Australian Racing: Harry’s Bar just the tonic

There are five meetings set to take place on Wednesday, including at Sandown, where they are set to race on the Hillside course.

Race 6 Sandown

Slane @ 7.00

Race 7 Doomben

Itza Charmdeel @ 6.50

Race 6 Canterbury

Harry’s Bar @ 4.00

Slane to record Sandown success

The sixth race of the day at Sandown is a competitive looking Benchmark 70 handicap scheduled to take place over 2400m. 

New Zealand-bred Bluestone arrives here in good form and is expected to feature prominently in the betting.

This four-year-old ended his last prep with a Bendigo maiden win over 2200m on a wet track and he won his first two starts this time around. 

The second of those victories saw him triumph by just under half-a-length in a similar race to this held over course and distance last month.

This gelding’s winning run came to an end when five lengths third in a 2400m Benchmark 70 contest held on the Lakeside track here last time out however.

The winner that day was SLANE and Enver Jusufovic’s representative is preferred in this contest. 

This son of Highland Reel was completing a double when coming home three-and-a-half-lengths clear of his rivals on that occasion. 

Slane was an impressive winner of that contest having previously won by just under half-a-length in a 2080m event at Cranbourne.

The forecast underfoot conditions, a good 4 are in the pick’s favour, while it’s notable that he has also won on soft and heavy going in the past. 

Hannah Edgley, on board at Cranbourne, takes a valuable three-kilograms off the top weight’s back here and her mount looks up to saluting from a wide barrier.   

Itza to salute at Doomben

A soft 5 track is expected at Doomben with the penultimate race on their eight-race card a 1350m Benchmark 70 handicap.

Chris Ander is set to saddle Starry Eyes here, with the gelding expected to have his supporters, having shown improvement with racing this prep.

The five-year-old followed up a ninth at Eagle Farm on his return to action, with a sixth in a course and distance Benchmark 78 handicap just over a month ago.

This son of Needs Further raced on a heavy track that day and again encountered heavy conditions when fourth in a similar contest over 1400m at Eagle Farm. 

That latest Eagle Farm effort saw the gelding lose out by less than a length, having jumped from a wide barrier and he will start from two off the rail here.

ITZA CHARMDEEL is the selection on this occasion however, with the four-year-old set to make just his second start since crossing the Tasman Sea.

The Charm Spirit gelding recorded some good efforts on heavy tracks in New Zealand last year, including when winning three times.

The most recent of those victories saw him triumph in a 1500m Benchmark 75 handicap at Te Rapa just over a year ago. 

While unable to add to that success in five subsequent starts in 2024, he did manage a number of placed efforts prior to joining the Matthew Dunn stable.

Itza Charmdeel debuted for Dunn with a highly-creditable sixth, beaten just over two lengths in a Benchmark 78 handicap over 1400m at Eagle Farm three weeks ago.

Emily Lang is set to take the ride here and, with improvement expected, her mount looks up to recording a victory on his second start back from a spell. 

Harry’s to deliver Canterbury win

Paul Murray is set to saddle HARRY’S BAR in the sixth race of the day at Canterbury, a 1200m Benchmark 72 handicap expected to take place on a soft 6 track. 

The four-year-old registered two second-place finishes from four starts last prep, with both of those efforts coming on the Kensington track at Randwick. 

This daughter of Harry Angel ended that prep with a down-the-field effort at big odds in Listed company at Eagle Farm in December.

The switch to a wet track proved no issue, with the filly resuming with a third place finish in an 1100m Benchmark 72 handicap at Rosehill at the end of last month.

Jean Van Overmeire, on board that day, is again set to ride here and with the extra 100m a positive his mount is taken to record a second up success.