Fresh from a Highway Handicap win at Randwick on Saturday, happy to jump on the Greg Ryan bandwagon at Dubbo on Sunday for our best bets with double-figures odds appealing for an in-form gelding in the Cup.
Ryan is second only to Robert Thompson in terms of numbers of winners ridden on Australia racetracks passing the 3500 winners in February 2017 and all his skills were on display piloting the Clint Lundholm-trained Larlabrook to an all the way victory yesterday.
The Best Bets
JAYAQUA (Race 5 No 6)
Jayaqua is Ryan's ride in the Harpil Hotel Group Class 2 Showcase Handicap (1100m) chasing her third career victory from five starts.
Trained by Matthew Smith at Warwick Farm, Jayaqua was a maiden winner at Nowra from two runs in her first preparation before returning to racing on the back of a 339-day break between races finishing third in a strong maiden at Kembla won by Mossman Gorge before a narrow win at Nowra last time out.
There is still plenty of scope for improvement with Jayaqua having her third run back from a long break and if that's the case she looks a great chance to record back to back wins.
CROOKED BLAZE (Race 7 No 2)
The Melissa Dennett-trained Crooked Blaze will need all of Ryan's skills in overcoming a double-figure barrier draw in the XXXX Gold Dubbo Cup Day Showcase Flying Handicap (1100m) but at $7.50 in early betting is worth the punt.
Crooked Blaze gets the dry track he needs on Sunday with each of his seven
Crooked Blaze must shoulder 60.5kg but has been placed carrying 61kg so not concerned about the weight at the odds available on his preferred track conditions.
The Roughie
The Peter J Morgan-trained Zarlu looks exceptional each-way value at $14 in the Dubbo City Gold Cup Showcase (1600m) dropping 7kg on his last start.
Zarlu lumped 62kg to victory last time out at Wagga and run his best races over the 1600m journey with five of his seven career wins coming at the trip.
Zarlu won't spend a penny in the run from the inside gate and looks well over the odds in an open race.
