Australian Racing: Gaelic Thunder can shock the competition

There are five meetings set to take place on Friday including at Geelong where a ten-race program is scheduled to take place.

Race 8 Geelong

Nuts ‘n’ Bolts @ 5.50

Race 9 Ipswich

Gaelic Thunder @ 8.00

Race 7 Canberra

Blind Date @ 3.20

Nuts n Bolts for Geelong glory

The eighth race of the day at Geelong is a 1200m Restricted 62 handicap set to take place on a soft 5 surface.

Harry Got Styles is expected to start a short-price favourite for trainer Matt Laurie as he drops in grade following a seventh at Caulfield last month.

The four-year-old was beaten just over six-and-a-half-lengths on that occasion, having previously filled the same spot when racing over 1100m at Flemington.

That distance didn’t appear to be the issue at Caulfield and he rates highly dropping to country-level racing for this event.

Ciaron Maher’s NUTS ‘N’ BOLTS is another to have competed at metro level last time and he is preferred in this event.

The four-year-old registered a respectable effort when four-and-a-half-length sixth in a 1200m Benchmark 64 handicap at Sandown on 17th July.

That heavy 9 track was possibly against him that day with the quicker going expected here in his favour as he seeks a second win this prep having won at Ballarat in April.

The pick has been allocated a wide alley for this contest but should have no issue with that given he is often ridden from off the pace.

John Allen’s mount switches to a Restricted 62 handicap here and he looks capable of recording the third win of his career.

Gaelic Thunder to roar at Ipswich

Ipswich stages a provincial meeting with the concluding contest a Restricted 58 handicap set to take place over 1350m.

Mighty Judd is expected to start favourite having placed second in two of his five starts this prep.

The most recent of those saw him beaten half-a-length in a 1350m metro Class 1 handicap at Doomben three starts back.

The gelding raced on a soft 5 track that day and similar underfoot conditions are expected for this event.

The five-year-old followed that effort up with a seventh at this venue prior to registering a fourth when jumping at $31 for a 1350m Class 1 set weights event at Doomben.

Tactically versatile barrier 14 is far from ideal in this contest and confirmed hold up performer GAELIC THUNDER is the pick here.

The five-year-old is another with a wide barrier and he broke through for his first win when successful over 1300m in a Toowoomba maiden in June.

Gaelic Thunder came home one-and-a-half-lengths clear of his eight rivals when saluting on a good 3 track on that occasion.

The soft 5 track expected here is no issue with the pick having performed well when a length second over 1500m in a Class 1 handicap held on a soft 6 surface at Warwick last time.

Nathan Evans’ gelding has been freshened since that Warwick effort and dropping back in distance he is taken to register the second win of his career.

Blind Date to break maiden in Canberra

The finale at Canberra is a Class 1 set weights contest over 1750m.

BLIND DATE has been in good form in similar races here in recent starts placing in each of her last three starts.

The maiden lost out by two lengths when third in a Class 1 event over this track and trip just under a month ago.

Blind Date followed that effort up with a narrow defeat when runner-up in a similar race held over 1900m at this venue on 26th July.

Jean Van Overmeire, on board last time out, is again set to ride here with the pick taken to provide trainer Marc Conners with a winner.