| What | Dark Jewel Classic Day 2023 |
| Where | Scone Racecourse – 434 Bunnan Rd, Scone NSW 2337 |
| When | Saturday, May 13, 2023 |
| First Race | 11:05am AEST |
| Watch Live | |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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Scone Race Club is set to host back-to-back metropolitan quality meetings with Saturday’s 10-race program headlined by the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic. There’s plenty more stakes leveling racing on offer and good prizemoney for connections that have made the trip to the country. We should be racing on a Good 4 surface, and after the usage of the course on Friday afternoon, the rail will move out +3m the entire circuit. The first race is set to get underway at 11:05am AEST.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections
Race 1: LISTED WOODLAND STAKES (1100M)
The opening race is for the two-year-old fillies over the 1100m and it’s hard to be against Dipsy Doodle for Godolphin. She’s going outstanding this preparation with two wins to her name, the first coming at Warwick Farm on April 10, clearing out on her rivals to score a dominant 1.8-length win. The second was a bit nervier for favourite backers as she adapted well to the Heavy condition at Rosehill on April 29, clinging to victory to make it back-to-back wins. She’s a quality filly by Lonhro and you know exactly what you’re going to get from her moving forward. She’ll ping the lids and take up the running from barrier five, and provided she can hold her form heading into Saturday, you’d imagine she’s going to take a power of beating.
2
DIPSY DOODLE
1
SALTAIRE
8
IN MY DREAMS
6
FRENEMY
Race 2: CLASS 3 HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1600M)
The Highway Handicap’s are always tough to find the winner; however, we think Steplee is a great betting option this Saturday afternoon. He’s had two starts this preparation and comes out of superior form-lines to most of his rival, running into Strombus last time out at Randwick-Kensington on April 25. He was towards the rear of the field turning for home and showed a quality turn-of-foot to finish two-lengths off the eventual winner. He’ll appreciate the firmer going on Saturday and although he draws barrier 20 in this massive field, we think his ability can offset the unfortunate gate. Reece Jones utilizes his 1.5kg claim which finds Steplee get in here with 57.5kg, considering he’s only giving 3.5kg to the minimum, he looks perfectly placed by trainer Rodney Northam.
2
STEPLEE
9
SMOOTH ESPRIT
10
INDY ROSE WARRIOR
1
RUSSLEY CROWN
Race 3: BM72 MIDWAY HANDICAP (1700M)
While Wrathful is a deserving favourite in the third race of the program, we couldn’t have him that short in the market, with that in mind we’ve elected to lean in favour of Decadent Tale. She’s a consistent mare by Kermadec and although she was beaten fair and square at Rosehill on April 29, we think the circumstance sets up much better on Saturday. Decadent Tale didn’t seem to handle the Heavy track that day and will greatly improve getting onto the Good 4 surface at Scone she’s more accustom too. She has a win at this track in the past, and with a record that reads seven starts for two wins and four minor placings on Good decks, we’re convinced Decadent Tale can turn the tables on her key rival on Saturday. All that to go alongside a 2.5kg weight swing from their latest encounter, the price on offer for Decadent Tale is too good to refuse.
2
DECADENT TALE
4
WRATHFUL
6
MIRACLE SPIN
3
BROWN THOMAS
Race 4: 3 & 4YO BM72 HANDICAP (1300M)
Despite race four being a wide-open affair we’ve landed with Altivo on top as he heads back to New South Wales. He heads here with a record of three starts for three wins and his first-up win at Sandown on March 29 was too good to ignore. He went on to score by 2.8 lengths in BM70 company, stamping his authority on his way to an impressive win. This son of Wootton Bassett has plenty of upside moving forward, and this looks like a race he can handle on his way to bigger and better things later in the preparation. The only concern is barrier 17, but we’ll leave it to Andrew Gibbons to field a mid-field position with cover throughout the 1300m, if he does, he’s clearly the one to beat.
7
ALTIVO
8
VINTAGE CHOICE
3
HUESCA
- 12
SHIPSHAPE
Race 5: LISTED ORTENSIA STAKES (1100M)
Quantico looks to have the class on his rivals in the Ortensia Stakes on Saturday afternoon and we’re happy to put him on top in the competitive affair. He’s set to return off a short 70-day spell and based on his first-up form, it’s generally when this son of I Am Invincible performs at his highest level. You only need to reference his first-up win last preparation in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick on February 11 to be considering this lightly-raced six-year-old. His jump-out on May 1 also caught the eye, as he chased home the Doomben 10,000 favourite Giga Kick. The likes of Malkovich deserve respect in this market; however, the price for Quantico is overs for us and we consider him the one to beat on his form alone. The $5 with online bookmakers won’t last long, so we’ll be looking to snap up the price early doors.
3
QUANTICO
- 2
MALKOVICH
7
DEHORNED UNICORN
11
TALBRAGAR
Best Bet
Race 5 – #3 Quantico (3)
6yo Gelding | T: John O’Shea | J: Jason Collett (58kg)
$4.80 with Neds
Race 6: BM78 HANDICAP (1700M)
Estadio Mestalla was unfortunate not to return a winner at Hawkesbury on April 22, but seemingly ran into a quality type in the form of Palmetto. Estadio Mestalla had to track his way between gallopers and was crowded for room for a big portion of the race, while Palmetto was off an gone with the prize, then subsequently went on to win The Coast in dominant fashion. The immediate step up to 1700m looks ideal for this son of Galileo Gold and whilst he drops back to BM78 company, we think this four-year-old gelding has Group quality about him moving forward. Dylan Gibbons takes the reins and will be forced to head back from barrier 15, but with the speed on up front, we think Estadio Mestalla will get every chance to make it win number three since arriving in Australia.
5
ESTADIO MESTALLA
2
SOLAR APEX
8
UNSPOKEN
14
FLOATING
Next Best
Race 6 – #5 Estadio Mestalla (15)
4yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Dylan Gibbons (a1.5) (60kg)
$4 with Ladbrokes
Race 7: LISTED DENISE’S JOY STAKES (1100M)
There will be speed to burn on Saturday in the Denise’s Joy Stakes as the three-year-old fillies won’t be messing around over the 1100m sprint. That leaves us looking for a backmarker to sprint over the top of them late, and that comes with Ojai for the James Cummings yard. He’s got a stranglehold on the race with four runners engaged and although it’s been a long time between drinks for this daughter of Exceed And Excel, we’re keen to be on her side on Saturday. She comes out of some quality races behind the likes of Magic Time and Parisal, always running a bold race in the process. This time the firm deck on offer and with speed all over the page, Ojai will finally get her chance to find the winners enclosure for just the second time in her career. We concede she’s a risk with some talented types in this race, but at almost double-figure odds, she’s worth the gamble.
- 10
OJAI
16
ONCE AGAIN MY GIRL
- 1
PORTRAY
- 2
RED CARD
Best Value
Race 7 – #10 Ojai (19)
3yo Filly | T: James Cummings | J: Dylan Gibbons (53.5kg)
$11 with Neds
Race 8: LISTED LUSKIN STAR STAKES (1300M)
Opal Ridge gets the nod for us in the Luskin Star Stakes and with some confidence as well. She has been in terrific form and although her followers may be a touch disappointed with her last two performances, we’re willing to forgive those efforts on the Heavy conditions. We’re looking back to her first-up win at Rosehill on March 18 where she toyed with her opposition to score a two-length victory against some quality opposition. We like the one-month between runs to keep this daughter of Rubick fresh heading into Saturday and with the appointment of Dylan Gibbons from the box seat barrier six, we’d be shocked if she didn’t go close to replicating her first-up run, if she does, punters will be asking themselves ‘why wasn’t she favourite?’.
9
OPAL RIDGE
- 14
MERITABLE
- 4
TAMERLANE
5
TITANIUM POWER
Race 9: GROUP 3 DARK JEWEL CLASSIC (1400M)
The Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic is the feature event of the program and sees the fillies and mares battle it out for the $200,000 in prizemoney on offer. Bring The Ransom has been ultra-consistent this preparation and draws the perfect map to reap the rewards on Saturday afternoon. She comes out of the best Group 1 form behind Atishu in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes, and handled herself well in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Crown on April 22. She was on the wrong part of the track in her lastest effort and this time from barrier two we’ll be looking for jockey Rachel King to get the saloon passage turning for home. You’re getting a fair price to find out and Bring The Ransom deserves to find a win this preparation, we think this will be it.
3
BRING THE RANSOM
1
EXPAT
5
FINEPOINT
10
SELEQUE
Race 10: BM78 HANDICAP (1100M)
The final race on the card is arguably the toughest to dissect; however, we’ll be hoping to leave putters with a winner as Electrica represents terrific each-way value to end the day. She’s transferred to the Richard & Will Freedman training duo and based on her barrier trials seems to have revelled in the new environment, producing some excellent work. She’ll be back from a 111-day spell, and this may be short of her best trip, but this is also our best chance for a price, and at a massive $26 quote, we’re happy to sign off on her as the get-out stakes horse.
13
ELECTRICA
10
TUCSON VALLEY
9
SHOTMAKER
2
SHALAILED
Saturday quaddie tips for Scone
Scone quadrella selections
Saturday, May 13, 2023
- 1-2-3-10-16
- 9-14
- 1-3-5-10
- 1-2-3-9-10-13
Investment: $200 for 100%
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