Shayne O'Cass's Scone, Albury tips: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
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SCONE TIPS
BEST BET
Race 1 No.4 SCATPAK: Big run on debut on April 1, trialling like the winner here.
NEXT BEST
Race 7 No.2 OAKFIELD NEPTUNE: Impressive winner then chased two good ones home in the Class 1.
VALUE
Race 6 No.10 PENINSULA: Two wins either side of the spell contain considerable merit.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,2,7,9
Race 5: 1,7,8,11,12
Race 6: 10
Race 7: 2
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Aaron Bullock can add to his Scone tally of 124 wins on Monday.
LAY OF THE DAY
Race 1 No 8 LEOVNANNI: Has some serious competition from the (other) locals not least Scatpak.
SCONE INSIDE MAIL
RACE 4: Benchmark 66 (1000m)
NATION CHANGING (9) is the most interesting, exciting and promising horse in at Scone IMHO owing to the fact that the son of Cosmic Force is unbeaten in his two runs from last preparation, beginning with that easy win here where he rolled an odds-on favourite. Nation Changing finished third of three, five-odd lengths, behind Tuesday rival SARATOGA POWER (2) in a trial here the other day but was just going around for a spin more or less.
BET: NATION CHANGING (9) to win, exacta 9 to beat 2.
RACE 5: Maiden Handicap (1300m)
BE MORE PACIFIC (8) was a $27,500 HTBA Yearling purchase. He is from the first crop of North Pacific out of a three-quarter-sister to four-time Appearance. Trialled twice and both contained merit. Drawn 1 on debut has got to help. SMART BUY (7) has the race-experience and the home-ground advantage. Good form too. Not sure both of the Archibald debutantes will run but SIMPLY GOLD (11) and TACITLY (12) are both nice horses.
BET: BE MORE PACIFIC (8) each-way, box trifecta 1,7,8,11,12 DD 1st Leg 8, 2nd Leg 2 (or if scratched 4).
RACE 6: Benchmark 66 (1300m)
PENINSULA (10) was passed in at Easter with a $300,000 reserve. The now 4YO gelding is a son of Snitzel from the same family as the Japanese star, Mikki Isle. Peninsula has won twice now, either side of a spell. He bolted in first-up and keep in mind, he beat subsequent Grafton Guineas winner Ronny be to win his Maiden. RURA PENTHE (11) has finished on the podium at 12 of his 21 starts but only two of them are wins. At least one of them was first-up but he has been pretty costly to follow. DEEBO (8) hasn't – he's won 4 from 11!
BET: PENINSULA (10) to win.
RACE 7: Class 1 Handicap (1200m)
Oakfield versus Oakfield here? OAKFIELD NEPTUNE (2) and OAKFIELD PLUTO (4) are so similar in that their records thus far are '13' and '12'. They are almost impossible to split. Me? I am with 'Neptune' mostly because the two that beat her last start, Tickle Me Pink and Expido, are way better than your average Class 1 horses. Outside of the two Oakfields, one has to be hugely wary and respectful of the locally trained pair of CRESTA RUN (7) and NOVA CENTAURI (8). The latter is one for one at Scone whilst Cresta Run has four starts there for three seconds and a third.
BET: OAKFIELD NEPTUNE (2) to win or if scratched OAKFIELD PLUTO (4) to win.
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ALBURY TIPS
BEST BET
Race 6 No.5 PARTHENOPE: Spelled after an impressive debut win. Top shelf trialler on Aug 11.
NEXT BEST
Race 7 No.2 DEEPWATER ARTIST: Won first start; took a Highway winner to beat him the next time.
VALUE
Race 4 No.10 SAPPHIRES SON: Last start winner in a similar style race to this.
ALBURY INSIDE MAIL
RACE 4: Benchmark 58 (1500m)
SAPPHIRES SON (10) was rewarded for his efforts this campaign with a win at home at Goulburn last start in a mile benchmark 58. It wasn't the world's strongest 58 and he went around with 51kg on his back. Still, you can never knock a winner and he's in another suitable assignment today. JUST LIKE LIAM (2) was 1500m to back to 1200m one start to the next but is back to 1500m this time which is prime territory for the son of Magic Albert. He loves it here at home too.
BET: SAPPHIRES SON (10), JUST LIKE LIAM (2) each-way, quinella 2,10.
RACE 5: Benchmark 66 (1000m)
GETTY (8) is such a cleverly-named horse; he is by Capitalist! Long story short, he started off at Randwick with the Snowdens and had form behind the likes of Estriella, Bases Loaded, Spring Lee, In Flight. He's hardly run a bad race for Matthew Kelley, in fact, his last run was excellent under his crushing weight. If it stays Heavy, keep in mind that SHEILA (3) is 5 for 5 on Heavy! Soft form is good too; this is her trip and she has won twice at Albury.
BET: GETTY (8) to win, Daily Double 1st Leg 8, 2nd Leg 2.
RACE 6: Class 1 Handicap (1000m)
PARTHENOPE (5) is trained by the nine-times Highway winner, Danielle Seib. It would be no surprise to see this mare in a Highway one day. She led throughout to win a 1200m Goulburn Maiden on Oct 8. Resurfaced in an 800m trial down there finishing a nose second to Highway Strip! YOUR MAGIC (1) is a huge player. AMERICAN RUSS (4) somehow has only 1 win from 40 starts. He is so much better than that and keep in mind that his solitary win was here at Albury and only three runs ago.
BET: PARTHENOPE (5) to win (best bet).
RACE 7: Class 1 Handicap (1400m)
DEEPWATER ARTIST (2) will, IMHO, make it in midweek grade. Well, more importantly, his trainer Matthew Kelley said it first when we rang him on his way to Bathurst races on Monday morning. First off, the debut win was outstanding. As for the follow up run, it took a past-Highway winner, Salute Again, to beat him. Shamus Award's daughter SISTER SHAY (4) has a win and three seconds in her four runs for Craig Widdison. Raced here twice for a win and a second. Has to be respected.
BET: DEEPWATER ARTIST (2) to win.
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