Australian Racing: Empress Of Japan can claim Newcastle crown

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Newcastle where an eight-race card is scheduled.

Race 5 Newcastle

Empress Of Japan @ 4.20

Race 5 Northam

Trespassing @ 3.80

Race 7 Bendigo

Fulmen Filou @ 4.40

Japan to rule at Newcastle

The fifth race at Newcastle is an interesting 1200m Class 1 handicap set to take place on a soft 5 surface.

Jay Ford’s mount Mogul Monarch is expected to have his supporters, having broken through for his first win when racing at Hawkesbury earlier this month.

The three-year-old made all the running to salute by two lengths when racing over 1100m in a maiden contest held on a soft 5 track.

Mogul Monarch was returning from a spell that day and had advertised his well-being with two barrier trial successes prior to that Hawkesbury triumph.

Kim Waugh’s representative has a wide alley for this contest however and looks opposable on his first start against winners.

Michael Freedman’s EMPRESS OF JAPAN is the pick on this occasion, having made the perfect start to her career when victorious at Gosford on debut in March.

Empress Of Japan raced over 1100m on a good 4 track that day, as she raced from off the pace to finish strongly to get home by a narrow margin.

The daughter of Savabeel shaped as if she was still in need of the experience when finishing last of 15 in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick the following month.

Empress Of Japan has been absent from race action since that Randwick effort, however, she has recorded a couple of barrier trials at that venue in recent weeks.

The youngster has finished sixth in each of those efforts but she was beaten just three lengths in the second of those and is taken to return with a win jumping from an inside barrier.

Trespassing for North glory

Seven races are scheduled to take place at Northam, with the fifth race of the day a 1400m Class 1 handicap contest.

Three of Ayumi’s four starts this prep have come at Belmont and she is expected to start favourite for the race, with Chris Parnham an eye-catching jockey booking.

The filly registered a fair fourth when beaten just over seven lengths in a 1200m event held on a soft 7 track at Belmont on her penultimate start.

This daughter of Real Steel followed that up with a mid-division finish when sixth in a 1400m Class 3 handicap at Pinjarra earlier this month.

Ayumi drops in grade here, however TRESPASSING is preferred for trainer Sue Olive.

Trespassing has a wide barrier but has registered a couple of good third place finishes in the last month.

The first of those efforts saw the pick beaten just over half-a-length when contesting a 1200m Class 1 handicap at Belmont at the end of last month.

Trespassing raced on a soft 7 track that day and any drying of the soft 5 going forecast here would be no issue, having broken his maiden on a good 4 at Ascot in November last year.

Lucy Fiore, on board at Belmont was again in the saddle when her mount placed in a similar race to this over 1400m at Bunbury two weeks ago.

The son of Invader raced from the front at Bunbury but is a versatile type tactics-wise and he is taken to overcome a wide barrier to score for the second time in his career.

Filou to complete double

The penultimate race at Bendigo is a 1600m Restricted 64 handicap expected to take place on a soft 6 surface.

Phillip Stokes saddles FULMEN FILOU in this contest and his representative demonstrated ability on a wet track when third in a 1300m maiden held on a heavy 8 surface at Seymour on debut.

The gelding was slowly away when beaten by nearly 10 lengths that day and he appeared to appreciate the step up to this trip when successful on the synthetic track at Pakenham last time.

This three-year-old remains open to improvement with the return to turf unlikely to pose any issues.

Vlad Duric’s mount gets in off a nice racing weight here and he looks capable of registering back-to-back wins.