Australian Racing: Gallic Fox can outwit rivals

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Sunday, including at Pakenham where they are set to race on the synthetic track.

Race 7 Pakenham

Rishiri @ 2.50

Race 5 Goulburn

Gallic Fox @ 5.50

Race 5 Kilcoy

Social Star @ 4.00

Rishiri for Pakenham success

The penultimate race on Pakenham’s eight-race card is a 1400m Benchmark 58 handicap contest.

New Zealand-bred Amarysso is expected to have her supporters having broken her maiden when racing on turf over 1400m at this venue in February.

The four-year-old got home by a narrow margin that day and followed that effort up with a decent fifth in a Benchmark 64 handicap over the same track and trip the following month.

Ben, Will & JD Hayes’ representative was spelled following that effort and she resumed with an eighth over 1200m when racing at metro level on the Lakeside track at Sandown.

The wet track was possibly against the filly that day and she is of note dropping in grade having contested a Benchmark 64 handicap that day.

However, preference in this event is for fellow New Zealand-bred RISHIRI, who performed well when jumping at $31 prior to finishing runner-up on his synthetic track debut here last month.

Rishiri lost out by just under two lengths when contesting a 1400m maiden when returning from a spell on that occasion.

The son of Staphanos had demonstrated ability in his four starts on turf last prep, including twice at this venue.

Reece Goodwin’s gelding broke through for his first victory when saluting by over half-a-length when stepped up to 1400m for a maiden at this venue earlier this month.

Rishiri tackles winners for the first time here but jockey Daniel Stackhouse knows him well and the pair look capable of recording their second win together.

Fox for Goulburn glory

They are set to race on a soft 5 surface at Goulburn with the fifth race of the day a Class 2 1600m handicap event.

Allan Kehoe’s Lease is expected to feature prominently in the market, having demonstrated good form in two starts this prep.

The first of those saw the gelding finish third when beaten just under one-and-a-half-lengths at Gilgandra.

While the six-year-old raced at Benchmark 50 level that day, it’s also notable that he was racing over 1100m, a distance short of his best.

The son of Choisir registered his second career win when saluting in a Class 1 handicap at Newcastle 12 days later.

Jay Ford’s mount holds obvious claims here, however, GALLIC FOX is preferred for the Terry Croft team.

The pick recorded a narrow victory when racing over 1400m in a Class 1 handicap held on heavy going when racing at Newcastle first up this prep.

Gallic Fox has made two starts since that victory in June, including when losing out narrowly in a 1600m Class 2 handicap event at Grafton the following month.

The five-year-old stepped up in grade when contesting a 1550m Benchmark 72 handicap at Canterbury when last in action earlier this month.

Gallic Fox found that contest too hot when beating just one rival home in the 10-runner affair and he is taken to return to winning ways in what looks an easier event.

Star to shine at Kilcoy

The fifth race on the Kilcoy card is an interesting Benchmark 0-58 Handicap event set to take place over 1500m.

A soft 6 track is expected with Pat Webster’s SOCIAL STAR taking the eye following some solid efforts this prep.

Those efforts include a length second when contesting a 1200m Class 1 contest when racing at Dalby first up.

The mare backed that effort up with a solid five-length fourth in a 1300m contest at Toowoomba subsequently, with both of those efforts coming on a sound surface.

This daughter of Astern raced on a wet track when finishing third in a 1300m Class 1 event at Toowoomba eight days ago and she has performed well over further in the past.

Leslie Tilley, on board for all three of the pick’s efforts this prep, is again set to ride with the pair taken to salute jumping from barrier nine.