Australian Racing: Agent has the answers at Orange

There are just two meetings for punters to follow on Monday, with Orange and Kempsey both set to stage seven-race cards.

Race 6 Orange

Field Agent @ 5.00

Race 1 Kempsey

Casino Bear @ 2.80

Race 5 Kempsey

Monte Cruise @ 3.60

Agent to see off the Field at Orange

The penultimate contest at Orange is a 1300m Benchmark 58 handicap expected to take place on a soft 5 track.

Starane is expected to have his supporters for the Paul Clisby stable, having registered two wins so far in 2024.

The gelding’s most recent victory however came back in May when taking out a 1000m Benchmark 58 handicap held on a soft 6 surface at Parkes.

The six-year-old’s best efforts since then have come on a sound surface, including when beaten less than one-and-a-half-lengths when fifth on a good 4 track over 1000m here last month.

The son of Star Turn has since finished last of nine in a 1000m event on a wet track at Dubbo, so, stepping up in grade FIELD AGENT is preferred.

Trained by Gary Kirkup the five-year-old has been tackling easier events than this since returning from a spell, including when runner-up in a 1300m Benchmark 50 handicap at Bathurst last month.

The 5.00 pick has made two appearances since including when beaten just over two lengths in finishing fifth in a 1400m Class 1 handicap on a good 4 track here six days later.

The gelding went on to deliver a victory by over half-a-length when contesting a 1400m Benchmark 45 handicap on a soft 6 surface at Cooma earlier this month.

Matthew Cahill is set to partner the gelding for the first time since the pair finished third at Forbes in October and he can steer the son of Deep Field to victory in this event.

No gamble on Casino for Kempsey success

They are set to race on a soft 5 track at Kempsey with the opening race a 1900m Benchmark 58 handicap.

Stand In Line showed good form earlier this season and is expected to vie for favouritism for the Cassandra Schmidt stable.

The gelding registered a victory by two lengths when contesting a 2125m Class 1 set weights event in October.

The five-year-old was freshened following a below-par third of four at Canberra and returned with a last of 11 over 1450m at Kempsey at the end of last month.

This distance is much more suitable, however, the Peter Cheers-trained CASINO BEAR is expected to prove hard to beat.

The pick recorded a run of three consecutive placed efforts in November, culminating in a third of six over 1600m in a Class 1 handicap at Wyong.

The 2.80 gelding broke through for his first win of the year when coming home nearly three-and-a-half-lengths clear of his rivals stepped up to 2200m at Grafton subsequently.

The six-year-old contested a Benchmark 58 handicap held on a soft 7 track that day and subsequently finished a good fourth in the 1900m Armidale Cup at Armidale.

Siena Grima’s two-kilogram claim is a positive and she looks up to steering the selection to his third career win.

Monte to Cruise to Kempsey win

The fifth race at Kempsey is a 1000m Benchmark 66 handicap with Noel Mayfield-Smith’s MONTE CRUISE set to return from a spell.

The four-year-old showed good form last prep, registering three victories from five starts with all three of those wins coming on wet tracks.

The first of those successes saw the filly break through for her first victory when contesting a 1012m maiden on a heavy 10 track at Coffs Harbour in June.

The 3.60 pick was racing first up that day and went on to score by half-a-length when racing at Benchmark 58 handicap over 1000m at Taree two starts later.

The filly duly completed a double at Tuncurry next time with both of those wins coming on a soft 7 surface prior to finishing third when racing at this Benchmark 66 level at Taree in August.

The selection prepped for her return to action with an 800m trial win at Coffs Harbour and jumping from barrier eight she looks up to resuming with a victory.