Australian Racing: Double on the cards for Like Lukey

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Friday, including metro fixtures at Moonee Valley and Canterbury.

Race 6 Moonee Valley

Simeon @ 5.00

Race 7 Canterbury

Demiana @ 5.50

Race 7 Muswellbrook

Like Lukey @ 4.60

Simeon to salute at The Valley

The sixth race on the Moonee Valley card is an interesting 1600m Benchmark 64 handicap set to take place on a soft 5 surface.

New Zealand-bred Raetihi is expected to feature towards the head of the market, having won twice at this venue last prep.

Both of those victories came over this distance in Benchmark 64 handicap contests held on a sound surface.

The five-year-old has placed on soft going in the past and returned to action with a close second over 1210m at Sale last month.

Raetihi has been freshened since disappointing over 1400m at the same venue subsequently and the gelding is expected to appreciate the step back up to 1600m.

However, SIMEON is preferred on this occasion as he seeks a second course win on his fourth start at this venue.

Simeon finished unplaced on each of his first three starts, including when seventh in a 1600m Benchmark 70 handicap at Mornington at the end of September.

Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young’s representative returned to winning ways when dropped to Benchmark 64 handicap level at Mornington last month.

Jumping from barrier nine, Raetihi came home just under half-a-length clear of his rivals when racing over 1500m.

The son of Pierro has won on a wet track in the past and, returning to metro level racing, he looks up to returning to completing a double.

Demiana for Canterbury glory

The seventh race at Canterbury is a 1250m Benchmark 78 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 track.

Tommy Berry’s mount Stromboli is expected to have his supporters having recorded some good efforts in defeat at Rosehill.

Those efforts include a good one-and-a-half-length fourth when contesting a 1200m Benchmark 78 handicap earlier this month.

The Exceed And Excel six-year-old jumped from barrier three that day and has again been allocated an inside alley.

However, the gelding looks up against it conceding weight to DEMIANA, who is bidding for his second win of 2024 having won at Warwick Farm in early June.

That success came over 1200m when contesting a Benchmark 78 handicap held on a wet track and his form tailed off subsequently that prep.

The I Am Invincible mare returned this prep with a half-length second when racing over this course and distance two weeks ago.

Demiana raced on a sound surface when racing at Benchmark 72 level on that occasion and he looks up to defying a wide barrier with Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride.

Lukey to complete double

The penultimate contest on the Muswellbrook card is a 1750m Benchmark 58 handicap.

A soft 5 track is expected with LIKE LUKEY taken to register the second victory of her career.

The four-year-old showed a liking for wet tracks in her first prep, including when beaten a length when third on a heavy surface at Taree in June.

While Like Lukey suffered a short-priced defeat when runner-up at Kembla Grange subsequently, she has been in good form in two starts at Scone this time around.

The daughter of Denman resumed with a half-length third when contesting a 1400m event held on a sound surface just over a month ago.

Like Lukey duly broke through for her first win when successful by over four lengths stepped up to 1600m for a maiden earlier this month.

Kris Lees’ representative tackles winners for the first time here and is selected to complete a double with Jose Severo, on board for both starts this prep, again set to ride.