEE, Brother Ned, Sylvan Crest
RACE 7 - 4:15PM DiGiorgio Family Wines Class Two Handicap (1200 METRES)
DRY VALLEY was runner-up here three runs back before going to Gawler and defeating subsequent city winner Double Blue. She led when fifth behind Miss Mosh last time at Bordertown but this looks a race where she can bounce back. LINE DANCER has the benefit of two trials and a recent jump out but has looked far from impressive in all three. He draws a nice gate but would need to improve rapidly and is probably looking for further so worth keeping an eye on any betting moves. ARTISTIC ESCAPE has been only average at her past couple but she was placed at Morphettville on the Parks track back in March and has placed on heavy going. DENOMINATOR had specking at a price and made good ground behind Wurlies Lastchance here last time out on a heavy track but does have just the one win from 36 starts. COOL DESET could be an improver. She won at Clare back in March but has been poor her past couple and has the tongue tie and winkers going on. REGINA DEL DRAMMA won her maiden at Gawler back in December. She wasn’t beaten far behind Sour Cream here in March and went OK in a recent Balaklava trial. SCHERZER is a former Victoria now with Grant Kluske.
SELECTIONS: DRY VALLEY, Wurlies Lastchance, O’Mizzna
BEST BET: DRY VALLEY (Race 7)
EACH-WAY: TERINDAH (Race 4)
VALUE: SEBONNA (Race 2)
PHOTO: Denreklaw wins at Murray Bridge last month. PHOTO: Makoto Kaneko-The Rising Sun Photography
