3 minute read

There are five meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Kembla Grange where an eight-race program is scheduled.

Race 8 Kembla Grange

All Machiavellian @ 7.00

Race 6 Kempsey

Claptone @ 4.20

Race 7 Pinjarra

Pandora Girl @ 5.50

 Machiavellian to complete a double 

The concluding race on the Kembla Grange card is a highly competitive 1300m Benchmark 64 handicap.

Cool Lad has been performing at a higher level so far this prep and is expected to prove popular with punters from an inside barrier.

Matthew Smith's gelding has made three starts at Warwick Farm since resuming with a sixth over 1200m at Gosford in April.

While the five-year-old could finish only tenth in a Benchmark 72 handicap over this distance at Warwick Farm last time, he was beaten less than three lengths that day.

The son of Al Maher has won at this level in the past, however preference in this contest is for ALL MACHIAVELLIAN.

The gelding is a regular runner at his home track and he resumed with a good fourth, beaten less than four lengths in a 1200m Benchmark 68 handicap last month.

The 7.00 selection raced on a heavy 9 track that day and returned to winning ways over this course and distance on a soft 5 surface earlier this month.

Trained by Robert & Luke Price, the pick contested a similar event to the one he tackles here when finishing strongly on that occasion.

Robbie Downey's mount has a good alley and with underfoot conditions in his favour he is taken to complete a double.

 Claptone goes for Cup success 

The sixth race at Kempsey is the 1450m Wauchope Cup, an open handicap contest set to take place on a heavy 10 surface.

Auzstar looks likely to jump as favourite having shown a liking for heavy tracks in the past, including when victorious over 1400m in a Class 5 at Tuncurry in February.

The gelding raced on a heavy 10 that day and acquitted himself well when fourth over 1400m in a Scone Benchmark 84 handicap on his penultimate outing.

The six-year-old found racing wide and without cover against him over 1300m at Warwick Farm and he looks opposable in this event.

Julie Lynch's CLAPTONE races on his home track here and has registered a couple of second-place finishes from five starts this prep.

Both of those efforts came on heavy 8 tracks including when contesting a 1605m Benchmark 66 handicap at Tuncurry in April.

The 4.20 pick has made just two subsequent appearances with the most recent seeing him lose out by a narrow margin when runner-up at Taree earlier this month.

The gelding raced over 1262m in a Benchmark 82 handicap that day and the extra distance here is no issue.

Peter Graham, on board at Taree is again set to ride and a bold bid is expected from barrier three.

 Pandora to salute at Pinjarra 

The penultimate race on the Pinjarra card is a 1400m Class 1 handicap expected to take place on a soft 6 surface.

PANDORA GIRL takes the eye for the Don Luciani team in this contest, having registered some good efforts at metro level since winning in maiden company here in Mach.

The 5.50 selection came home over three lengths clear of her 13 rivals when contesting a 1412m contest on a good 4 track on that occasion.

The four-year-old encountered a wet track for the first time when contesting a 1400m Class 1 handicap at Belmont Park at the end of last month.

The heavy 8 surface that day appeared no issue, with the filly beaten less than a length into third.

Jarrad Noske's mount gets a drop in grade here and wearing a tongue tie for the first time she is taken to double her career tally.