logo
Shayne O'Cass's best bets, inside mail for Scone, Narromine on Monday June 23, 2025

Shayne O'Cass's best bets, inside mail for Scone, Narromine on Monday June 23, 2025

News.com.au5 hours ago

Form analyst Shayne O'Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Scone and Narromine on Monday.
â– â– â– â– â–
BEST BET
Race 2 No.5 HERMAN SAID: Kris Lees-housed 2YO who has trialled exceedingly well.
NEXT BEST
Race 7 No.6 GIRAWHEEN: Placed twice here in qualuity races. Trial indicates a bold return.
VALUE
Race 6 No.8 MANAGE THE CYCLE: Ran third to Saturday's Highway winner at his last start.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 4,12
Race 5: 1,2,8,9
Race 6: 8
Race 7: 6
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Star apprentice Braith Nock is back 'home' at Scone on Monday.
Pieronimo is a Triple Crown-owned grandson of the 2YO Triple Crown winner, Pierro. The Archibald (at Scone) housed gelding has run by far, more good races than bad and performed, excelled even, in much better company than this. SO YOU READY (4) was nothing short of emphatic when he shed his maiden status in a 2100m Class 1 at Gosford. Gets Bullock here. DEEMEE (7) is a big improver back at home after visiting Kensington last start with no success.
BET: Pieronimo to win.
PANTA RHEI (9) is a dual acceptor. Long story short, he is a lightly-raced and talented type. His only two runs at Scone were a second to Sir Remlap and a third to Shropshire Lad. RITZSUN (1) is a Highway-class galloper with some truly compelling numbers. He obviously races well here at home. Pearls Treasure also has a liking for this venue. LADY MEMPHIS (8) was disappointing first-up but could be the sharpest improver on the card.
BET: PANTA RHEI (9) to win or of scratched, RITZSUN (1) to win.
MANAGE THE CYCLE (8) is a Jeremy Gask-trained local whose winning strike-rate is 10 per cent – four from 40 to be exact – but he has placed nine times. The biggest and best draw to the horse today is that he's run twice at this track/trip and finished third at each; that June 10 one was behind Saturday's Highway winner. HIBIKI HARMONY (5) has far fewer convictions as they say; in fact she has medalled at six of her 10 starts. First time running at home.
BET: MANAGE THE CYCLE (8) to win, exacta 8 to beat 5.
GIRAWHEEN (6) is a 3YO filly who won the coveted Silver Goblet at Dubbo at her 2YO debut and has barely put a foot wrong in her six starts since. We know that she performs well fresh and the trial win the other day was an absolute beauty. ARCHAIC FORCE (5), the son of NZ Oaks winner Bramble Rose, has been racing well without any luck at all for most of this preparation. His best is as good as most, if not all of these. Ortensia's grandson SOLITARIO (3) is on an upward trajectory.
BET: GIRAWHEEN (6) to win, exacta 6 to beat 5, box First 4 Nos. 2,3,5,6,13.
â– â– â– â– â–
NARROMINE TIPS
BEST BET
Race 1 No.1 BRUMMAGEN: Form reads superior to most of his rivals. Go well.
NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.3 MAJOR LIGHTNING: Handed in career best last start at Muswellbrook. Ready to win.
VALUE
Race 6 No.8 DUPENNY: Winner at only prior start at this track and trip.
NARROMINE INSIDE MAIL
RACE 4: Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1300m)
MAJOR LIGHTNING (3) wears the colours of his multiple stakes-winning (in three states!) dam Avoid Lighting. Like most of his siblings, he is trained by Jeremy Gask who seems to have found him the 'easiest' race he's contested so far. ANDALE (1) is tracking the right way towards the winner's stall. Both runs contained merit and he will love 1300m and more again after that.
BET: MAJOR LIGHTNING (3) to win, exacta 3 to beat 1.
WEST HEAD (4) is a grandson of the NZ Group 1 winner Calveen which explains his $320,000 price tag at the Gold Coast The son of Pierata made his Brett Robb stable debut at Coonamble last Sunday, coming away late to win with a fair degree of comfort. TRUST A KITTY (7) has only won 1 from 20 but he has placed 10 times and when you give away such big starts, that's a pretty good strike-rate.
BET: WEST HEAD (4) to win, TRUST A KITTY (7) to place, quinella 4,7, DD 1st leg 4, 2nd leg 9.
DUPENNY (8) is a Brett Thompson-trained galloper whose record here at Narromine is sound; namely three visits for a win and a second. Worth noting that the win was over this same trip in a strong 58 that day with barrier 2. Keep in mind he has barrier 1 this time. THE MOOCH (6) has only kicked 3 goals in his 42 attempts, but he has 10 seconds and six thirds. Most relevant is that one of those rare wins was at the same track and distance.
MISS CLAMROSA (9) was probably the biggest moral of the season when she turned up at Warren in that Class 1 on June 2. She was $1.50 into $1.35 and had it won at the turn, final margin was five-and-a-bit lengths. She's a long, long way off moral status this time – it's a cracking field but barrier 1 and Clayton Gallagher will take her a long way closer to victory. Stablemate DEION (2) has box two and never runs anything but a good, honest race.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Outrageous': State of Origin move sparks furore as Ashley Klein set to be named for series decider
‘Outrageous': State of Origin move sparks furore as Ashley Klein set to be named for series decider

News.com.au

timean hour ago

  • News.com.au

‘Outrageous': State of Origin move sparks furore as Ashley Klein set to be named for series decider

Ashley Klein is set to be handed the officiating reins for the State of Origin decider despite his controversial performance in Perth which left New South Wales fans and players outraged. The Blues were on the wrong end of an 8-0 first half penalty count in Game 2, which turned into 9-0 after 45 minutes. By that stage, Queensland were up 26-6. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. In the end, Queensland won 26-24, but the NSW camp felt they were officiated out of the game and scheduled a meeting with NRL management to seek an explanation for several of Klein's controversial calls. The Blues' main gripe was why Klein chose to ignore numerous clear indiscretions by Maroons players while penalising the Blues for similar offences. However, despite the Blues' protests, Code Sports reports Klein will again be in charge of the series decider. That is because the NRL referees are rated under a KPI system by the league and by the numbers Klein is at the top of the list. Categories measured include play-the-ball speed, decision-making, communication, game understanding, accuracy, communication with other officials, consistency, identifying infringements, positioning, game management, ruck communication, positioning, fitness and endurance. His appointment in Sydney will be under heavy scrutiny and will undoubtedly be met with fierce backlash. Speaking about his Game 2 performance earlier this week Buzz Rothfield tore into the veteran ref, saying his calls cost the Blues the game and series win in Perth. 'I think NSW were ill-disciplined and I don't have too many problems with the nine penalties they conceded. The problem I do have is that anyone can look at a replay of that first half and find 4-5 areas of the game where Queensland could quite easily have been penalised as well,' Rothfield said. 'In my eyes, he was refereeing one side for the majority of the first half. 'I know we were ill-disciplined and I'm not blaming it for the loss … but Gordie you cannot be perfect in Origin for 45 minutes. Impossible.' 'It's outrageous that Queensland can play 45 minutes in State of Origin and that intensity, mistakes are made, high speed, high intensity and not one penalty. That cannot happen.' He also went on to say NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley – who refused to answer any question on the officiating after the Game 2 defeat – was privately furious at Klein. 'Laurie will look at the video and find out what he wants to talk to the NRL about and then take it to adjudication,' Rothfield continued. 'He was furious after the game. Privately furious, but he knows he can't come out and say anything. Not just for the fine, but because it'll look like poor sportsmanship.' And as news of Klein's Game 3 appointment spread NSW fans were unsurprisingly annoyed. 'You've got to be kidding,' one fan wrote. 'What an absolute joke!' another added. While a third commented: 'Surely he's not the best ref we have.' NSW will have a home-ground advantage for the series decider, which will take place at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Wednesday, July 9.

‘Unicorn, alien': Sam Darcy blows AFL away in Bulldogs' demolition win
‘Unicorn, alien': Sam Darcy blows AFL away in Bulldogs' demolition win

Daily Telegraph

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Telegraph

‘Unicorn, alien': Sam Darcy blows AFL away in Bulldogs' demolition win

Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Victor Wembanyama is the NBA's alien, and Sam Darcy might just be the AFL's unicorn. The Western Bulldogs forward continued his breakout season with five goals in his side's 79-point demolition of Richmond on Sunday afternoon. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The Dogs won 21.9 (135) to 8.8 (56), getting a healthy percentage boost to leapfrog the Gold Coast Suns, who fell out of the top eight for the first time this season after losing a seven-point thriller to GWS. Darcy is only scratching the surface of his talent but the 21-year-old looks close to unstoppable in a marking contest when he is in full flight. His reach, athleticism, and ability to kick on both sides of his body has the 208cm forward posed to tear the competition apart. Sam Darcy is about to take the AFL by storm. Photos: Getty. The Herald Sun's Jay Clark said Darcy had been described as a 'cheat code' by his teammates, and the AFL's best players are already in awe of Darcy and his star potential. 'He is an absolute unicorn, an alien of a player,' reigning Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan said of Darcy earlier this week. 'The way he moves and how good his hands are, I don't think there's a player you can compare him to at the moment. 'His ceiling is higher than any player in the competition. 'He's going to be a nightmare for key backs over the next 10-15 years. 'I don't know how you stop him. No player has ever had what he's had, so it's a pretty scary proposition.' 'What I think is underrated with him is how aggressive he is,' Carlton captain Patrick Cripps said on AFL 360. 'Sometimes you can get these tall guys that have all the attributes but what's underrated is the aggression. 'He's got some serious craft, as you get older you love seeing these guys come in. He'll change the game and he's going to be special.' Darcy kicked five goals against Richmond, with defender Noah Balta giving him too much room to roam and mark unopposed inside forward 50. 'I'm always looking at areas to improve,' Darcy told Fox Footy post-game. 'AFL is such a demanding game — four-quarter running power, trying to build that fitness base, work on kicking and the marking craft.' Four-time premiership Jordan Lewis told Darcy could become so dominant that rival teams will need to recruit lanky, athletic defenders who can challenge Darcy. 'I love a kid that comes in and really uses his assets as a strength, and that's clearly his height,' Lewis said. 'So I think the one thing that probably gets underplayed in what has been a relatively short career is he seems like he's got good football IQ. Sam Darcy is one of the tallest players in the AFL, and has athleticism to burn. (Photo by) 'He knows what positions to get into, he's got great dexterity on both sides of his body. He's only going to get better once he matures into his body. 'I think he's asking questions not only of the opposition but certainly how the opposition plan their list build in the future and do they recruit someone that they think is specifically suited to play on Sam Darcy. 'Typically it's been a defender that probably hasn't been tall. We've seen a few sort of around the sort of 198cm, but is there is there someone out there that's a little bit taller that can go with Sam Darcy? 'If it's not now, it certainly will in the not too distant future, force teams to think, 'have we got a specific player on our list that can play on Sam Darcy?' Matthew Kennedy, Tim English, Sam Darcy and Adam Treloar of the Bulldogs sing the team song. (Photo by) 'Gee he's exciting,' Fox Footy commentator Matt Hill said after Darcy's performance against Richmond. 'Even a neutral supporter would come through the turnstile to watch him play.' The Bulldogs were dominant across the ground as Marcus Bontempelli played arguably his best game of the season, finishing with three goals and 36 disposals. Bontempelli was singing Darcy's praises, telling Fox Footy post-game: 'Lucky to play with him and lucky to have someone so big and dominant up the ground. 'He's still a young man but he's impressing us every single week.' 'They've just been ruthless,' Nathan Buckley said on Fox Footy after the Bulldogs' big win. Sam Darcy could take the AFL by storm. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Brisbane's Logan Morris is kicking bags of goals for fun. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) 'Special': Lions youngster's 28-year AFL first Darcy isn't the only young key forward threatening to take the AFL by storm. Brisbane Lions youngster Logan Morris starred in a big win over Geelong, becoming the youngest player to kick five goals or more in consecutive games since Essendon great Matthew Lloyd in 1997. The No. 31 draft pick has emerged as a gun forward and Brisbane's longterm replacement for Joe Daniher. Richmond champion Jack Riewoldt said Morris' marking ability was 'extremely special overhead'. 'I haven't seen many kids come in and play the way he does and the way he catches the ball. The way he reads the flight is second to none in the AFL,' Riewoldt said. 'He's about to really announce himself in the AFL. He's going to be a superstar.' Originally published as 'Unicorn, alien': Sam Darcy blows AFL away in Bulldogs' demolition win

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store