Australia Racing: Lancaster Bomber can cruise to victory

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Friday, including metro fixtures at both Canterbury and Moonee Valley.

Race 7 Canterbury

Lancaster Bomber @ 5.00

Race 6 Moonee Valley

Fickle @ 5.00

Race 7 Gundagai

Asgarda @ 2.90

Lancaster Bomber to record Canterbury victory

The seventh race of the day at Canterbury is a 1250m Benchmark 72 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou are set to be represented by the grade-dropping Union Army, who has been off the track since an eighth at Randwick in August.

The five-year-old was beaten over five-and-a-half-lengths when contesting a Benchmark 78 handicap on a soft 5 track that day.

Prior to that, the gelding had been beaten over seven lengths when 10th over the same distance in a similar race to that at Rosehill.

Jason Collett’s mount has a rail barrier here and, while the switch to a sound surface is a positive, he looks opposable in this contest.

Veteran performer LANCASTER BOMBER is preferred on this occasion, as he chases a first win since saluting over track and trip in January.

That January triumph came in a similar race to this, held on a soft 6 track and he has finished in the first three on three occasions in the interim period.

Those top-three finishes include two runners-up spots this prep, with the most recent coming over this distance on Randwick’s Kensington track last month.

Lancaster Bomber raced on a good 4 track on that occasion and he was beaten less than a length over 1200m at Randwick subsequently.

Tyler Schiller’s mount boasts a good barrier in four here and he looks up to registering the ninth win of his career.

Fickle for Moonee Valley glory

The sixth race at Moonee Valley is a 1000m Benchmark 70 handicap restricted to fillies and mares.

A good 4 track is expected, with Enna’s Dream expected to prove popular with punters dropping in distance.

The filly placed in the top three in all four starts last prep, including when beaten less than a length in an 1100m handicap at Caulfield when racing first up.

The four-year-old ended that prep with a third, beaten just over two-and-a-half-lengths in a seven runner 1400 handicap at Caulfield in July.

Alexander Rae’s representative jumped at short odds that day and, while expected to go well, FICKLE is preferred in this event.

Tom Dabernig’s filly lost out by a narrow margin when contesting a 1000m maiden at Warrnambool on her return to action early last month.

Fickle raced on a good 4 track that day and duly broke her maiden on similar going when stepped up to 1100m at the same venue two weeks later.

The daughter of I Am Invincible came home three-lengths clear of her rivals that day and went close to completing a double when second here last time.

Fickle was beaten less than a length when contesting a similar race to this over 1200m on that occasion.

The drop back in distance is unlikely to pose any issues and Craig Williams’ mount looks up to registering a win.

Asgarda to claim Snake Gully Cup

The seventh event on an eight-race card at Gundagai is the 1400m Snake Gully Cup.

Doug Gorrel’s ASGARDA has registered some big efforts this prep and looks up to recording her fourth win of the year.

The five-year-old resumed with a Benchmark 82 handicap win over 1000m at Wagga in September.

This mare ran big when beaten just over four lengths in finishing fifth in The Kosciuszko over 1200m at Randwick subsequently.

Billy Owen, on board for both of those efforts and set to ride here, was again in the saddle when fourth in a 1300m Benchmark 78 handicap at Rosehill last time.

Asgarda has underfoot conditions to suit and looks capable of returning to winning ways.