Scone Preview & Best Bets – Tuesday August 23

Steve Bennett

in Bets of the Day 23 Aug 2022

Scone Tips 23/08/2022

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6: No.7 LE MELODY ($2.15 with Palmerbet)

Cody Morgan saddles-up LE MELODY here who has made a big impression in her three starts to date and looks the ticket in this contest. Last start, the Your Song mare was shooting for the hat-trick when she fell short of the milestone, finishing fourth in a Class 2 Hcp over 100m at Grafton. She led them but weakened over the final stages. The 60kgs, step up in grade and distance all contributed to her downfall that day. Bailey Wheeler has the job here and after his claim, the mare carries 2.5kgs less today. Back to the 1000m again, she looks the best of the day.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7: No.3 FANMALIA ($3.70 with Palmerbet)

The Rod Northam-trained FANMALIA hasn’t run a bad race yet this preparation and on his home track today looks the testing material. Last start, the Animal Kingdom gelding settled too far back to have any impact on the race when he finished fourth in the BM68 Hcp over the mile at Wyong. He still managed to run a new personal best that day, covering the journey, 2.9 lengths quicker than benchmark. He also posted the fastest final 800m, 600m and 400m sectionals for the race. He has drawn the fence today and with a rider on board (Mitchell Bell), he maps to settle mid-field with cover. Back on his home track here, the six-year-old only needs a touch of luck on straightening and if he sees daylight, he should prove mighty hard to hold out today.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 3: No.3 DEEPSTAR ($3.80 with Palmerbet)

Locally-trained by Luke Pepper, DEEPSTAR has hit a purple patch of form and looks well placed here to go on with it today. Last start, the Deep Field mare came off a huge win at Inverell (where she put more than 5 lengths on a BM50 field) and stepped up to take on a Class 3 contest over 1200m at Quirindi. On a Heavy 9 that day, she beat all but one home and in the process, put more than eight lengths on the third placegetter. Just a pity no stats are available for that run. Apprentice Anna Roper was aboard that day and has the job again here. Ideally drawn in gate three, she maps to lead them on settling and will no doubt dictate the speed from there. Now five starts in, she will be at her peak and prove hard to beat.