| What | The Gong Day 2021 |
| Where | Kembla Grange Racecourse – Princes Highway, Kembla Grange NSW |
| When | Saturday, November 20, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:20pm AEDT |
| Feature Race | The Gong (Race 8) |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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HorseBetting’s New South Wales form analyst brings you his best bets and quaddie picks for the 10-race program at Kembla Grange this Saturday, including picks in the two features – The Gong and The Warra. The track is rated a Soft 6 and the rail is in the true position for the entirety of the course. The first race is scheduled to jump at 12:20pm AEDT, while The Gong will go around at 4:40pm.
The Gong – Aramayo
Chris Waller and James McDonald are a force to be reckoned with anywhere, let alone in a $1 million race, and they combine here with Epsom Handicap runner-up Aramayo. The former Godolphin galloper debuted at Kembla Grange and ran a narrow second, but he has since developed into an elite miler who will take some beating in this race after back-to-back Group 1 runs.
For our full preview of The Gong and our $100 Betting Strategy, click here.
The Warra – Eleven Eleven
If you want to see a well-placed horse, look no further than Eleven Eleven here at the top of the weights. Trainer Gregory Hickman has elected to put apprentice Tyler Schiller in the saddle on Saturday, meaning this high-class performer will carry only 56kg after the 3kg claim. The son of Fastnet Rock is undefeated in three starts over 1000m at Kembla Grange, which is a massive advantage as he is a horse who tends to do his best racing over a little bit further, but the fact that he is three from three here on the big straight fills us with confidence. The five-year-old will relish the hot speed set by the likes of odds-on favourite Malkovich, Marway and Spaceboy, so he will be winding up out wide late. He gets every chance from barrier five.
Best Bet at Kembla Grange – Steely
The idea of this galloper going around as an $8 chance in this field is simply outrageous. Steely was nominated for The Gong, but he did not have a high enough rating to secure a start, so connections have instead aimed down at this Benchmark 88 over the 1600m. The son of All Too Hard won back-to-back races at the end of last campaign, one of which saw him defeat Great House by nearly four lengths over 1800m on a Heavy 8 at Randwick. That form looks elite now given how well Great House went over the Spring Carnival. Steely returned with a narrow defeat in the Goulburn Cup over 1400m where he made a sustained run, which should bring him on perfectly for the mile second-up on a big track with sting out of the ground. This is a great bet.
Next Best at Kembla Grange – Incredulous Dream
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace don’t often take horses to New South Wales on a Saturday, but when they do, they mean business. Incredulous Dream has already been well supported in the market, firming from $9.50 into $7 with Sportsbet, and we expect that money to continue coming. The daughter of Press Statement has won four of her 11 starts, two of which were in her first run for the campaign, and that is a big tick as she resumes this weekend. The grey mare was last seen in a Group 2 at Eagle Farm over the Brisbane Winter Carnival behind Brooklyn Hussle and Odium, so that looks very good for this Fillies & Mares Benchmark 78. Tommy Berry will do the steering from barrier six, which should see Incredulous Dream settle handy in the run over the 1200m trip and take some serious running down.
Best Value at Kembla Grange – Bluff ‘N’ Bluster
We have all but declared Steely a certainty in race nine after a runner-up effort in the Goulburn Cup last time out, so it is only fair that we give the third-placegetter a rap too. Bluff ‘N’ Bluster was beaten less than half-a-length in that race, making up significant ground from the back over 1400m as a $51 outsider when first-up off a short rest. The Jason Coyle-trained gelding will carry plenty of residual fitness from his late winter campaign, while two trials in October should also have him just about ready to peak on Saturday. The son of The Brothers War has won at Kembla Grange in the past, while Jason Collett has partnered him before. He is likely to get back from barrier 13, but there is plenty of speed in the race, which will allow him to stretch out and fly home. The $12 looks good to us, while a strong showing here will only bolster Steely’s claim later on in the day.
Kembla Grange quaddie tips for The Gong Day 2021
| Kembla Grange quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-2-3 |
| Leg 2: | 3-4-6-10 |
| Leg 3: | 4-9-17 |
| Leg 4: | 1-4-7-8 |
| Investment: | $144 for 100% |
