Australian Racing: Get ready for Stylish performance

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Friday, including at Hobart where there’s Group 3 action scheduled.

Race 7 Hobart

Ms Tasmania @ 5.00

Race 5 Hobart

Likeakalix @ 2.00

Race 7 Moonee Valley

Stylish @ 4.40

Ms Tasmania for Mystic Journey success

The feature race of the day at Hobart is the Group 3 Kevin Sharkie Mystic Journey Stakes over 1200m.

A soft 5 track is expected for the race with Geegees Mistruth expected to start as favourite on his return to Tasmanian following some good efforts on the mainland.

Stuart Gandy’s filly has been racing in Melbourne so far this season, including when placing in three consecutive Group races.

The most recent of those saw her beaten just over two lengths in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude over 1400m at Caulfield in October.

Geegees Mistruth has finished off the board twice since and returns from a spell here having finished 11th in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in November.

While she holds obvious claims in what looks a much easier contest, she meets an in-form rival in MS TASMANIA here who is preferred on this occasion.

The daughter of Magnus is the winner of five of her six previous starts, with her sole defeat coming when third here on debut in November 2023.

Two of the fillies subsequent wins have come over this distance, including when getting home by a narrow margin in the McB Developments Cup at Launceston in November.

Sigrid Carr’s sprinter was freshened prior to dropping back to 1100m to deliver a half-length success in a three-year-old handicap at this track last month.

Racing on a soft 5 track the day, Ms Tasmania came from off the pace to deliver a victory under Troy Baker and she is taken to continue her winning run jumping from barrier four.

Likeakalix for Derby glory

Earlier on the Hobart card the fifth race of the day is the Listed Tasmanian Derby over 2200m.

Moorlands Miss is the sole filly in the line-up and she is expected to have her supporters as she attempts to get the better of her male rivals.

Glenn Stevenson’s representative did just that when successful by one-and-a-half-lengths in the 1600m Listed Tasmanian Guineas here at the start of last month.

The daughter of Santos went on to place second back racing against her own sex in the Thousand Guineas over the same track and trip 18 days later.

Codi Jordan knows the filly well, however, his mount has to prove her stamina stepping up markedly in distance.

Leanne Gaffney is set to saddle LIKEAKALIX who arrives here as the winner of three of his last four starts including twice on Devonport’s synthetic track.

The second of those synthetic-track wins came by one-and-a-half-lengths when contesting an 1880m Benchmark 60 handicap a month ago.

Stepping up to 2100m and switching to turf appeared to suit, with the gelding coming home over four lengths clear of his nearest rival in the Listed Launceston Guineas at Launceston subsequently.

The soft 5 surface is unlikely to pose an issue in this contest and Likeakalix looks up to completing a hat-trick with David Pires retaining the ride.

Stylish to salute at Moonee Valley

The penultimate race on Moonee Valley’s eight-race card is a 1600m Benchmark 74 handicap for fillies & mares.

STYLISH takes the eye here having registered top-three finishes in three of her four starts this time around.

The sole exception came when finishing a tailed off last of 14 having jumped at $61 for the Group 3 Summoned Stakes at Caulfield three starts back.

This four-year-placed at this level when racing over 1500m on the Heath track at Caulfield on her penultimate start prior to placing second at Flemington last month.

Stylish was beaten just under a length when contesting a 1600m Benchmark 70 handicap that day with the winner Smokin’ Princess going in at Sandown next time.

Trained by Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson, barrier 10 shouldn’t inconvenience too much given the selection’s tactical versatility and Stylish is taken to return to winning ways.