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Australian Racing: Drums Of War tough to beat

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Friday, including at Pakenham, where eight races are scheduled.

Race 8 Pakenham

Settat @ 2.60

Race 6 Newcastle

Drums Of War @ 7.00

Race 4 Orange

Brief Statement @ 4.40

Settat can salute at Pakenham

The finale at Pakenham is a 1600m Benchmark 58 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Jackie Beriman’s mount Shoeless is set to have his supporters, having recorded some decent efforts in defeat since winning at Benalla in November.

That Benalla success saw the gelding come home nearly two lengths clear of his rivals in the Mulwala Water Ski Club Yarrawonga Cup, a 1606m Restricted 58 handicap.

Trained by Shawn Mathrick, the gelding arrives here on the back of a sixth of eight when contesting a 1600m Benchmark 64 handicap at Cranbourne last month.

A wide barrier is far from ideal in this contest however and with that in mind SETTAT is preferred on this occasion.

The son of Almanzor was freshened prior to delivering a narrow margin success when contesting a 1400m Restricted 58 handicap at Hamilton in October.

While unable to score in three subsequent outings, Settat has managed two top-three finishes, including when narrowly beaten into third at Geelong on his penultimate start.

Settat contested a 1521m Restricted 64 handicap that day and has since confirmed this distance is no issue when placing second in a Benchmark 64 handicap at Cranbourne.

Tom Prebble’s two kilogram claim is a positive in this contest as is the forecast going and his mount looks capable of recording his second win this prep.

Drums to register Newcastle win

A soft 7 track is expected at Newcastle with the penultimate race on a seven-race card a 900m Benchmark 64 handicap.

Curl Curl is expected to start favourite, having shown good form at this venue early last prep.

The gelding registered track and trip wins in two of his first three starts last time around, with his attentions turned to the city not long after.

This four-year-old’s two wins here last prep included a first up maiden success on a soft 5 surface and the softer going expected here is no issue.

The Jason Deamer-trained DRUMS OF WAR is preferred on this occasion, having performed well when third in a similar race to this over 1000m at Hawkesbury last month.

This gelding is another to have shown a liking for this venue in the past, including when taking out a Benchmark 64 handicap over this track and trip in October 2023.

While the four-year-old’s best efforts have all come on a sound surface, he recorded a fair effort when beaten just over three lengths when sixth of seven at Randwick Kensington in June.

Drums Of War boasts a good barrier here and is taken to deliver a victory racing from the front.

Statement to score at Orange

The fourth race on the Orange card is a Benchmark 58 handicap set to take place on a soft 7 track over 1000m.

BRIEF STATEMENT has shown up well in all four starts this season, with three of those coming over this course and distance.

The mare has had apprentice Jordan Quince on board on each occasion and she is again set to take four-kilograms off Brief Statement’s back.

This pair lost out by a narrow margin when racing wide throughout, having jumped from widest of all in a 10-runner contest here at the end of last month.

Brief Statement raced on a good 4 track that day but the softer conditions expected here shouldn’t pose an issue, having lost out narrowly on a soft 7 surface at Dubbo three starts back.

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