Scone Preview & Best Bets – 22/03/2024

Scone Tips for Friday, March 22

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.5  HELLCIBELL  

Another from the Cavanough camp here is HELLCIBELL who is yet to miss a podium finish in four starts to date and looks well placed here to keep the good form going today. Last start, the Hellbent mare was fresh after six months off the scene when she finished a gallant third in a BM64 over 1200m at Newcastle. Settling near the speed, she took on the leader but couldn’t find the lead and her condition gave out over the final 100m, seeing her beaten just over a length on the line. Braith Nock returns for his second ride on the mare who draws the middle of the field and maps to settle better than mid-field with her early gate speed. Already a winner at the track and a winner when second-up, the drop back in trip here could prove a master stoke and with a clear run to the lone, she looks a serious player in this contest.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.5  MORE SZYSLAK

The Brett Cavanough-trained MORE SZYSLAK is on fire after two starts back and third-up today, looks well placed for back-to-back victories in this contest. Last start, the More Than Ready gelding went one better than his first-up effort when he broke through for his Maiden win over 1200m at Tamworth, running the trip in 1:09.5, carrying 59kgs with Mitchell Bell aboard. He finished second here two starts back and returns to face the 1400m for the first time. He came from back in the field last start and had them covered so the step up in trip today doesn’t pose any problems. Bell sticks with him here and from gate seven, maps to settle near mid-field with cover. Fitter for those two runs back, he looks the testing material here.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 2:  No.7  DUNALOCE

Nathan Doyle and Koby Jennings combine again here with DUNALOCE who is in career-best form this preparation and looks set for win number two today. Last start, the Dundeel mare came off her Maiden win at Newcastle and facing Class 1 competition, wasn’t disgraced when finishing a close-up third over 1880m at the same track with Koby Jennings in the saddle. Fighting fit after five starts in this time, Jennings remains aboard having ridden the mare at her past two starts and drawn the fence today, gets the gun-run and maps to settle better than mid-field with plenty of cover. At peak fitness here, she looks right in the mix for a fourth-straight podium finish today.