Shayne O'Cass's best bets, inside mail for Taree and Moree on Tuesday, July 22, 2025
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TAREE TIPS
BEST BET
Race 5 No.2 SHOW 'EM HOWL: Unlucky not to have won a Highway, fifth in a BM 72 after that.
NEXT BEST
Race 6 No.8 MERAPI: Has won from 1205m to 2000m including one Taree.
VALUE
Race 2 No.12 VOLARE: Eight Carat descendant trained here; done some good things.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,2,3,4
Race 5: 2
Race 6: 4,8
Race 7: 1
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Ben Looker will reunite the exciting Bodhi Boy on Tuesday.
TELEGRAPH (2) has raced 10 times at this track and distance for two wins, two seconds and a third. That already honourable record is more impressive considering the head-starts he often gives away on a track that is sometimes favourable to on-pacers. MR DAMAGE (4) has done plenty of damage to his supporters over time but he has been as consistent as he has been costly. TOOMUCHINFORMATION (3) has a short but sweet record at this track/distance.
BET: TELEGRAPH (2) to win.
SHOW 'EM HOWL (2) is one of the most promising 3YO's north of Newcastle. The Robert Agnew-trained son of the now Indonesia-based stallion Showitme has a bit of an X-Factor, a couple of those early wins had a wow factor too! Huge run in the Highway, back from a Rosehill 72 today. CHRISTA (3) is a dual acceptor. Handy horse. POCKET EIGHTS (1) is one-for-one at the track/trip. Aaron Bullock has steered him to his two career wins.
BET: SHOW 'EM HOWL (2) to win (best bet), Daily Double 1st Leg 2, 2nd leg 1.
MERAPI (8) is a mare by Zoustar out of a Zabeel daughter of Group 1 Easter Handicap winner Honor Bound. Merapi has quite a solid record racing at Taree; she also deserves credit for versatility having won from 1206, up to 2000m. OAKFIELD ECHIDNA (4) has really hit his straps this preparation. Precising timing for him to get out to the mile today/Bullock on. SPIRITLY (2) was $8.50 into $5 second-up, winning. and now at his favourite trip. THE YOUNG YEARS (10) is value.
BET: MERAPI (8) to win, box trifecta 2,4,8,10.
BODHI BOY (1) has the honour of being the highest rated horse racing today at Taree and take it to the bank that he'll be way above a 68 rater in time – and maybe quick time too. He won his first three starts then was $4.40 in his unsuccessful MNC Champs Heat. Big run at Newcastle first-up. SUPREME COMMAND (3) is trained here and like all of the Glen Milligan string, races well at home. CRITICAL TIME (4) has run well against better opposition (excluding Bodhi Boy).
BET: BODHI BOY (1) to win.
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MOREE TIPS
BEST BET
Race 5 No.7 LIVE TO RISE: Lightly-raced and promising filly who was 'huge' first-up!
NEXT BEST
Race 7 No.2 PAPPIANA: Highly reliable mare who is precision placed again.
VALUE
Race 1 No.2 ARTIE'S MAGIC: Both runs have contained merit. Drawn well.
MOREE INSIDE MAIL
RACE 4: Benchmark 66 (950m)
TOO DARN LOVELY (6) was a $17,000 Inglis Classic Yearling whose earnings are $99,990 but she has to be worth something to breeders when she retires one-day given she is by Too Darn Hot with the American broodmare gem, Fall Aspen, as her fourth dam. As for the 'punt', can't you just see her going flat chat here from box 2. Toowoomba resident SURREAL ASCOT (2) led throughout to easily win a Class 4 at Kilvoy over 1200m a month ago. Creates interest here.
BET: TOO DARN LOVELY (6) to win.
LIVE TO RISE (7) is '313' at present; the win was huge and frankly the first-up third was probably just as good! ARCHAIC FORCE (3), a son of the NZ Oaks winner Bramble Rose, is a hundred times better than what his CV would suggest. He won at Taree on debut yet hasn't managed to place since but he has been so unlucky. This 950m which is short of his best distance but his best effort might be good enough to win.
BET: LIVE TO RISE (7) to win, exacta 7 to beat 3, Daily Double 1st Leg 7, 2nd Leg 2.
BIG SHORT (3) is a cleverly-named son of Capitalist, trained by recent Grafton Guineas winning trainer Wayne Brown. Big Short is a miler, pure and simple. He has raced at the 1600m seven times for two seconds and a third and most of the others contained merit to varying degrees. Ran into a good horse last start at Scone too. CHASING JACKLEY (1) (the other Toowoomba horse at Moree today) likewise saves his very best for the mile. MOOTESSA (4) has claims.
BET: BIG SHORT (3) to win.
PAPPIANA (2) is a former SA resident who has been with Nikki Pollack at Scone for her last 10 runs. In that time, the daughter of Pierro has two wins, three seconds a third and two fourths. Not only has she been exceedingly well placed by her trainer (which is a trait of that stable), but she has been ultra-reliable. DOLLY JAYNE (12) has only managed three wins in her 42 starts but she has placed 11 times. She should feel very comfortable in a race like this.
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