Shayne O'Cass's Kembla Grange tips: Saturday August 16, 2025

Herald Sun

6 hours ago

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Form analyst Shayne O'Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Kembla Grange plus tips for Narrandera and Gilgandra on Saturday.
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KEMBLA GRANGE TIPS
BEST BET
Race 8 No.6 CES SOIREES LA: Accepted for Sunday's Mona Lisa Prelude which says it all.
NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.1 POUR BENN: Can only be fitter again for a commendable debut run on a Heavy 9 here.
VALUE
Race 1 No.6 DEEP AFFECTION: Has run better than it looks in some top grade races.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1,2,3,6
Race 6: 4,5,9,12
Race 7: 1,7,9,11
Race 8: 6,9,10,11
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Jeff Penza will be short odds to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge.
KEMBLA GRANGE INSIDE MAIL
RACE 1: Maiden Plate (1000m)
DEEP AFFECTION (6)'s form reads '0000' but hang on; she did run in the Inglis Nursery, a 2YO Open at HQ, the Inglis Millennium and the Sweet Embrace. And what's more, they were actually pretty decent runs up (until the Sweet Embrace, anyway). Trialling well. Could be back in the city again before too long. MILITARY LEGEND (7), the Les Bridge/Bon Ho galloper, made a very creditable debut at Canterbury on July 23. Locals CHOCECLAIR (5) and MOVER AND SHAKER (4) have claims.
BET: DEEP AFFECTION (6) to win.
RACE 2: Class 1 Handicap (1500m)
OMNIC (1) is a son of Proisir who has a win, four seconds and a third on his resume and mostly in much better calibre races than what he might line-up against in today bearing in mind he is nominated for the Farm next Wednesday. TESSY TEE (4) likewise has been a consistent and reliable horse with a win, four seconds and a third from her eight starts. On-pace type who has some very strong form around here.
BET: OMNIC (1) to win or if scratched TESSY TEE (4) to win.
RACE 3: Maiden Plate (1400m)
BENDRODT (1) races in the colours of John Muir who bred and raised this son of Exceed And Excel. Now a 4YO, this Chris Waller-trained bay opens his 2025/26 account armed with a resume of six placings from his eight starts, with a good portion of those in town. Trials are good, gets his big chance today. ZOUSTRONG (4) has the home track advantage. Has placed here behind his handy stablemate Commanding Belle. DECALOGUE (7) falls back to a provincial Maiden off a Canterbury maiden where subsequent Kenso winner Sixties was runner-up.
BET: BENDRODT (1) to win.
RACE 4: Super Maiden Handicap (1600m)
POUR BENN (1) is a New Zealand bred gelding trained by David Payne who won a VRC Derby among others races with his father, Ace High. Pour Benn was $5.50 into $4.40 when he made his debut here on a Heavy 9 in a mile Super Maiden and battled on as best he could in the conditions to finish fourth. Fitter and smarter perhaps for the experience. HAMMOON HEROINE (4) got to within a half-length of the potentially above-average Patissier and Hurry Miss when she ran third on debut here over 1400m.
BET: POUR BENN (1) to win.
RACE 5: Benchmark 68 (1600m)
TIP TOP TIMING (6) is a Clarry Conners trained gelding who fronts up today for his 76th start but he's not the first iron-horse, ageless warrior to wear these colours. Anyway, what is more important is that despite the fact he just turned eight and has been around the block, he is actually racing in great form. This is the ideal race for him. Rosehill Midway acceptor IRISH BLISS (2) has some good numbers across the board. CASH ME (1) has to be respected as a last start provincial winner.
BET: TIP TOP TIMING (6) to win.
RACE 6: Maiden Handicap (1200m)
They don't come much better bred than RUINATION (5). This recently turned 3YO colt is by Wootton Bassett out of Ron Quinton's Coolmore Classic winner Daysee Doom. Ruination is trained at HQ by Michael Freedman who has booked Jeff Penza for the debut and was dealt a winning draw too (3). Speaking of well-bred 3YOs, shout out RIVENDELL (4), a Vinery gelding, by Ole Kirk out of Wayupinsthesky trained by Peter Snowden (of course). Nice trials, nice horse. MISS PEONY (12) is the best long shot of the day IMHO. Top debut here at $61 last month.
BET: RUINATION (5) to win, MISS PEONY (12) each-way.
RACE 7: Benchmark 64 (1200m)
NOBLE SOLDIER (1) racked up his 50th career start on June 21 when clocking in five lengths behind Lulumon, Storm The Ramparts et al in a Rosehill Benchmark 78. He is back at home at Kembla on Saturday on more or less his preferred surface and given what he has done in the past, he is very well weighted on 60kg. PRETTY SASSY (9) is ready to go but where she goes is anyone's guess; she's accepted for 3 races in 3 venues. KING CHARLES (11) is on a hat-trick. On top of that, he is a local and was a last start t/d winner.
BET: NOBLE SOLDIER (1) each-way.
RACE 8: Benchmark 64 (1000m)
CES SOIREES LA (6) has accepted for the Mona Lisa Prelude at Wyong on Sunday which says a lot about how she is going right now. Long story short; she is (my) best bet if she comes here and a decent place chance at odds in the small field if she goes to Wyong. If she is out, it would open the door for the flashy mare CAN'T TOUCH THIS (9) who led and won by a pretty comfortable margin in the end in that 1000m Class 1 here on August 1. For the record, she drew barrier 3 and had Jeff Penza on, it's Penza again and box 2 today.
BET: CES SOIREES LA (6) to win (best bet) or if scratched CAN'T TOUCH THIS (9) to win.
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NARRANDERA BEST BET
Race 5 No.10 SUPER RIFF: Infrequent winner but hasn't always had the best of luck.
GILGANDRA BEST BET
Race 1 No.4 ZOUGA BOSS: Drawn well, has done enough to warrant top billing.
Originally published as Shayne O'Cass's best bets and inside mail for Kembla Grange on Saturday