Australian Racing: Devine Force too strong for rivals

There are four meetings set to take place on Wednesday, including at Doomben, where a metro fixture has been programmed.

Race 5 Doomben

Devine Force @ 5.00

Race 7 Newcastle

Oakfield Prince @ 8.50

Race 6 Geelong

Quantum Impact @ 2.90

Force for Doomben glory

A soft 6 track is expected at Doomben with the fifth race of the day a 1200m Benchmark 70 handicap.

Socrazyinlove is expected to start favourite for the race on her first start since joining the Tony Gollan stable from previous trainer’s Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald.

The three-year-old broke through for her first win when successful over 1300m on a wet track at Orange in October and registered creditable efforts in both subsequent starts.

Those starts included a Listed fourth when beaten just over three-and-a-half-lengths in a 1200m contest at this venue at the end of November.

The filly has made a couple of appearances in barrier trials in the last month or so and she rates highly on her return to action.

Stablemate DEVINE FORCE is preferred on this occasion, with the filly chasing her first victory since saluting over 1000m at Eagle Farm in November 2023.

Devine Force made all the running that day having debuted with a victory over the same course and distance prior.

The filly raced for the Chris Munce stable that day and she debuted for her current trainer with a sixth in a 1200m Benchmark 65 handicap at Ipswich in October.

The daughter of Cosmic Force was spelled following that effort and showed up well when winning a barrier trial here prior to resuming over 1000m at Eagle Farm.

Devine Force lost out by just under three lengths when sixth over 1000m at Eagle Farm and she is expected to have improved for that effort.

The youngster steps up in distance here and, jumping from next to the rail, she is taken to record the third win of her career.

Prince to rule at Newcastle

An eight-race card has been scheduled for Newcastle with the penultimate contest a 1500m Benchmark 68 handicap.

The New Zealand-bred filly Empress Of Japan is expected to feature prominently in the betting, having recorded her first win of the year at Goulburn earlier this month.

This three-year-old got home by half-a-length when contesting a 1400m Benchmark 66 handicap on that occasion and she steps up slightly in grade here.

The daughter of Savabeel had registered two solid fifth-place finishes in Class 1 events at Kembla Grange prior and she is a notable contender in this race.

However, OAKFIELD PRINCE is preferred for the Kris Lees stable here, with the gelding having recorded a couple of good fourth-place finishes here prior to winning at Wyong last month.

The most recent of those fourth-place efforts saw the gelding lose out by less than half-a-length when contesting a Benchmark 64 handicap over this distance in February.

Oakfield Prince broke through for a win on heavy going having raced from mid-division in a 1600m Benchmark 68 handicap last month.

While the pick could finish only third when stepped up to 1700m for an open event at Wellington, he acquitted himself well in being beaten less than three lengths that day.

Aaron Bullock, on board at Wyong, returns to the saddle here and dropping back in distance his mount looks up to saluting from barrier six.

Impact to score at Geelong

The sixth race at Geelong is a 1512m Benchmark 64 handicap expected to take place on a soft 5 track.

Irish-bred Invincible Spirit gelding QUANTUM IMPACT started his career in the UK before transferring to Hong Kong.

The five-year-old failed to shine in Hong Kong but has shown better form in two starts since joining the Ben, Will & JD Hayes stable.

Quantum Impact debuted for the Hayes team with a good fourth when beaten just over half-a-length in a 1400m Benchmark 64 handicap at Sandown last month.

The pick went on to finish one place better when stepped up to 1500m for a Benchmark 64 handicap at Mornington, with both of those efforts coming on good going.

Blake Shinn is a positive jockey booking here and his mount looks up to breaking through for his first win since saluting at York in the UK back in May 2023.