Muswellbrook preview, best bets, inside mail for Sunday, June 1, 2025
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As the clean up from the devastating floods in northern New South Wales continues, Taree trainer Tony Ball is looking to cause an upset in the two-year-old feature at Muswellbrook.
Ball has three runners engaged in the Greg Cribb Memorial Red Crown 2YO Handicap (900m) in Andrea, All Too Silent and Northern Glow.
Andrea opened a $26 chance on TAB Fixed Odds on Friday morning behind the Peter Snowden-trained Raging Force at $1.35 before firming into $19 after the early scratching of Firepop.
The son of Group 1 placegetter Graff made his debut at Newcastle on February 15 when coming from last to finish fifth behind Frostfire, You're The Choice and Mednyi.
'He probably should have run fourth. He just got a bit lost,' said Tony Ball.
Andrea (purple and white) finished fifth to Frostfire on debut. Picture: Bradley Photos
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'He will get back and get home hard.'
Ball said Andrea has shown nice ability but has been a work in progress.
'He has shown me a bit this horse,' Ball said with a laugh.
'He had a few trials because he was slow to get going and put it all together but he has learnt to do it now.'
Ball's other two runners in the Red Crown - All Too Silent and Northern Glow – opened as the two outsiders of the field at $101 but he expects them to make their presence felt, especially Northern Glow.
The daughter of Group 1 Golden Rose runner-up North Pacific bumped into a pretty smart one on debut at Coffs Harbour where she had to chase the speedy Shaggy before finishing fifth.
She then finished seventh behind the unbeaten Zumbo at Grafton on January 27.
'She didn't much wrong in her first preparation, she was just a bit green,' said Ball.
She has improved immensely from last preparation and this time, I've put the ear muffs on her.
'She will go forward from the gate. She is quick.'
All Too Silent raced in the same two races as Northern Glow when last behind Shaggy before closing from near last when fourth to Zumbo.
'His last run was excellent at Grafton,' he said.
'He's learnt a lot from that first preparation and is a lot different horse now.
'If Andrea is on song, he will beat the other two of time home and will be hard to beat.
'The filly could knock him off if he doesn't run to his potential but he has just a little bit more class than her.
All Too Silent can run well but is probably looking for 1200 metres.'
Ball's other runner for the day is Star Prediction in the Super Maiden (1280m) and he expects the gelding to go close to breaking through.
The son of Nostradamus has placed in three of his five starts including a close second to Solitario at Scone on Cup Day.
He also finished third behind Mia Ballerina and Hidden Achievement at Canterbury on April 21.
'He has tonnes of ability and is going enormous,' Ball said.
'He just got beat at Scone the other day. The horse of (Paul) Messara's just grabbed him in the last few strides.
'The second horse in that Canterbury race, Hidden Achievement, was racing at Rosehill this weekend and was also nominated for the Group 2 Sires' Produce at Eagle Farm.
'It's pretty good form.'
The three-year-old has drawn out the outside barrier but Ball and jockey Shae Wilkes are too concerned.
'I said to Shae on Friday morning that we've drawn bad this weekend and she said 'We'll be outside the leader after we've gone 50 metres'.
'He worked really well on Friday morning and looks fabulous and I'm sure he will run very well again.'
ADAM SHERRY'S TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 7 No. 2: RITZSUN
Narrow seconds at his past two runs and can go one better.
NEXT BEST
Race 3 No. 5: IMAGE OF THE SUN
Well suited stepping up to the 2300m and gets her chance.
VALUE BET
Race 6 No. 7: ZOOMORPHIC
Strong wins at his past two and an improving track only helps as he chances a hat-trick.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 3, 5, 8
Race 5: 1, 2, 8
Race 6: 4, 5, 6, 7
Race 7: 2, 8, 11
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
REECE JONES has some nice rides and looks a chance in the TAB Jockey Challenge.
Reece Jones can have a good day at Muswellbrook. Picture: Getty Images
INSIDE MAIL – MUSWELLBROOK
RACE 1: GREG CRIBB MEMORIAL RED CROWN 2YO HANDICAP 900m
RAGING FORCE (2) was well backed on debut in the Group 3 Breeders Plate where he raced wide without cover and finishing a three length sixth to King Kirk. Has since been gelded. Closed strongly under a hold when third in his May 5 Randwick trial. ANDREA (1) was green on debit at Newcastle on Feb 15 where he settled last and wide. He did make up ground to beat a couple home and finish two-and-a-half lengths off Frostfire. IT STAYS IN VEGAS (5) was also green in debut when fifth at Scone on Jan 30. Led and won a Gunnedah trial on May 14.
Bet: Trifecta 2 / 1, 4, 5
RACE 2: KELDAN COMMERCIAL COUNTRY BOOSTED 3YO & UP MAIDEN PLATE 900m
LAST LALIQUE (8) is a debutant is a half-sister to the consistent Dollar Magic by Star Witness. Sat outside the leader and kept under a good hold to the line when a nose second ion her May 14 Gunnedah trial. BRUMMAGEN (1) was third to Sardonyx at Dubbo on debut in February last year and returned with a handy fourth to Joiselle second-up. Resumes from a long spell after a handy third to Wonder Step in his May 13 Wellington trial. BALLY ISLE (4) will take improvement from his two runs in his first campaign including a debut second to Divine Feminine at Quirindi.
Bet: Last Lalique to win
RACE 3: ACORP COMPUTERS HUNTER RIVER STAYERS CUP BENCHMARK 74 HANDICAP 2300m
IMAGE OF THE SUN (5) settled four lengths off the leader Enterprise Lassie and made ground under her 62kg to finish second over 1600m. Was slow out and always well back when down the drack to Fiorsum Fred in the 1600m Highway at Scone on May 17. Much better suited stepping up to the 2300m. JONNY BE SWIFT (7) battled away for third to Cascade Mountain as an odds-on fav at Gunnedah two starts back before backing up at Taree eight days later when a long head third to Justifiably over 2000m. CASCADE MOUNTAIN (2) is in great form with four wins and a close second from his last five starts.
Bet: Image Of The Sun to win
RACE 4: SHORTY CRIBB ABERDEEN CUP BENCHMARK 82 HANDICAP 1280m
STRATIFIED (5) is racing in consistent form. Led all-the-way to beat Rouge Moulin at Mudgee back on Feb 23. Has placed in three of his four runs since and was fourth in the other. Just run down late by Lockdown Gamble at Mudgee last start. MCKEON (8) came from a long way back when beaten just over two lengths by Ballinderry Sal in the TAB Highway at Randwick two starts ago. Bounced back to winning form to beat Ritzsun in the Highway on Gosford Cup Day. INFERENCIA (3) led all-the-way to win a Rosehill Highway on Mar 22 before an eighth to Bianco Vilano at Warwick Farm.
Bet: Stratified each-way
RACE 5: THE ROYAL HOTEL MUSWELLBROOK SUPER MAIDEN HANDICAP 1280m
STAR PREDICTION (1) battled away for third behind Mia Ballerina and Hidden Achievement over 1250m at Canterbury three starts back then struggled in the very heavy ground when sixth to Mille De Lune over 1500m at Newcastle. Back to 1300m and just nabbed by Solitario at Scone last start. JUSTICE WARRIOR (2) was okay when second to Cashaway Gold at Port Macquarie first-up and better when second to King's Secret at Gosford. Raced keen with a sit and didn't finish off when sixth to Queen's Rhapsody at Hawkesbury last start. CALIFORNIA SECRET (8) resumes here. Closed nicely from last for third in his May 13 Warwick Farm trial.
Bet: Star Prediction to win
RACE 6: JTS REALTY COUNTRY BOOSTED CLASS 2 HANDICAP 1450m
ZOOMORPHIC (7) was ultra impressive winning a Mudgee Super Maiden and followed with a nice win from Only Need One on a Soft 5 at Dubbo. With an improving track here, his chances of a hat-trick improve. NAVY STEEL (4) has two wins and a close second from his four runs this time in. Just beaten under 61.5kg at Inverell last start. SANZENO (5) had no luck when down the track in the 1600m Highway at Scone last start. Was a handy third to Otium over 1700m at Scone and a half-length second over 1400m to Mulvader at Mudgee before that.
Bet: Zoomorphic each-way
RACE 7: SNOWDEN RACING BENCHMARK 66 HANDICAP 1000m
RITZSUN (2) raced outside the leader when a neck second to Deion at Mudgee then raced in the middle of a lie of three before going to the front when a head second to Mckeon in the Highway at Gosford. Drawn wide but gets a claim and can break through. MOVE SHE CAN (11) scored a nice win first-up at Scone before a third to Hulu here. Bumped at start and got well back when fifth at Tamworth last start. Drawn well and should settle in a forward position. OCTAVIAN TREASURE (8) and CUMBOOGLE (1) have claims.
Bet: Ritzsun to win
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