Australian Racing: Stats can’t be ignored at Cairns

3 minute read

There are four meetings set to take place on Thursday including at Hawkesbury where an eight-race program is scheduled.

Presides @ 4.40

Stats @ 2.80

So Nataya @ 2.20

Presides to salute at Hawkesbury

The penultimate race on the Hawkesbury card is a 1300m Benchmark 64 handicap set to take place on a soft 6 surface.

Valiancy is expected to have her supporters having been allocated a rail draw for the Ciaron Maher stable.

The mare has been competing in metro events since registering a fourth when beaten just over two lengths in an 1100m Benchmark 78 handicap here first up.

This daughter of Shooting To Win arrives here on the back of a four-and-a-half-length fifth in a 1250m Benchmark 72 handicap held on a soft 5 track at Canterbury.

Zac Waddick's mount gets a marked drop in grade here and, while she rates highly, preference is for PRESIDES for the James Cummings stable.

The gelding recorded his first victory when jumping as an odds-on favourite for a 1300m maiden at Scone at the start of July.

Presides came home four lengths clear of his four rivals on that occasion and he followed that effort up with a good second at Kembla Grange.

While the selection won on a heavy 10 track at Scone, he encountered a much quicker good 4 when beaten less than half-a-length at Kembla Grange.

The son of Lonhro contested a Class 1 handicap at Kembla Grange and he has a top jockey in Kerrin McEvoy on board for this event.

Barrier two is a positive with regard to his chances and he looks up to helping his trainer Cummings improve on his 32% strike-rate (12/38) in the last 30 days.

Stats for Cairns glory

The seventh race on the Cairns card is a 1250m Benchmark 70 handicap.

A soft 7 track is expected with Crowning Moment expected to start favourite having won each of his last two starts.

Those two victories include a three-and-a-half-length success when contesting a Benchmark 65 handicap over this track and trip at the start of June.

Crowning Moment subsequently went on to salute by just over a length in a 1300m event at Townsville later that month.

Roy Chillemi has freshened his gelding since that effort and, while he is expected to go well in this field, preference is for STATS.

Stephen Massingham's representative ended his last prep with a good second when beaten less than half-a-length on a soft 6 track at this venue.

That effort, which came in a 1500m Benchmark 70 handicap here in September, was to be his final start of 2023 with the gelding resuming here on 18th July.

The selection registered a victory having jumped at odds of $8.50 for a 1250m Class 6 set weights contest on that occasion.

Barrier one is a positive with regard to his chances here and, with Ryan Wiggins in the saddle, he looks capable of completing a double.

Nataya to break maiden

They are set to race on the Scarpside track at Pinjarra with SO NATAYA taking the eye for the Luke Fernie stable in the fourth race of the day, a 1200m maiden.

The filly registered third place finishes in metro contest on her first two starts, including when beaten just over one-and-a-half-lengths at Ascot in February.

So Nataya contested a 1400m event held on a good 4 track that day and she was stepped up in grade for the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas over 1800m at the same venue the following month.

The pick won a barrier trial over 1000m at Belmont Park recently and dropping back to 1200m she looks capable of registering the first win of her career.