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Australian Racing: Dragon ready to roar at Wyong

There are eight meetings scheduled to take place on Sunday, including at Wyong and Strathalbyn.

They also race at Bunbury, Hanging Rock, Hobart, Ipswich, Moe and Wagga.

Race 4 Wyong

Prosperous Dragon @ 3.80

Race 7 Strathalbyn

Midnight Mass @ 2.90

Race 4 Ipswich

Nails And Pride @ 5.50

Dragon set to prosper at Wyong

At 1600m the fourth race of the day at Wyong, a Class 1 handicap set to take place on a good 4 surface is the longest race on the card.

Adam Duggan’s Tikiroo is expected to start an odds-on favourite, having registered an improved effort at Taree last time.

The gelding came home nearly four lengths clear of his nearest pursuer when racing on a soft 6 surface on that occasion.

The three-year-old stepped up to 1400m for the first time this prep, having previously finished seventh of nine over 1200m at Beaumont when racing first up last month.

A change of tactics saw the son of Xtravagant race closer to the speed last time having been ridden from off the pace at Beaumont.

Josh Parr rides for the first time here and, while his mount rates highly, it can pay to look elsewhere, with the gelding making just his second start on a forecast sound surface.

Preference is for PROSPEROUS DRAGON, who showed good form in his barrier trials prior to debuting at this venue last month.

The pick won four of his five trial efforts, including over 1000m at Beaumont before delivering a good effort in finishing third over 1100m here on debut.

The four-year-old lost out by just under two lengths, having attempted to make all on a good 3 track that day, but he made no mistake under similar tactics at Newcastle last time.

The 3.80 selection had over a length in hand of his nearest rival when stepped up to 1250m at Newcastle and his jockey that day Jean Van Overmeire is again set to ride in this event.

Jake Hull’s representative is expected to have no issues stepping up in distance and he looks up to completing a double.

Mass to take out Strathalbyn Cup

The seventh race at Strathalbyn is the Strathalbyn Cup, a 2050m Open Handicap that forms part of the Hills & Coast Series.

Apprentice Taylor Johnstone is having a good time of it this season with 35 winners to her name from 246 rides and she is set to partner Nasho for Shane & Cassie Oxlade.

Johnstone has been in the saddle for each of the gelding’s last three starts, registering two Morphettville wins and a third at Gawler.

The second of those successes came when contesting an 1800m Benchmark 78 handicap held on a good 4 track just under a month ago.

The son of National Defense came home nearly four lengths clear of his rivals when racing from the front and, while he holds obvious claims, he has a wide barrier to overcome here. 

While he is without a win in five starts this prep, MIDNIGHT MASS has delivered second-place finishes on each of his last four starts.

Those runner-up efforts include a two-length defeat in the Listed John Letts Cup over 1800m at Morphettville three starts back.

That effort preceded a defeat by less than half-a-length in the 1600m Happy Trails Final over 1600m at the same venue, with both of those efforts coming on a good 4 surface.

The 2.90 six-year-old arrives here on the back of a defeat by just over a length in a Benchmark 78 handicap over 2100m at Gawler last month and he has been freshened since that effort.

The third home that day has won twice since and the tactically versatile gelding is taken to deliver a win for the Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor stable. 

Pride nailed on for a double

In Queensland the fourth race at Ipswich is a 1350m Benchmark 65 handicap set to take place on a soft 5 track.

NAILS AND PRIDE takes the eye here, having won two of his last three starts, including a 1312m Class 1 handicap held on a soft 5 track at Ballina three starts back.

The five-year-old was racing second up that day, having finished down the field in a Benchmark 58 handicap over this course and distance on his return to action.

The 5.50 pick lost out by a narrow margin when second in a Restricted 58 handicap over this track and trip on his penultimate start prior to a success at Lismore.

That Lismore triumph came by a length when contesting a 1410m Benchmark 58 handicap and Marcus Wilson’s representative looks ready for a step up in grade.

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