Gunnedah Racing Tips 14 Aug — can Bullock boss it again?
Taree Racing Tips 14 Aug 2026 — can I Am Steffi go three straight?
Taree Racing Tips 14 Aug 2026 — can I Am Steffi go three straight?
There’s a very specific kind of confidence you get when a mare is winning, drawing to control her own luck, and lands in the right grade again. That’s the story of I Am Steffi in the last, and it sets the tone for how I’m playing this Taree meeting: lean into the profiles that are trending the right way, and don’t get cute in the races that are basically questions with saddlecloths.
We’ve got five races on the turf at Taree today, and a card that mixes big maiden fields with a genuinely bettable C2 to close. I’ll give you the angles that matter: who handles this track, which riders actually convert here, and where the map looks like it’ll hand a horse the run of the race. If you’re looking for Taree racing tips that read like a mate’s form notes rather than a spreadsheet, you’re in the right spot.
Taree — the setup
Limited course form across today’s fields. A lot of these runners have one or two goes at Taree, which is useful context but not something you can build a whole case around. The best “real” track patterns today sit more with the riders and a couple of horses who’ve been here often enough to matter.
One thing you can trust: Ashley Morgan is a proper Taree rider. He’s ridden 17 winners from 17 rides? No. He’s ridden 7 winners from 17 rides here and hits the frame 12 times. That’s the kind of record that changes how you price a horse when he turns up with a gate that lets him be positive.
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Jockeys worth respecting at Taree (minimum 5 rides)
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Morgan | 17 | 7 | 12 | 41.18 | 70.59 |
| Jean Van Overmeire | 6 | 2 | 2 | 33.33 | 33.33 |
| Zac Wadick | 8 | 2 | 2 | 25.00 | 25.00 |
| B Looker | 40 | 8 | 19 | 20.00 | 47.50 |
| Madeline Owen | 21 | 4 | 6 | 19.05 | 28.57 |
Trainer-wise, the one worth flagging for this course is Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald. They’ve had 10 runners at Taree for 4 winners. That’s not a token sample, and it tells you they place them to win when they show up here.
Race-by-race
Race 1: Ddh1 Drilling Country Boosted Mdn Plate — 12:30, 1094m
Fratianno gets my money because this is the right kind of maiden: plenty of these are either out of form or still learning what racing is, and he’s already shown he belongs around the mark. The recent string reads like a horse who keeps turning up, and that last-start second off the break (form line ends “-2”) screams “ready to win” rather than “happy to place”. From gate 7, Mollie Fitzgerald should be able to slide into a spot with cover and have one crack at them.
The race shape suits a runner who can hold a position without burning. There isn’t an obvious stack of mad speed here, and the ones drawn wide like Jeunetos (10) and Sizzling Suzie (13) could be doing work early just to get involved.
The danger is Cheating Lilibet. Only two runs on the page (34), but that’s often the setup for a maiden win at a country track: a filly who’s learned enough, drawn well (3), and can take a step third-up without needing miracles.
Staking: Win bet Fratianno. Small quinella saver with Cheating Lilibet if you want coverage.
Race 2: Dean Mills Plumbing Mdn Hcp — 13:05, 1367m
Here’s the puzzle: do you back the horse with the best recent consistency, or do you price in the map risk in a monster field? I’m siding with Fashion Spree because she keeps putting herself there, and that matters more than “potential” in a race full of it. Her form line (344622) is the profile of a maiden that’s knocking hard.
She’s also one of the few who has enough Taree history to talk about without pretending it’s destiny. She’s been here three times and placed twice. That’s an emerging pattern at this course, not a fluke.
Yes, the draw (16) isn’t friendly, so the ride from G Buckley is the key. Buckley rides Taree as well as most, and he’s ridden 19 placings from 47 rides here. He can find cover, and in a 1367m maiden, that’s often the difference between a flat spot and a win.
The main danger is Don’t Tell Harry from gate 1 with Ashley Morgan on. Morgan’s strike rate at Taree is elite by local standards, and barrier 1 lets him either box-seat or lead if it falls into his lap. If Fashion Spree gets caught wide for too long, that inside run can beat her.
Staking: Each-way Fashion Spree. Saver win on Don’t Tell Harry if the market drifts Fashion Spree to a backable price.
Race 3: Mlw Fencing Plate (C1) — 13:40, 1750m
I’m taking a stand on Zenmode as the horse most likely to get the “cheap” run and make it count. Gate 1 over 1750m at Taree is a weapon if your jockey wants to use it, and Olivia Chambers has no reason to hand it up here. Zenmode’s form (710) looks messy until you read it as a three-start education: win early, then thrown into deeper water. Back to C1 at a country mile-and-a-bit, drawn to park, he gets every chance to rebound.
Cannystep is the obvious danger and the one I’d want to be on if you told me the tempo would be solid. He’s won here and placed in both course visits, and his form (031) has upside. The issue is the draw (16). If he has to circle them, he needs the race run to suit. If he gets stuck doing it tough, the inside horse can pinch it.
A quick note on the Neasham and Archibald runners: they’re a strong Taree yard (4 winners from 10 here), and Kowloon Magnate (5223) and Disgruntled (4-443) both have the kind of profiles that can win this grade. But with no odds available in the feed, I’m not taking the short one on reputation alone, especially when Zenmode maps to control the race.
Staking: Win bet Zenmode. Small saver quinella with Cannystep.
Race 4: Synergy Resource Management Tradies Cup (Bm58) — 14:15, 2187m
This is the best betting race on the card because it’s the one where you can actually build a proper argument. The market will probably gravitate to the topweight and the “names”, but I want the horse who is in form right now and can run the trip strongly.
Exorbitant Miss is that horse. Her recent form line (412351) is rock-solid, and over the last 90 days she’s gone around four times for one win and three placings. That’s a mare holding her form, not spiking it. She also lands a weight (127.8) that’s very workable in a BM58 over 2187m, where momentum and positioning matter more than raw sprint.
There’s also a small course tick: she’s with a yard that doesn’t have volume at Taree, but the mare herself arrives in the right part of her preparation. I’d rather back that than guess who stays when the pressure comes from the 600m.
The danger is Dark Justice from gate 1. The form (1-67322) says he’s right there, and William Stanley can give him the economical run. The knock is his Taree history: he’s had two goes here and hasn’t placed, which doesn’t rule him out, but it does stop me calling him a track horse.
Staking: Win bet Exorbitant Miss. Save on Dark Justice if you’re playing exactas.
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18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Race 5: Mackies Concrete Pumping Country Boosted Hcp (C2) — 14:55, 1531m
The market problem here is simple: if I Am Steffi turns up anywhere near her recent level, the others are running for second unless the race becomes chaos. She’s chasing a hat-trick (26-211) and the last 90 days reads like a horse that’s genuinely improved: three runs for two wins and three placings, average finishing position around the win mark. That’s not “finding her feet”. That’s a mare in a groove.
Gate 1 seals it. J Penza hasn’t been a big converter at Taree (no wins from 11 rides here), but barrier 1 in a C2 over 1531m is the great equaliser. If he can hold a spot in the first two pairs and peel at the right time, Steffi doesn’t need a superstar ride. She just needs a sensible one.
The danger is Sirsa Nuwa because she’s a winner and she’s honest. Her form (215152) says she keeps turning up, and she’s placed on her only start at Taree. L Magorrian isn’t a high strike-rate rider here, but he does hit the frame often enough to take seriously.
A little value runner for wider players: Whiskers is hard to trust off the “0” last start in his form string (191850), but he’s a genuine Taree horse with five runs here for a win and two placings. If the top two get into a mid-race wrestle, he’s the one who can sneak into the finish at odds.
Staking: Win bet I Am Steffi. Small saver on Sirsa Nuwa. Trifecta players can throw in Whiskers for third.
The plays
NAP: I Am Steffi (Race 5, 14:55). The recent form is sharp and the draw gives her first rights to the best run in the race. She doesn’t need luck, she just needs to keep doing what she’s been doing.
Value: Fashion Spree (Race 2, 13:05) each-way. She’s been stuck in maiden purgatory, but her strike profile is consistent and she’s placed twice from three at Taree, which matters more than hype in these big fields.
Banker for multis: I’m still using I Am Steffi as the anchor. If you want a second leg, make it Exorbitant Miss (Race 4, 14:15) to run top 2, because she’s been a placing machine lately.
Each-way: Fashion Spree again, but if you want an alternative each-way play, Fratianno (Race 1) is the maiden most likely to finally crack.
Course angle to keep an eye on: when Ashley Morgan turns up at Taree from a low draw, you price the horse differently. Seven wins from 17 rides here isn’t noise, and it keeps paying when others ride the track like it’s any old country circuit.
Next Taree meeting, watch how the market treats Morgan early. If they keep letting him start overs on inside gates, it stays a repeatable edge.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Taree today?
Taree kicks off at 12:30 with the Ddh1 Drilling Country Boosted Maiden Plate over 1094m.
Who are the top jockeys and trainers at Taree on today’s numbers?
On meaningful volume, Ashley Morgan is the standout jockey: 7 wins from 17 rides at Taree and 12 placings. Among trainers, Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald have an excellent Taree record with 4 winners from 10 runners at this track.
What are the best bets at Taree today?
My Taree best bets are I Am Steffi in Race 5 (she’s won two of her last three and drawn gate 1) and Exorbitant Miss in Race 4 (four recent runs for one win and three placings, and she looks suited getting out to 2187m).
Where can I find the best odds for Taree races?
The live odds feed wasn’t available for today’s meeting at the time of writing, so shop around manually with your preferred bookies and compare price fluctuations close to jump. If you’re using online bookmakers, check early fixed odds and again late, because country markets can move sharply once riders and tactics become clear.
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