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Scone Betting Tips for May 18, 2024 - Race-By-Race preview for Dark Jewel Classic day

alex-marsh
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Last updated: 16 May 2024
Alex Marsh 16 May 2024
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  • The 2024 Scone Racing Carnival features a 10-race program with five stakes races
  • Key tips include Sonofdec in Race 1 and Cenotes in Race 2 for value
  • Final race highlights include Unusual Legacy in the Muswellbrook Ford BM78 Handicap
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Scone Tips for 18.05.2024
Opal Ridge (red and black) resumes in the Ortensia Stakes. (Getty)
 

The 2024 Scone Racing Carnival concludes on Saturday, with five stakes races run over a competitive 10-race program.
  • Scone Tips May 18
  • Race 1 - 11:05AM Yalumba Midway BM72 Handicap Tips (1700m)
  • Race 2 - 11:40AM TAB Highway Class 3 Handicap Tips (1600m)
  • Race 3 - 12:15PM Arrowfield Woodlands Stakes Tips (1100m)
  • Race 4 - 12:50PM Muswellbrook Ford BM78 Handicap Tips (1700m)
  • Race 5 - 1:25PM Kia Ora 3&4yo BM72 Handicap Tips (1300m)
  • Race 6 - 2:00PM Yarraman Park Denise's Joy Stakes Tips (1100m)
  • Race 7 - 2:35PM Emirates Park Ortensia Stakes Tips (1100m)
  • Race 8 - 3:10PM Coolmore Dark Jewel Classic Tips (1400m)
  • Race 9 - 3:50PM Scone Equine Hospital Luskin Star Stakes Tips (1300m)
  • Race 10 - 4:30PM Gulliver's BM78 Handicap Tips (1100m)
  • Scone Quaddie Tips:

Our race-by-race preview for May 18 is included below.


Scone Tips May 18


Race 1 - 11:05AM Yalumba Midway BM72 Handicap Tips (1700m)


Best: 9. Sonofdec. One of only two three-year olds in this Midway is Sonofdec and he's the most lightly raced horse in the field, with the gelding now third-up in his second campaign.

He showed potential in his first prep when recording back-to-back wins before a Group 3 failure in Brisbane and he's come on from that, with two solid efforts this time in.

1280m proved a little sharp first-up but he rattled home in that Muswellbrook attempt before saluting at Newcastle and they have options from out wide, as he's tactically versatile.

Value: 2. Go Troppo. The six-year-old somewhat put the writing on the wall with a slashing second-up effort, hence he started fav in the Hawkesbury Midway.

While he was held-up at stages. it was still disappointing effort from Go Troppo and perhaps he was just flat there two weeks after racing on a very heavy surface.

He's been honest over the journey and he often holds form deep into his preps, so up in trip fourth-up and from another low draw, he could easily atone on Saturday.

Race 2 - 11:40AM TAB Highway Class 3 Handicap Tips (1600m)


Best: 5. Cenotes. This is a really deep Highway and while it's a competitive affair, there's two I could speck at big prices and Cenotes is the first of those long-priced contenders.

After a string of competitive efforts, the four-year-old found a new level last winter when the blinkers went on, as he recorded a winning hat-trick before being tipped out.

First-up on December 30, he was unlucky in a 1200m Highway before placing over 1400m second-up at Rosehill and fresh at 1600m this campaign, it might be a set play.

Value: 9. He's A Copy Boy. It's common to see heavy track maiden winners not handle that surface going forward and that looks to be the case with He's A Copy Boy.

The Ross Stitt-trained galloper broke through on heavy ground in April last year but he hasn't handled testing surfaces via his last two outings on heavy tracks.

His form was quite good deeper in into his last winter campaign on firmer decks and now that he's completed a few runs since a freshen-up, he could be a big improver.

Race 3 - 12:15PM Arrowfield Woodlands Stakes Tips (1100m)


Best: 1. Toque. While she failed on debut in the Wyong Magic Millions, she brings a short starting price from a race that produced Highness and Spywire.

She was given plenty of time before resuming on soft ground at Canterbury, where she led throughout and gave nothing else the chance in a strong May 1 performance.

As far as Listed races go, you won't say many weaker ones than this and with the market elect likely to make her own luck again from barrier one, she's a deserving fav in the Woodland Stakes.

Value: 12. Zoubaby. I've got plenty of time for Curl Curl, who broke through at Newcastle on April 24 and Zoubaby started second fav in that race, where she was on debut.

Although she couldn't finish off in that first outing, the daughter of Zoustar improved from the experience when covering ground for fourth behind a smart Warwick Farm winner.

The progression from start one to start two really stood out and with a soft map in what appears to be a nothing affair, she has the scope to figure.

Race 4 - 12:50PM Muswellbrook Ford BM78 Handicap Tips (1700m)


Best: 8. Unusual Legacy. This big, strong and lightly raced stayer from the Chris Waller yard looks set to work through the grades this prep, with the gelding arriving off an excellent return run.

1500m proved a little sharp Unusual Legacy in that fresh tilt but he held firm in the market given his class and it was hard to miss his work through the line in that Rosehill BM78.

He will get over more ground, however, the extra furlong and this big circuit are both big positives second-up, and with any improvement, he will be very hard to beat here.
Value: 11. Tajawal. The biggest threat to the fav may be this Annabel Neasham-trained import who is on Australian debut, with the son of Frankel trialling up twice.

Tajawal responded to riding in both April hit-outs and given he was a middle-distance type in Europe, he shouldn't be far away here over 1700m fresh.

Aside from Unusual Legacy, there isn't much in this field in the way of progressive horses and from a soft draw, I wouldn't be shocked if he's one the market finds at a price.

Race 5 - 1:25PM Kia Ora 3&4yo BM72 Handicap Tips (1300m)


Best: 8. Jewellery. Although 1100m is perhaps a little short, the Godolphin mare arguably should've won first-up at Canterbury in a BM72 that was taken out by a handy Spring Lee.

The daughter of Lohnro was held-up a hey stages there, with barrier one proving to be her undoing but she attacked the line once clear and she was giving 2.5kg to the winner.

That form was franked with Ningaloo Star bolting in on Wednesday and while there's some quality to this BM72, Jewellery is over a more suitable distance and she carries 2kg less.

Value: 2. Midnight Opal. Well he was competitive in three stronger affairs this autumn, including his last two at Listed level, Midnight Opal is suited back in grade for now.

He prevailed in his first starts last year before an unlucky attempt in stakes grade at Randwick and the winkers now go on following a midfield finish on April 13.

To the eye, he didn't quite run out a strong seven furlongs on that occasion, so back in trip is no knock and he gets nice relief after the 3kg claim from Braith Nock.

Race 6 - 2:00PM Yarraman Park Denise's Joy Stakes Tips (1100m)


Best: 5. Commemorative. It could be a race of two between Spring Lake and Commemorative, and while it's hard to split them, I'm willing to give the Godolphin filly another look.

Despite not living up to the hype that was there after a brilliant debut win last year, she still hasn't been disgraced in three stakes races and she was a fresh winner this campaign.

While she covered ground in the Wyong return victory, galloping room looks the key to this huge filly and on a one-turn sprint track, drawing out is a positive for Commemorative.

Value: 4. Lazzago. She hasn't gone on with it since winning the Group 2 Sweet Embrace as a juvenile, although there were some encouraging signs early this prep.

The highlight was a returned second behind a smart Estriella at Caulfield and she's back to 1100m here on the fresh side following three subsequent misses over six furlongs.

The Chris Waller-trained filly appeared to be traveling well in a May 2 trial and without a whole lot of exposed form in the race, she's one that's perhaps sneaking under the guard.

Race 7 - 2:35PM Emirates Park Ortensia Stakes Tips (1100m)


Best: 6. Opal Ridge. The jury might be out off a short spring campaign that fell away late, however, it's worth noting that concussion plates went on ahead of that prep.

The concussion plates are now off for her autumn return, which tells us her feet are in order and she appears to be ticking over nicely going off her two lead-up trials.

A local who has won both tries on her home circuit, which includes a stakes triumph on this card last year, Opal Ridge is a classy operator when right and she has a terrific fresh record.
Value: 11. Quick Tempo. He's always going to need luck given his racing pattern and even with that being a factor, Quick Tempo still looks over the odds here at $30+.

We're only going back to last spring to find a win over Iowna Merc and following that Randwick triumph, he was runner-up behind Insurrection on heavy ground.

Those two are both fighting for favouritism in this Listed sprint, so he has to be some sort of a chance and he'll have time to wind up at Scone if they overdo it up front.

Race 8 - 3:10PM Coolmore Dark Jewel Classic Tips (1400m)


Best: 1. Ruthless Dame. It's somewhat of a tricky race to sort out, with a big bunch of these coming from the Hawkesbury Gold Crown and there isn't a whole lot between them.

The proven class runner of the rice is Ruthless Dame, which is reflected in ratings and the weight she carries as result but ability should still take her a long way here.

Back to 1400m on the fresh side suits the Ciaron Maher-trained mare, with her last attempt over this trip resulting in a second and she split Espiona and Magic Time on that occasion.

Value: 3. Po Kare Kare. She recorded a Group 3 win early last year in fine fashion but she's had her problems in subsequent runs and those issues have been at the barriers.

While the test will ultimately come on race day, Po Kare Kare stepped away fairly in three autumn trials leading into Saturday's return assignment.

Early in a prep has often been the time to catch the daughter of Savabeel, with three of her four career wins coming either first or second-up and she has the talent to figure in this.

Race 9 - 3:50PM Scone Equine Hospital Luskin Star Stakes Tips (1300m)


Best: 6. Kalino. Another tough race for punters is the Luskin Star Stakes, where a genuine case can be made for at least half the runners in this 1300m feature.

One at each-way odds is Kalino, a Chris Waller-trained galloper who simply didn't handle a very testing track when first-up at Randwick and that run can be forgiven.

He's close to his ceiling at this level, although he gets weight off a few of the classier gallopers in Tamerlane and Amendable, while he's completed a quiet trial since the fresh flop.

Value: 17. Kayobi. He was one of the Provincial Championship fancies ahead of the qualifying rounds but off a plain run in the Newcastle heat, Kayobi was sent for freshen-up.

It's hard to know where he's at off that last start performance but blinkers go on for the first time here along, as does a tongue tie and that could explain the April 3 run.

Especially given he's gelding, there's no point of running him at listed grade with an 83 rating if he isn't going well and I'm respecting this placement from the Sam Kavanagh stable.

Race 10 - 4:30PM Gulliver's BM78 Handicap Tips (1100m)


Best: 8. Jedibeel. It looked strange placement at the time and connections made the right decision to scratch from a 900m dash at Newcastle last Saturday, which was on heavy ground.

Jedibeel was looking for a little further after a strong return victory on the Randwick-Kensington track, with 1100m-1200m likely to be his sweet spot going forward.

The four-year-old has always shown potential and returning as a gelding this campaign, he appears to be at least Saturday class, so this BM78 is a logical progression now second-up.
Value: 17. Disneck. He'll be further tested rising up in grade on Saturday in what is a decent BM78, however, the three-year-old is flying at present.

Disneck is settling better in his work this campaign and he bounced off a nice return over 1000m, with the gelding luckless two starts back in a strong BM64 at Wyong.

He atoned from that despite going up in class to a BM72 at Rosehill on April 27 and he circled the field from last to achieve that win, which is never easy to do on that circuit.


Scone Quaddie Tips:


Race 7: 6,11,15
Race 8: 1,3,5,9,11,14
Race 9: 1,2,6,17
Race 10: 4,8,17

$216 gets you 100% of the Quaddie.
                                  

Verdict

Our Scone tips for Saturday, May 18 are:

Best Bet1: Unusual Legacy To Win $2.45 at Ladbrokes Australia - 5 Units
Best Bet2: Jedibeel To Win $5.00 at betfair - 2 Units
Best Bet3: Opal Ridge To Win $4.65 at Boombet - 2 Units
Best Bet4: Cenotes Each Way $29.00 at bet365 Australia - 1 Unit
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Betting Slip | 18 May 2024

Scone - May 18