Australian Racing: Another Wil can find a way

There’s plenty of racing action taking place on Saturday, including at Caulfield where two Group 1 races are set to take place.

Race 7 Caulfield

Aeliana @ 3.40

Race 9 Caulfield

Another Wil @ 3.60

Race 8 Newcastle

Far Too Easy @ 4.20

Aeliana for Guineas glory

The first of the Caulfield Group 1s comes up as the seventh race on a 10-race card.

A field of 13 are set to do battle over 1600m in the Thousand Guineas.

Zeitung is expected to prove popular with punters, racing in the Godolphin blue for the James Cummings stable.

The three-year-old has made six starts this prep and has to date been partnered by six different riders.

Her jockey here, Jamie Kah, was in the saddle when finishing fourth in the 1200m Group 3 Scarborough Stakes at Moonee Valley in September.

The youngster followed that effort up with a Group 2 second over 1400m here prior to breaking through for a win in the Group 3 The TAB Vanity at Flemington.

That Flemington success was her first at Group level and, while she rates highly, AELIANA is the pick for the Chris Waller team.

The daughter of Castelvecchio is the winner of three of her five starts to date, including both starts since being freshened following a Warwick Farm sixth.

Both of those victories have come in Group contests, including when narrowly getting home in the Group 3 Reginald Allen Quality over 1400m at Randwick.

Aeliana raced on a soft 5 track that day but proved the forecast good 4 going was no issue when taking out the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes subsequently.

The Carbine Club win came on the filly’s first attempt at 1600m and she has the services of James McDonald once more.

While barrier 11 isn’t ideal, she was ridden cold last time out, having raced from mid-division prior and she is taken to complete a hat-trick.

Wil to record Group 1 triumph

The second of the Group 1 contests at Caulfield is the 1400m Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Jimmysstar is expected to jump as favourite for the handicap contest, having registered victories in his first two starts this prep.

The second of those wins saw him triumph by just under two-and-a-half-lengths in the Listed Weekend Hussler over this track and trip last month.

This five-year-old lost little in defeat in placing second in The Damien Oliver, a Group 2 contest at Flemington two weeks ago.

However, the gelding meets the winner that day ANOTHER WIL here and he is preferred in this event.

Ciaron Maher’s gelding has demonstrated a liking for this venue in the past, registering wins in three of his four starts here.

Those starts include two triumphs this prep, with both of those efforts coming over 1400m.

The most recent of those 1400m wins saw the gelding come home one-and-a-half-lengths clear in the Listed Millennium Testa Rossa Stakes in September.

While Another Wil failed to shine when only seventh in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap here subsequently, he returned to form in winning last time.

Jamie Kah’s mount boasts a good barrier here, with the son of Street Boss looking capable of recording his first win at this level.

Easy to salute at Newcastle

There’s Group 2 action at Newcastle with the 2024 renewal of The Newcastle Herald Hunter over 1300m.

A soft 6 track is expected with FAR TOO EASY the selection to register a victory.

The gelding has been lightly-raced in the last 12 months, making just four race appearances, including when resuming with a fourth at Eagle Farm in September.

Far Too Easy raced over 1000m when beaten just under one-and-a-half-lengths that day and he showed improvement when taking out The Kosciuszko last time.

The extra distance appeared to suit the six-year-old that day and jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor’s mount can overcome a wide alley to deliver back-to-back wins.