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Australian Racing: Golden Boom can blow away rivals

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Friday, including at Moonee Valley where there’s Group race action.

Race 7 Moonee Valley

Steparty @ 6.50

Race 6 Gold Coast

Golden Boom @ 3.40

Race 5 Launceston

Azonto @ 3.40

Steparty for Australia Stakes glory

The previously mentioned Moonee Valley meeting plays host to the Group 2 Australia Stakes, a 1200m weight-for-age contest that comes up as the seventh race of the day.

Ciaron Maher’s Southport Tycoon is expected to jump a short-priced favourite, having shown good form so far this season.

The four-year-old registered a track and trip Group 1 success when taking out the Manikato Stakes on a good 4 track here in September.

This son of Written Tycoon has registered two top-four finishes from three subsequent starts, including when fourth in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield in November.

The colt returns from a break here and dropping back from 1400m holds obvious claims with Mark Zahra up.

However, STEPARTY is preferred, dropping back in distance with the pick having a verdict over Ciaron Maher’s colt after finishing third in the previously mentioned Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

The gelding has made two starts since that effort, with both of those resulting in placed efforts over 1600m.

Paul Preusker’s representative was beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths in The Illawarra Mercury Gong, a Group 3 contest at Kembla Grange in the first of those.

A narrow defeat in The Ingham, a Group 2 at Randwick last month, followed with the gelding having been freshened since that latest effort.

Blaike McDougall, on board for the gelding’s two most recent starts, is again set to ride and dropping back in distance he is taken to record his second victory over this track and trip.

Golden Boom for Gold Coast Listed success

At Gold Coast the sixth race of the day is the Listed Goldmarket, an 1100m contest set to take place on a soft 5 track.

Appin Girl demonstrated good form earlier this prep, including when taking out a 1000m Benchmark 80 handicap at Eagle Farm when racing first up.

A good second in a Benchmark 85 handicap over the same track and trip followed, prior to finishing runner-up in Listed company at Doomben in November.

This filly lost out by half-a-length in that Listed contest, the 1200m Eureka Stud Tattersall’s Classic and was freshened following that effort.

The four-year-old failed to beat a rival home in the Magic Millions Nudgee Stakes, a 1200m Listed race at Eagle Farm last time and she needs to put that effort behind her.

While the filly is expected to feature prominently in the betting, GOLDEN BOOM is preferred for the Tony Gollan stable.

The five-year-old registered two Listed wins in 2024, including when winning the XXXX Chief De Beers over 1110m at Doomben in May.

Golden Boom raced on a soft 6 track that day with his second Listed triumph coming on a good 4 surface in the Sky Racing Bribie over 1000m at Eagle Farm last month.

The son of Spirit Of Boom had a number of his rivals here behind him on that occasion and went on to finish runner-up in The Syndicate over 1100m at Sunshine Coast three weeks ago.

Ryan Maloney rides the gelding for the first time in over a year, with the pair looking capable of defying a wide barrier to record their fifth win together.

Azonto to claim Launceston Guineas

There’s a big day of racing in Tasmania with Launceston set to play host to Listed action including the Launceston Guineas, the fifth race on a nine race card.

A soft 5 track is expected for the 2100m contest with the filly AZONTO taking the eye stepping up in distance.

The youngster is a dual winner this season, including when taking out the 1400m Steve’s Liquor Trophy held on a good 4 track here last month.

This daughter of Stratosphere has made two starts since, following up a third in the Listed Tasmanian Guineas with a fourth in the Thousand Guineas last weekend.

Both of those races were held over 1600m at Hobart and Azonto is expected to appreciate the extra distance she tackles here.

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