3 minute read
There are no fewer than eight meetings scheduled to take place on Sunday, including at Dubbo, where an eight-race card is scheduled.
They also race at Casterton, Echuca, Hobart, Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Sunshine Coast and Wagga.
Race 6 Dubbo
Naval Destroyer @ 6.00
Race 7 Kalgoorlie
Abloh @ 3.80
Race 9 Echuca
Gin O'Clock @ 6.00
Destroyer to have rivals all at sea
The sixth race on the Dubbo card is a 1400m Class 2 handicap expected to take place on a soft 6 surface.
The field has been decimated by non-runners, with Tapa Kick expected to jump as favourite for the Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich team.
The gelding registered wins in his first two starts last prep including when breaking his maiden by half-a-length in a 1200m contest at Gosford in December.
A success in a Benchmark 66 handicap over 1500m at Muswellbrook followed prior to the four-year-old finishing runner-up at Tamworth.
The son of Scissor Kick has been off the track since that second place, which came in a 1600m Benchmark 66 handicap and he has had two trials ahead of his return to action.
The expected favourite failed to shine in those two barrier trials and NAVAL DESTROYER is preferred on this occasion.
Cameron Crockett's gelding registered a number of placed efforts in maiden company in 2022 and 2023 and placed second on his first two starts this prep.
Both of those efforts came in maiden races including when over-racing in the early and middle stages prior to losing out by half-a-length over 1400m at Tamworth in May.
The 6.00 gelding broke through for his first victory when getting the better of 13 rivals to deliver a narrow margin win in a 1300m maiden at this track in May.
The selection has been freshened since that effort and has had two barrier trials at Scone since then including when third over 1000m last month.
Both of those trial efforts came on wet tracks and Jake Pracey-Holmes' mount is taken to complete a double having been freshened since breaking his maiden.
Abloh backed for Kambalda Cup glory
It's Kambalda Cup day at Kalgoorlie, with a field of 11 declared for the 1400m open handicap contest.
A soft 5 track is expected with Uncompromised expected to have his supporters for the Helen Harding team.
The gelding ended his last prep with wins in four of his last five starts with all five of those efforts coming at Esperance.
The final one of those victories saw the gelding get home by just under a length in a 1600m Benchmark 58+ handicap in March.
The son of Xtravagant dropped backed in distance when resuming over 1300m in a Benchmark 70+ handicap at this circuit on 28th July.
The six-year-old came within a length of defying odds of $31 when runner-up when racing on a soft 5 track that day and similar underfoot conditions expected here.
Natasha Faithfull, on board last prep, returns to the saddle here, however ABLOH is preferred for the Peter Fernie stable on this occasion.
The pick has raced at metro level in two starts since finishing a close second in a 1300m Benchmark 70+ handicap at this venue in June.
The gelding missed the break by two lengths on that occasion and caught the eye in finishing strongly, having jumped from an inside alley that day.
The 3.80 selection followed that up with a good fourth, beaten less than two lengths in a 1400m event held on a soft 5 surface at Belmont Park just under two weeks later.
While the son of Al Maher failed to shine back at Belmont Park subsequently, he races on his home track here and, with Lucy Fiore on board, is taken to deliver the fourth victory of his career.
Gin to salute at Echuca
The finale at Echuca is a 1618m Benchmark 64 handicap, with GIN O'CLOCK selected to register the fourth win of his career.
Trained by Ben, JD & Will Hayes, the pick registered his first win of 2024 when triumphing by a narrow margin when contesting a Benchmark 64 handicap at Geelong in June.
The 6.00 selection raced over 1500m on a good 4 track that day and delivered his best effort in two subsequent starts when third over 1447m at the same venue 26th July.
The six-year-old lost out by just over a length in a Benchmark 64 handicap on that occasion, with the pick encountering a wet track for the first time since switching hemispheres.
The return to a good 4 surface expected is no issue and he is taken to provide apprentice Rose Hammond with a winner.