Australian Racing: Dark Glitter can dazzle at Hawkesbury

There are three meetings set to take place on Tuesday with Hawkesbury, Mornington and Queanbeyan all due to stage racing action.

Race 7 Hawkesbury

Dark Glitter @ 8.50

Race 7 Mornington

La Pleine Lune @ 3.60

Race 4 Queanbeyan

Reward For Eric @ 2.30

Glitter to shine at Hawkesbury

The finale at Hawkesbury is a 1000m Benchmark 68 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Anthony Cummings’ Straand Beauty has shown good form this prep, finishing in the first three in all three starts.

All three of those efforts have come in maiden company, including when runner-up over 1200m at Warwick Farm on his penultimate start.

The colt broke through for his first win when dropped to this distance at Wyong two weeks ago and he rates highly tackling winners for the first time.

However, the Mike Van Vestel-trained DARK GLITTER is the pick on this occasion, having resumed with a good effort at Newcastle earlier this month.

Dark Glitter lost out by a narrow margin when runner-up in a 900m Benchmark 64 handicap at Newcastle.

The four-year-old raced on a soft 6 surface that day but has gone well on quicker going in the past, including when third at metro level at Randwick Kensington.

Jean Van Overmeire’s mount boasts an inside barrier in this contest and is defending an unbeaten two-from-two record over this distance.

Lune for Mornington glory

The penultimate race of the day at Mornington is a 1200m Restricted 64 handicap.

A good 4 track is expected for the race with Down Low expected to feature prominently in the betting.

The four-year-old placed twice in black-type contests at Morphettville, as a two-year-old including when third in the Group 3 David Coles Am Stakes.

However, she has been lightly-raced since, with the filly returning from over eight months off the track when saluting at Sale in January.

The daughter of Deep Field failed just three rivals that day and she followed that up with a fifth in an 1100m handicap at Flemington in March.

Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr’s representative holds obvious claims following a sixth at Geelong first up this prep, however, LA PLEINE LUNE is the pick here.

The three-year-old came home nine-lengths clear of his rivals when delivering an impressive victory over 1200m at Warrnambool on debut.

La Pleine Lune started favourite but could finish only eighth in a 16-runner renewal of the Inglis 2yo Challenge over 1100m at Scone subsequently.

The youngster was spelled following that Scone effort and he returned with a solid fourth when racing on a heavy 9 track in a 1200m event at Pakenham last month.

La Pleine Lune has yet to encounter the forecast good 4 surface in race conditions, however, he has won a Tatura barrier trial on a good 4 track.

Trained by Ben, JD & Will Hayes, the colt has a good barrier in six and he is taken to double his career tally.

Eric to break maiden

A good 4 track is expected at Queanbeyan, with the fourth race of the day a 900m Benchmark 58 handicap.

REWARD FOR ERIC has placed in the top three in three of his four starts this prep, including twice at this track.

The gelding was freshened prior to finishing just under three-lengths second in a maiden held over 1000m on a good 4 track here last month.

This five-year-old showed good speed prior to being overhauled in the closing stages on that occasion and similar tactics are expected in this race.

Trained by Aaron Clarke, Reward For Eric tackles winners here but is less exposed than his rivals and looks up to breaking through for his first win.