Scone Preview & Best Bets – 21/08/2023

Scone Tips for Monday, August 21

Our form expert provides Scone tips for today’s horse racing at Scone Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.9  OMIANS  ($5.50 with Picklebet)

Locally-trained by Scott Singleton, OMIANS is four starts into this preparation and has the race fitness here to chalk-up win number two on her home track today. Last start, the Odyssey Moon mare bounced back from an unplaced effort two starts back when she beat all but home in a Class 1/Maiden Plate, here over the mile trip with Mitchell Bell aboard. She ran home strongly but couldn’t reel in the leader. She will be at her peak today and has Bell sticking with her (who steered her to victory in her Maiden effort three starts back). Already a winner at the track and a winner in wet conditions, gate four gives her an edge and she looks right in the mix here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.4  ANGELICAL  ($8 with Neds)

The Paul Messara-trained ANGELICAL is second-up today and ticks all the boxes that suggest she is a genuine chance at bringing up another home track victory here. Last start, the Real Impact mare was fresh off a six-month absence and clearly in need of the run, finished last in a BM72 over 1300m at Warwick Farm. Settling at the back of the field, she turned for home eight lengths of the lead and with no chance of landing a podium finish, Ryan Maloney eased her down at the finish. The stats come into play here with the mare already a winner when second-up, a winner at the track and distance, three of her four career wins have come on wet tracks and as icing on the cake, today’s rider (Aaron Bullock) is three from three on the five-year-old and all that considered, she looks a serious player in this contest, at odds today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 8:  No.1  RANUNCULA  ($10 with Palmerbet)

Local trainer Stephen Jones saddles-up RANUNCULA here who is four starts into this preparation and now looks ready to win. Last start, the Exosphere gelding was slowly away and had to do some early work to find a suitable spot on settling. Sitting mid-field on the fence, six-year-old made up ground rounding the turn but the leader had the momentum to go on with it, leaving the gelding to be content with third prize on the day. He should be at his peak here as Aaron Bullock takes the reins for the first time. He is a track specialist, winning two of his four starts here, and has three victories to his name on wet tracks. Also boasting a win at the rack and distance, he can figure here at odds today and looks well worth an each-way ticket.