01-08-2025
Coffs Harbour, Kembla Grange best bets, inside mail for Friday, August 1, 2025
Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O'Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Coffs Harbour and best bets for Kembla Grange on Friday.
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COFFS HARBOUR
BEST BET
Race 2 No. 3: PIEDI VELOCI
Has the talent but needs to execute and he'll make the grade.
NEXT BEST
Race 4 No.1 2: HEAD OF THE RIVER
Debuts off a series of truly outstanding trials.
VALUE
Race 3 No. 4: TWIGMAN
Ran in the Australian Derby as a three-year-old. Won two starts ago.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 2, 6, 11, 13
Race 6: 4, 5, 9
Race 7: 1, 7, 13
Race 8: 7, 8, 14
Aaron Bullock looks set for a good day at Coffs Harbour. Picture: Getty Images
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
AARON BULLOCK starts his defence of his 2024/25 Statewide Jockey Premiership title.
KEMBLA GRANGE
BEST BET
Race 7 No. 3: MR ROCK IT
Has all the numbers to ensure back-to-back Kembla wins.
NEXT BEST
Race 6 No. 1: BILLUND
Superbly bred Team Hawkes gelding who trials well.
VALUE
Race 1 No. 4: POUR BENN
Ace High son in the same stable as the former VRC Derby winner. Has scope.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1,2,3,4
Race 6: 1,2,6,12
Race 7: 3,5,8
Race 8: 2,10,11,13
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
KEAGAN LATHAM was a tearaway winner of his fifth Provincial Jockeys crown in 2024/25.
LAY OF THE DAY
Kembla Race 1 No. ZELJKO
OMSIDE MAIL — COFFS HARBOUR
RACE 1: Coffs Asphalt Showcase (Bm74) 1000m
ZOOM OUTCOME (4) is a great advertisement for his Tuncurry based trainer Joseph Burges. The horse has won three of his past six starts and was second at another. His overall record is six wins and five placings, four of them seconds. Has accepted for Newcastle, where it is his preferred Heavy surface. Assuming he is absent, all roads lead back to the stablemate MARKWELL DREAMER (1) who is one for one here and is blissfully happy on Soft going.
Bet: Zoom Outcome to win or if scratched Markwell Dreamer to win
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RACE 2: Rob Young Country Boosted Showcase Mdn Plate 1400m
PIEDI VELOCI (3) is a rather promising horse from the local Donna Grisedale barn. The long and the short of this son of Supido's story so far is that he is indeed talented but he is quite raw and is prone to beating himself. If and when he can execute, he'll rocket through the grades. IMPENDING FORTUNE (2) has drawn very well indeed and just could be better equipped or given a better lead-in to the 1400m. OL' MATE COOP (13) is costly but ultra-consistent.
Bet: Piedi Veloci to win
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RACE 3: Driscoll's Australia Ken Howard Showcase Cup 2000m
TWIGMAN (4) is a son of the VRC Victoria Derby winner, Preferment, and actually ran in the Australian Derby himself. Still on pedigree matters, Twigman's third dam was the super-fast Newmarket Handicap winner, Ruffles. Twigman's 'best' is better than the rest here. SHERRIFF CODY (6) has a fine set of numbers right across the board not least that he has a second and a third among his three track and distance runs. CENOTES (7) can figure on his 'old form'. STROBING (11) is very fit and can stay.
Bet: Twigman to win
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RACE 4: Pier Hotel Super Showcase Mdn Hcp 1000m
HEAD OF THE RIVER (12) was bought by Proven Thoroughbreds for $100,000 at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. This now three-year-old daughter of Shamus Award has been trialling up in Queensland like a 'good horse' and was dealt a 'winning draw' if he can convert. Speaking of good trials and good horses, Matthew Dunn's Yes Yes Yes filly MRS GOLDBERG (13) was so impressive when she won her 1050m Heat at Deagon on July 8. MOREBAR (7), the Noel Mayfield-Smith local, was better than it reads in his trial here.
Bet: Head Of The River to win, quinella 12, 13, box trifecta 7, 8, 12, 13
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RACE 5: Cetnaj Country Magic Merv Mercer Showcase Hcp (C2)
MY PEPPERJACK (13) was racing around Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Mackay and such until coming back to NSW to Sally Taylor who can run here or at home on Tuesday at Taree. If she runs here, she will have Jon Grisedale on again subsequent to their third at Grafton on Ramornie Day. SNITZENEGGER (6) is a huge player here but just wanted to point out his fascinating pedigree; yes, he is by Snitzel but his dam is pretty much a three-quarter-sister to Lonhro. DUPONT (11), POINT OUT (2) and PIERRE CARDINNIGAN (1) all have claims.
Bet: My Pepperjack each-way
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RACE 6: Fm Glenn Constructions Daniel Baker Showcase Sprint 1200m
SAMMY CONQUERS ALL (9) is housed at Coffs Harbour by Angst's trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith. This son of Nick Moraitis's former iron horse Love Conquers All is on a hat-trick but better still, the first one was an easy one here at home in a Class 3 which he followed up with an away win on the Kensington track. Have seen SLIPPIN' JIMMY (5) do some really good things in the past, not least that super emphatic win here in a Bm74 on last year's Coffs Harbour Cup Day meeting. OAKFIELD DUKE (4) (Bullock) and LADY WARDELL (10) (Morgan) are well in this.
Bet: Sammy Conquers All to win, quinella 5, 9, Daily Double 1st Leg 9, 2nd Leg 7
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RACE 7: Moonee Beach Hotel *Big Dance Eligibility* Coffs Harbour Cup 1600m
IT'S A KNOCKOUT (7) has a lot going for her but two things really stand out, for me anyway. One, she is a Group 3 placegetter over 1600m on the limit weight here, and two, barrier four for Ash Morgan is just a gift to the Dynamic Syndications mare. Granted it is not an out and out slam dunk, a horse like SIBAAQ (1) commands great respect and attention given his 96 benchmark rating alone. If there was a total blowout, it could be OSTRACISED (13). He is a local on a hat trick but can he run a mile?
Bet: It's A Knockout to win, exacta 7 to beat 1, Ostracised to place
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RACE 8: Grant Bastian Showcase Hcp (C3) 1200m
WILD SENSATION (7) has done more good than bad in her 10 starts. She beat Hell Of A Fox to win her maiden on his home turf down in Canberra back in April. Fast forward to the present and this Matthew Smith-trained filly led throughout for a big Class 1 win at Scone on July 11 beating handy locals Cresta Run and Pindorama. On the right trajectory. BEEBEE (8) is a last start winner here at the home track. He's got a great draw and a great jockey (Luke Rolls). WAHINE GALAXY (14) and Boambee Beach stay under notice.
Bet: Wild Sensation to win or if scratched Beebee each-way
