Werrett’s familiar green and yellow colours will be flying high at Coonable’s Showcase Sunday meeting when Mr Pumblechook tackles the main event.

Originally a Winx stablemate, Mr Pumblechook came to Tamworth trainer Cody Morgan via Scone where he was cared for by Greg Bennett, the man who famously gave another champion mare, Makybe Diva, her early education.

Mr Pumblechook has thrived in his time at Tamworth, winning four times; twice at home and at Armidale and Gulgong.

That Gulgong win came at his latest start when he beat a quality field in the town cup in what was a pleasing and stunning return to form after he finished well down the order at Gunnedah in their XXXX Gold Lightning Handicap over 1000m.

“He just knocked up at Gunnedah, that was his number one issue there,” Morgan said. “He is a horse that can get away on you pretty quickly.

“He went to Gulgong for fitness and there wasn’t a lot else on and he just needed a bit of racing. He didn’t win by far but he did have 59.5kg and to drop 5.5kg in a fortnight in I would say is similar grade, he should be right in it out there.

“He is a horse that has run plenty of seconds so whenever he is in winning form is good.’’

Mr Pumblechook is only at Coonamble due to a favourable draw.

SHAYNE O’CASS’S TOP PICKS

COONAMBLE

BEST BET: RUMPSHAKER (Race 1, No.8)

Gosford visitor has placed at two of his five runs; his June 7 run was a career peak when he finished runner-up at Taree to a very, very good horse in Big Parade. The on-pacer has drawn one and has Greg Ryan on board.

NEXT BEST: MY BENALLA (Race 4, No.3)

Greg Ryan gave a masterful account on this $2000 yearling when he made a winning debut at Tamworth, charging past his rivals down the outside of the track. Harder here but he is progressive.

VALUE: MR PUMBLECHOOK (Race 7, No.3)

Bounced back to his best form last start winning the Gulgong Cup. Trainer wanted a good draw and came away with barrier one. Won five races and has generally been very good at holding his form.

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

GREG RYAN is the No.1 pick of every trainer so, when it comes to the big-dollar races like these Showcase Sundays, Ryan is spoiled for choice.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 4,6,8,11,14. Race 6: 3,7. Race 7: 3,4. Race 8: 2,5,7,10.

SCROLL DOWN FOR SHAYNE’S EXTENDED PREVIEW & TIPS

ADAM SHERRY’S TOP PICKS

WAGGA WAGGA

BEST BET: OUTTA REACH (Race 3, No.1)

Good efforts at first two starts when runner-up to Stronger and Aeecee Vinco at Kembla and Canberra respectively. Impressive all-the-way winner at Goulburn last start and hard to beat again.

NEXT BEST: MAID IN MILAN (Race 4, No.3)

Although he has only won one from seven, she is racing consistently. Just behind the placegetters at both starts this campaign and can improve stepping up to 1200m.

VALUE: LA LA LOOPSY (Race 5, No.7)

Resuming after more than two years but showed good ability with four wins, two seconds and a fourth in her seven starts. Showed speed and went to the line under a strong hold when a close second in recent Wellington trial.

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

BLAIKE MCDOUGALL has strong book of rides, including Rugged Boy and Lady Loire for Lindsay Park and Dream Builder for Matthew Dale

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1,2,3. Race 5: 5,7,9. Race 6: 1,3,4,5,8. Race 7: 1,4,11.

*****

“I am very happy with barrier one because at Coonamble from the 1100m start you really have to be in the first half for most of the time and if we had drawn wide we probably wouldn’t have gone around.

“So drawn one that will give him his chance and he is very well weighted. Sue Grills horse (Atila) looked the hardest to beat but other than that I think he is right in it.

“He is ready to go and Wendy (Peel) won on him at his last start. He’s got plenty of things to suggest he will run well.’’

Morgan has himself been in great form of late, in fact, the last time he visited a racecourse, he led in a double.

“Things are going really well,’’ Morgan said. “I have always strived to keep a good strike-rate because I think from an owner’s perspective that is one of the first things you are going to look when you are going to select a new trainer.

“I try and only run them when they are winning chances and hopefully it works out in the long run.’’

Meantime, Clint Lundholm’s pair, Dusky Damsel and So Good To Me, have wildly contrasting draws in the third race at Coonamble but they could still provide the Dubbo trainer with the desired result.

Dusky Damsel is advantaged by the inside alley whereas So Good To Me will need luck, and plenty of it, with just one horse outside her in the capacity field of 14.

So Good To Me arrives at the Showcase meeting in peak form, having broken her maiden status at her most recent outing in a 1280m race at Gilgandra.

“So Good To Me has been threatening to win one for a little while and goes into the race with a win on the board and I think she can be competitive, it’s just a tricky alley,’’ Lundholm said. “She has got speed so she should be able to keep herself out of trouble. Hopefully she can cross over and have plenty in the tank to finish it off. She is a well bred filly, her dam — Stellana — was a very good broodmare and has got upside to her.’’

Dusky Damsel is capable of bouncing back to form after a last-start seventh at her home track at Dubbo albeit not beaten far with a 3.8-lengths gap between herself and the winner, Sqaured.

“She went really well at her first-up run, maybe it was the second-up syndrome because she a little bit flat the next time,’’ Lundholm said.

“But she is third-up today at the 1300m with barrier one, I think she can really competitive.. She won’t have to do too much early and she’ll be able to hold her ground on the fence and she has got a good finish on her so I expect her to be right there at the end.’’

Lundholm fans who are prepared to roll the dice on stayer Carinda when he resumes in the 1100m scamper to end the Showcase could be well rewarded. The son of Power Of Destiny has won from 1500m to 2050m and is unplaced in his two fresh runs but could surprise a few.

“My dad and my grandfather always said that decent stayers could run big cheeky races first-up,’’ Lundholm said. “And his form nothing to sneeze at. He is a big strong horse who just keeps boxing on.’’

SHAYNE O’CASS’S INSIDE MAIL

COONAMBLE

RACE 1 (12.20pm)

Rumpshaker has placed at two of his five starts, including on June 7 when an on-pace second at Taree in a 1250m maiden. This is a weaker race by comparison and he should get his best opportunity to break through for a win. Elusive Eagle clocked in sixth behind an exciting and talented Kris Lees-trained galloper at Newcastle on debut. Bellarina Magic was adequate behind Yitai Synergy last Sunday.

BET STRATEGY: RUMPSHAKER win; Exacta 8 to beat 1.

RACE 2 (12.55pm)

Chambermaid is by the Queen’s horse Carlton House and has run well at all of her three starts thus far, finishing fifth, fourth and then second at her most recent outing. Raced handy last time but interesting to see how things pan out for her from the wide alley. Go well with any luck. Love Wins has claims on her Tuncurry run. Southern Strategy has been runner-up eight times in 19 starts.

BET STRATEGY: CHAMBERMAID win.

RACE 3 (1.30pm)

Palais De Louvre is a Gerry Harvey-owned and bred mare with a great pedigree and is way off in class having contested a TAB Highway at Rosehill at her most recent outing. Granted, she was beaten a fair distance but she has reasonable form in better races than this. Harmonica has drawn ideally given that we now she likes to race handy, if not even lead, if possible. Dusky Damsel was a bit flat second-up. Can improve here.

BET STRATEGY: PALAIS DE LOUVRE win; Box trifecta 2,3,5,7.

RACE 4 (2.05pm)

My Benalla was bought at the Gold Coast as a yearling by Sue Grills for just $2000.and won a trial before his outstanding debut at Tamworth where he came from nearest to last, sweeping home down the middle of the straight to win narrowly but in super style. Greg Ryan sticks for this next step. Toulon Brook is a Kody Nestor-trained galloper who went within a whisker of winning at Dubbo last time. Ayetem is usually thereabouts.

BET STRATEGY: MY BENALLA win.

RACE 5 (2.40pm)

Get Up Alby was placed at Dubbo and Wellington but blotted the copybook last time out but the wide barrier that day was a major contributing factor. Drawn 10 here, which is not ideal, but he remains a serious contender. Tapanui has drawn the rails. The son of Savabeel has placed third at the most recent two outings. Can figure again. Brave Maddie and Thorn Lass are in the mix.

BET STRATEGY: GET UP ALBY each-way.

RACE 6 (3.15pm)

Sunday is the fifth straight occasion that Greg Ryan will ride Modern Family. He won on the gelding two starts ago at Dubbo before a June 14 second there where the margin was a mere 0.2-lengths. Horror draw this time but Ryan can take him back and get him home down the middle — hopefully. Scatter Blast has only won three of 38 but he has finished second 10 times and was third another six times. Should medal. The Frick is a player.

BET STRATEGY: MODERN FAMILY win; Exacta 7 to beat 3; Quinella 3,7; Box trifecta 3,4,7,6,14.

RACE 7 (3.53pm)

Mr Pumblechook was back to his best winning the Gulgong Cup last start so his confidence would be high. The Cody Morgan-trained gelding has drawn barrier one here so hopefully he is able to take up a handy ground-saving position in the run and let down late. Attila is the main danger given that he is a Greg Ryan mount. Ryan steered the horse to victory at Scone last start. Just A Bullet is a genuine competitor. Kanguru has claims.

BET STRATEGY: MR PUMBLECHOOK win; Exacta 3 to beat 4.

RACE 8 (4.30pm)

Bel Diablo has always shown ability which is reflected in his solid record of three wins and six placings from 14 starts, and some of those have been in quite good quality races. The son of Black Caviar’s sire Bel Esprit is a gem second-up and there was plenty to like about the return when he was a closing fourth at Gunnedah. Hard to beat. Charlotte’s Heart is a Brett Cavanough-trained filly who was 3.2-lengths away in a TAB Highway last start. Major chance. Arleta is also worth considering.

BET STRATEGY: BEL DIABLO win; Exacta 2 to beat 5.

WAGGA WAGGA

Adam Sherry

Albury trainer Mitch Beer is confident the stars are aligning for Maid In Milan.

Beer is confident she can break through for a deserved win after the four-year-old mare’s two runs for the trainer in which luck has gone against her.

“She finally draws a better barrier and everything lines up for her to have her day in the sun,’’ he said. “I’m pretty keen on her.

“She has been shockingly unlucky in two starts for the stable.

“She drew barrier one at Wangaratta first-up when the inside was off and she couldn’t get off the fence that day. It was a very game run in finishing fourth.

“I then accepted for Dubbo and Albury and she drew barrier 13 at both places.

“We took her to Dubbo being a touch weaker race and she was posted wide from the barrier then had to come even wider; virtually come down the outside fence in the straight.”

On Sunday, the daughter of Master Of Design steps up to 1200m and has drawn barrier eight in the benchmark 58 handicap.

“The winkers go one which will help her because she can get a little bit wayward,’’ Beer said.

“She gets in well at the weights being a mare. She has pulled up terrific from the Dubbo run and I think it will be her day. She will be pretty hard to beat.

“She gets through the soft, Wagga is a lovely big track and stepping out to 1200m is ideal.”

The most interesting runner at Wagga today is La La Loopsy, who is resuming from more than two years off and having a foal.

The Joe Curran-trained mare hasn’t raced since second to Stoneyrise in the Country Championships Qualifier at Dubbo in February, 2017.

“She strained a tendon after finishing second and the experts said she needed a long break,” he said. “We thought while she was out she can have a foal so we bred her to Bon Hoffa and once we weaned the foal, we put her back into work.

“She has been back in the stable about three or four months and has been sound as a bell since she’s been in work.”

The daughter of Raheeb turned in a solid effort when a short-neck second to Goo Goo Doll in a Wellington barrier trial on June 6.

“She trialled very nicely at Wellington a couple of weeks ago,’’ Curran said. “It will probably take her a couple of runs to get back into shape but she looks well, her work has been really good and we’re hoping for a good showing.”

Curran bought La La Loopsy as a wedding anniversary present for his wife — she is named after the popular children’s doll. She has proven a real doll for the Currans, winning four of seven starts and will no doubt add to that.