We’ve four meetings for punters to get involved with today with Gunnedah, Wagga, Warracknabeal and Barcaldine all playing host to races.
Take Creeper for Wagga glory
In the penultimate race on the Wagga card Dash To The Bar looks likely to jump as favourite in what looks a highly competitive handicap set to be run on a heavy 10 track.
Ben Brisbourne’s charge is sure to attract support having followed up a first up win over 1400m on a soft 5 track at Wangaratta with a fifth place finish on a heavy 8 surface over 1500m at Bendigo in a Benchmark 64 event last month.
However preference here is given to Huxton Creeper who has had the two starts this spell following up a fourth in a 1200m Class 1 event at Goulburn in May with a fifth over 1400m in a Benchmark 58 event at the same venue later that month.
Never really involved when racing from off the pace in his latest start the drop in grade here is a positive and having shown he handles heavy surfaces in the past the four-year-old is selected to provide jockey Jeff Penza with a victory.
Shot to score at Gunnedah
Last time out winner Mezinjit with jockey Grant Buckley is among the leading fancies for the final race on the Gunnedah card, a 1000m Class 2 handicap event while Asherla, down the field in a Benchmark 64 event over this trip at Randwick Kensington is another likely to be fancied in the market with the switch from a metro track and having won second up both positives with regards her chance.
Taketheshot is the pick in this event though with the four-year-old performing well when breaking his maiden in a 900m event at Scone back in February. Has had no luck with the barrier draw in three subsequent outings including when ninth in a 950m Benchmark 58 contest on a soft 6 surface at Moree last month but returns from a let-up ahead of this contest.
The barrier draw can prove crucial over the 1000m at this venue and with Mark Mason’s charge having drawn the rail here he is taken to deliver a third career success.
Adelaide for Warracknabeal triumph
The sixth race at Warracknabeal, a 1600m contest set to take place on a soft 7 track sees the unexposed Freedom Escape bid to build on a solid fourth place finish in a 1400m Benchmark 64 contest at Casterton last month with a second victory having broken his maiden at Horsham last December.
He may have to give best to Lady Adelaide here however with Billy Egan’s mount having been competitive in stronger events in recent times including when runner-up in a 1400m Benchmark 70 race at Bendigo on 19th June.
Boasts a good record on soft tracks having won or placed on four of her six starts on soft ground while any rain in the area wouldn’t inconvenience given the daughter of Adelaide also handles heavy surfaces.
Likely to race from off the pace here there’s a strong possibility the race will be set up for the her with Mattash, Havisham and Letxcel all likely to want to go forward early on. Shapes as if this extra distance will suit and looks capable of helping Patrick Payne improve on his 20% strike-rate (2/10) with his runners here in the last year.
