Australian Racing: Favourite Child to steal the limelight

There are a number of meetings due to take place on Wednesday including metro fixtures at Belmont, Kensington, Doomben and Devonport.

Race 4 Kensington

Captain Maverick @ 4.60

Race 8 Doomben

Zakiyya @ 4.20

Race 9 Balaklava

Favourite Child @ 6.00

Captain Maverick for Kensington glory

The fourth race at Kensington is an 1800m Benchmark 72 handicap over 1800m.

A good 4 track is expected for the 10-runner contest, with Agita expected to start favourite following some good efforts so far in 2024.

Those efforts include a second over 1400m when contesting a Benchmark 68 handicap on soft 5 track at this venue in April.

A Hawkesbury second over this distance followed and, while unable to win since, his efforts have included a fifth of 18, albeit beaten over 15 lengths in the Group 1 Queensland Derby.

The gelding arrives here on the back of a length fourth over this distance in a similar race to this at Rosehill, however, import CAPTAIN MAVERICK is preferred on this occasion.

Chris Waller’s gelding showed ability in Ireland, following up a second over 1609m on debut with a win over 1408m at Galway in August last year.

Both of those efforts came on a soft 6 track and, while he failed to shine over 1500m at Rosehill first up, he took a step forward at Warwick Farm subsequently.

The selection was beaten just over two lengths when stepped up to 1600m for a Benchmark 72 handicap at Warwick Farm and the extra 200m here is expected to suit.

James McDonald takes the ride for the first time and jumping from an inside barrier his mount is taken to register his first success since switching hemispheres.

Zakiyya to salute at Doomben

The finale at Doomben is a 1350m Benchmark 65 handicap set to take place on a soft 5 surface.

Smytzer is expected to feature prominently in the betting following some decent efforts this prep, including when third over this track and trip three starts back.

The six-year-old was forced to race ride and was inconvenienced at the start when finishing only eighth over the same track and trip subsequently.

Both of those efforts came in set weights affairs and he returned to handicap racing when beaten just over two lengths into fourth over course and distance last month.

While Marnu Potgieter’s mount boasts a good barrier here, preference is for ZAKIYYA, who ended her last prep with a win over this track and trip.

That course success saw the mare salute by a length when contesting a Benchmark 65 handicap held on a soft 5 surface in early March.

Zakiyya was completing a double that day, having won over the same distance in a Class 1 handicap at Ipswich two weeks earlier.

The daughter of Siyouni was spelled subsequently and made a pleasing return to action when third in a 1200m Benchmark 65 handicap at Sunshine Coast on 21st August.

This five-year-old is expected to have improved for that effort and, returning to this venue, she is selected to deliver a second up success.

Favourite Child to take Cup

The penultimate contest at Balaklava is the 2024 running of the 1600m Listed Balaklava Cup.

A good 4 track is expected, with Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea’s FAVOURITE CHILD arriving here in good form.

The mare completed a four-timer when delivering a victory in a 1600m Benchmark 76 handicap at Murray Bridge in July.

This five-year-old has shown good form in two subsequent starts, losing out by half-a-length in a Benchmark 82 handicap over the same distance at Morphettville in the first of those.

Favourite Child followed that effort up with a solid fifth dropped to 1400m for the Leon Macdonald Stakes held on the Parks track at Morphettville last month.

The mare is making her first appearance at this level and, while all of those efforts mentioned previously have come on wet tracks, she should have no issue with the quicker going forecast.

Jamie Kah’s mount gets in off a nice racing weight here and looks capable of reversing form with Leon Macdonald winner Second To Nun.