Cup Day is on Friday, but there’s no doubt that the biggest day on the Scone racing calendar is Dark Jewel Classic Day!
Ten races will be run and won at the Country New South Wales club on Saturday, and with so much talent engaged, it could prove to be a lucrative betting day.
You can find all of my 2023 Dark Jewel Classic Day Tips below.
Dipsy Doodle has returned to the races in slick form and the Woodlands Stakes looks the perfect feature for her.
The Lonhro filly finished third, beaten two lengths at Randwick-Kensington first-up and hasn’t looked back, breaking her maiden at Warwick Farm before winning in Saturday metro company last time.
She steps out this week in peak order and she is drawn ideally under Sam Clipperton.
I’m going to have something on Russley Crown in this week’s Highway race.
Russley Crown was too good in a Handicap at Mudgee two starts back, and he was only just denied here at Scone, last time out.
This is his home track and he is primed to strike.
I thought that this week’s Midway Handicap looked a great race for Miracle Spin.
Miracle Spin has made eight appearances at the races since making his debut, winning twice and placing a further four times.
I thought that he excellent when second, beaten a head in a similar race at Rosehill a fortnight ago, and Jason Collett has options from the rails draw.
Altivo puts an unbeaten record on the line in Race 4 at Scone on Saturday and I am happy to stick with him.
The Team Hawkes-trained gelding won a couple of provincial races during his brief debut prep, and he returned with a dominant performance at Sandown in March, easily the best of his career to date.
He’s about 6 weeks between runs, but he clearly goes well fresh, and he just needs some luck in running from the wide draw.
This is a quality edition of the Ortensia Stakes with plenty of excellent sprinters, but I am going to give Andermatt another chance.
Andermatt finished down the order in The Galaxy back in March, and he returned from a freshen up to fill the minors in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush three weeks ago.
I’m expecting plenty of improvement for that hit-out, and I think that these Listed country sprints are his level.
There’s a case to be made for a few of them in this BM78 Handicap, and I thought that Akasawa looked a bit of value at current odds ($9 at publish).
Akasawa returned a winner in the Tamworth Country Championships Qualifier in February, but only managed to finish midfield in the Grand Final during The Championships.
He’s since finished midfield in the Tamworth Cup, and we can have an each way play this week at the price.
She’s yet to gain a start as the field’s fourth emergency, but Opal Ridge will be the one for me in the Denise’s Joy Stakes if she does find herself in the starting gates.
This is a wide-open affair otherwise, and I think a horse like Penthouse could have an impact at a huge price ($26 at publish).
It’s a big rise in class, but she was very good on her way to winning a Highway Handicap first-up from a spell, and her second-up record is excellent.
Another quality Listed sprint and with luck, I thought that Tamerlane could win it at a nice price ($8 at publish).
Tamerlane ended his last prep with consecutive wins at Randwick and Kembla Grange, and after only just missing at Rosehill first-up this time, has again recorded consecutive metro victories.
He is four weeks between starts, but has form around some excellent gallopers, and I like that he has been kept up to the mark with a trial since his last race.
Never Talk didn’t fire a shot in the Hawkesbury Crown last time out, but her form prior to that was promising, and I am happy to give her another chance in the Dark Jewel Classic.
Never Talk was settled off the pace in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes on Day 2 of The Championships, and she mustered a keen turn of foot to finish second behind Zapateo, who has since come out and placed in Group 1 company.
This mare steps out this week at peak fitness and is drawn to receive a lovely run under leading apprentice Dylan Gibbons.
Certainly not the easiest way to end the day from a betting perspective and at publish, we’re faced with $7 the field in this BM78 sprint.
That being said, Mabel has been pretty consistent in races like this one, and looks a competitive chance again at around the $13 mark (at publish).
Mabel has missed placing once at her last four trips to the races, winning at Randwick in February and filling the minors in a similar contest on Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day most recently.
She’s rock-hard fit, but will need some luck from a wide draw.