Australian Racing: Claymore Mine to dig out a win

There are a number of meetings scheduled to take place on Friday including at Ballarat where eight races have been carded.

Race 7 Ballarat

Claymore Mine @ 3.60

Race 6 Tamworth

Annulus @ 9.00

Race 8 Warracknabeal

Ballynacally @ SP

Claymore for Ballarat glory

The synthetic track is in use at Ballarat, with the seventh race of the day a 1400m Benchmark 64 handicap restricted to fillies and mares.

Savvyrocker is the winner of her only previous start at this venue, with that success coming in a 1200m maiden just over a year ago.

While unable to score since, the filly has recorded some good efforts and is expected to jump as favourite for the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman stable.

The daughter of Shamus Award resumed with a good third when contesting a Benchmark 64 handicap at Cranbourne last month.

The filly was making her first start of 2025 when beaten less than a length that day, however, she disappointed when last of six at the same venue subsequently.

Top weight CLAYMORE MINE is preferred in this event, with the filly having saluted by two lengths when racing over 1170m at Wangaratta on her penultimate start.

The selection contested a Benchmark 0-64 handicap on that occasion, with a number of those in behind going on to run well subsequently.

The 3.60 four-year-old went on to lose out by less than half-a-length in a Benchmark 64 handicap at Swan Hill last time.

The filly raced over 1300m that day and, while she has failed to score in three previous starts at this distance, the small field here should suit.

Jake Duffy, on board for five of the pick’s starts this prep, is set to ride here and his mount looks up to making a winning synthetic track debut. 

Annulus for Tamworth success

A soft 7 track is expected at Tamworth, with the sixth race a 1600m Benchmark 82 handicap.

Scott Singleton is set to saddle Fiorsum Fred here, with the gelding expected to feature prominently in the betting.

The son of Fiorente had been in good form this prep prior to a down the field effort at big odds at Randwick last weekend.

Those efforts include a first up win when racing over this distance in a Class 3 handicap at Scone last month.

The four-year-old backed that effort up with a narrow defeat when racing over the same distance in the Gunnedah Showcase Cup at Gunnedah eight days later.

Anna Roper’s mount ANNULUS is preferred here, having recorded some good efforts in defeat this prep.

Those efforts include three top-three finishes, with the most recent of those seeing him beaten just over a length when contesting the 1512m Wauchope Cup at Port Macquarie.

The 9.00 pick has no issues racing on a wet track, with three of his four previous victories having come on soft or heavy going.

Scott Aspery’s gelding had previously placed third when beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths in a 1250m Benchmark 82 handicap at Taree.

The step up to 1600m shouldn’t be an issue here, with the selection having won and placed over this distance in the past and he is taken to end a long losing run.

Ballynacally to complete hat-trick

Ten races have been scheduled for Warracknabeal, with BALLYNACALLY taking the eye in the eighth race of the day, a 1200m Benchmark 58 handicap.

A soft 6 track is expected for the race, with Adam Chambers’ filly arriving here as the winner of two of her three previous starts.

The filly broke her maiden at the second attempt when successful by one-and-a-half-lengths in a 1200m maiden at Casterton last month.

The four-year-old went on to complete a double when saluting by the same margin in a Benchmark 58 handicap at Geelong just over three weeks ago.

Linda Meech, on board for both of those victories, is again set to ride here and her mount can continue her progression with a win.