Australian Racing: Faithfull to deliver on Harding charge

There are seven meetings scheduled to take place on Sunday, including at Esperance, where the 2025 Esperance Cup is the showpiece contest.

They also race at Bendigo, Coffs Harbour, Colac, Moruya, Penola and Warwick.

Race 7 Esperance

Uncompromised @ 8.00

Race 7 Coffs Harbour

Capzinzi @ 4.80

Race 3 Bendigo

Alvin @ 6.00

Harding gelding to record Cup win

The most valuable race of the day is the previously mentioned Esperance Cup, a 2010m Benchmark 72+ handicap worth $100,000.

A good 4 track is expected for the big race, which comes up as the seventh race on an eight-race card at Esperance in Western Australia.

The Michael Grantham-trained Stormageddon is expected to start a short-priced favourite, having won three times this season including by half-a-length over 2000m at Pinjarra last month.

The four-year-old contested a Benchmark 66+ handicap held on a good 4 track that day and, having finished strongly on that occasion, he holds obvious claims here.

The gelding has gone well in metro events this prep, including when placing four times at Ascot, most recently when second in a 2100m event in January.

Clint Johnston-Porter, on board for his last three starts, is again set to ride.

Local runner UNCOMPROMISED is the pick here, however, having registered wins in six of his twelve starts at this venue.

Those six victories include two this prep, with the most recent coming by half-a-length when contesting a 1400m Benchmark 70+ handicap in January.

The selection raced over 2000m or more for just the second time in his career when finishing a good second in a 2000m Benchmark 70+ handicap here on his only subsequent start.

The 8.00 pick faces a number of his rivals from that day, with the winner, third, fourth and fifth that day all set to line up here.

The winner there, Passion For War, made all on that occasion, however Uncompromised looks capable of reversing that form in this event.

Jockey Natasha Faithfull knows Helen Harding’s gelding well and, having won six times on the six-year-old in the past, the pair look up to recording a big race win together.

Capzinzi looks good at Coffs Harbour

The finale at Coffs Harbour is a 1300m Class 1 handicap set to take place on a good 4 track.

The two at the top of the weights are expected to head the market, with Spring Eagle sure to have his supporters on his third start back from a break.

The four-year-old was beaten less than two lengths when fourth of six over 1006m in a Class 1 handicap held on a soft 5 track at Grafton on his return to action early last month.

While the gelding was unable to make much impact when a well held seventh over 1190m at the same track subsequently, he is expected to strip fitter for those two efforts.

Sally Taylor’s CAPZINZI is the pick on this occasion, though, having registered some good efforts in defeat since breaking through for a wet track maiden win at Warrnambool last April.

The filly is proven on the forecast good 4 going, having been narrowly beaten when runner-up in a similar race to this held on a sound surface at Murwillumbah at the start of last month.

The 4.80 selection had placed third when racing over 1000m in a 1000m handicap at Ballina on his previous start, which marked his first outing since finishing sixth at Grafton at the end of August.

Barrier 14 is far from ideal here, however, the filly brings solid form into this contest and looks up to saluting racing on her home track for the first time.

Breezy to break maiden at Bendigo

At Bendigo the third race of the day is a 1000m maiden expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

The Shane Fliedner-trained ALVIN is the pick here, with the gelding having demonstrated ability last prep including when runner-up on the synthetic track at Ballarat in August.

The four-year-old made just one subsequent start in 2024, finishing four lengths fourth in a 1300m maiden at this venue the following month.

The 6.00 selection raced on a good 4 track on that occasion and he caught the eye when finishing sixth in first-time blinkers over 1100m at Seymour on his return to action last month.

The son of Overshare was beaten just over three lengths, having been ridden from off the pace following a change of tactics that day, and he is taken to record his first win.