3 minute read
There are a number of meetings set to take place on Thursday including at Pakenham where a late transfer from Cranbourne seems them racing on the synthetic track.
Race 6 Pakenham
Perfect Gold @ 6.50
Race 7 Kembla Grange
Kiribati @ 3.20
Race 8 Northam
Uukhai @ 3.40
Perfect for Pakenham glory
The sixth race of the day at Pakenham is a competitive looking 1600m Benchmark 64 handicap.
Ciaron Maher's Colombe D'Or is expected to have her supporters having registered some solid efforts this prep.
Those efforts include a fifth when beaten less than two lengths in a 1411m Benchmark 64 handicap at Seymour last month.
The five-year-old followed that up with a close third in a 1700m event when racing at Benchmark 64 level at Warrnambool just under two weeks ago.
Ben Melham takes the ride here however preference is for the three-year-old PERFECT GOLD.
Trained by Ben, JD & Will Hayes the youngster recorded the second win of her career when victorious by a narrow margin at Wangaratta on her penultimate start.
The selection raced over 1400m in a Benchmark 64 handicap held on a soft 5 track that day and went on to perform well on Ballarat's synthetic track subsequently.
The daughter of Gold Standard was beaten six lengths when runner-up over 1500m at Ballarat and she should have no issues with the step up in distance.
Blaike McDougall's mount has a wide alley here however she remains open to improvement and is taken to overcome that to deliver her third career win.
Kiribati to salute at Kembla Grange
Kembla Grange are set to stage an eight race card with the penultimate race a 1000m Benchmark 64 handicap.
Rebel Dean showed good form when runner-up in a metro contest on the Kensington track at Randwick last month and is expected to feature prominently in the market.
The four-year-old lost out by less than half-a-length when racing over this distance in a Benchmark 64 handicap that day.
Trained by Robert & Luke Price the gelding raced on a heavy 8 surface at Randwick but failed to shine in similar conditions at Warwick Farm two weeks later.
The son of Rebel Dane is expected to put that disappointment behind him however he is expected to find Ciaron Maher's KIRIBATI too strong on this occasion.
The three-year-old registered a victory in a small field Class 1 handicap over 1400m at Goulburn in December.
The gelding failed to place in two subsequent starts over that distance last prep including when eighth of ten in a Newcastle Benchmark 68 handicap in February.
The selection impressed in saluting by three lengths in an 800m barrier trial on a heavy 9 track here last month and he resumed with a win at Hawkesbury subsequently.
That Hawkesbury triumph saw him come home one-and-a-half-lengths clear of his rivals in a Benchmark 64 handicap held over this distance on a soft 6 track.
The quicker going expected here is no issue and Keagan Latham's mount is taken to complete a double.
Uukhai to triumph for Erkelens
They race in Western Australia at Northam with the eighth race of the day a 1300m Class 5 handicap.
Justine Erkelens saddles UUKHAI here and her representative broke through for his first win when successful over 1200m in a Pinjarra maiden last month.
The three-year-old won by over a length when racing on a soft 5 track that day and followed that effort up with a third on the Scarpside track at Pinjarra on 3rd July.
The son of Snippetson raced wide throughout having jumped from barrier nine at Pinjarra and an inside alley is a positive in this contest.
Troy Turner's mount has placed at this venue in the past when runner-up in a 1000m maiden here three starts back and he is taken to return to winning ways.