Australian Racing: Hero to take Listed Ascot honours

There are seven meetings taking place on Wednesday for punters to follow, including at Caulfield, where they are set to race on the Heath course.

They also race at Ascot, Ipswich, Port Lincoln, Queanbeyan, Scone and Warwick Farm.

Race 6 Caulfield Heath

Capricorn Star @ 6.00

Race 6 Ascot

Sentimental Hero @ 3.80

Race 5 Warwick Farm

Sly Boots @ 3.60

Star set to shine at Caulfield Heath

The sixth race at Caulfield Heath is a 1500m Benchmark 64 handicap set to take place on a good 4 surface.

Trainer Grahame Begg has his horses in good form at present and his Inexorable is expected to jump as favourite following some good runs at this venue in recent times.

The four-year-old followed up a fourth at Moonee Valley last month with a runner-up finish when contesting a 1600m Class 1 handicap her subsequently.

The gelding was beaten less than two lengths when tracking the speed that day and raced from mid-division and three wide when filling the same spot over this distance here subsequently.

While the son of Dandino should have the going to suit, he is expected to start at short odds and looks opposable in what looks a competitive field.

CAPRICORN STAR is preferred on this occasion, having won twice so far in 2024 including when racing first up this prep in a Benchmark 64 handicap over 1200m at Pakenham in October.

While the filly raced on a heavy 10 track that day, she handles quicker going and raced on a good surface when fourth in a Benchmark 70 handicap over 1400m at Sale next time.

The 6.00 pick was freshened by trainer Julius Sandhu prior to suffering a narrow defeat when contesting a 1300m Benchmark 64 handicap on a heavy 10 surface at Geelong last month.

Jamie Mott’s mount shapes as if she will have no issue with the extra distance here and, jumping from barrier two, she is selected to record her third career win.

Hero looks good for Listed success

The feature race at Ascot is the 2024 running of the Listed A.T.A. Stakes, a 2200m open handicap contest.

A good 4 track is expected for the race, with Diamond Scene expected to prove popular with punters as he seeks his third win of the season.

Michael Grantham’s gelding took out a Listed handicap event over 1800m when seeing off 14 rivals in the Luckygray Stakes held on a good 4 surface here last month.

The five-year-old subsequently went down by a narrow margin when runner-up in the G.A. Towton Cup, another Listed handicap held over this course and distance.

The gelding is a versatile type with regards to tactics and with that in mind a wide barrier shouldn’t pose too many issues, however, SENTIMENTAL HERO is still preferred here.

Peter Fernie’s representative has been in good form in recent months, registering top-four finishes in each of his last five starts.

Four of those efforts have come at Listed level, including when placing second in the previously mentioned Luckygray Stakes.

The 3.80 pick was beaten less than a length on that occasion and went on to deliver an impressive victory when saluting by over three lengths in the Listed A.J. Scahill Cup over 2100m at this track.

Lucy Fiore, on board on that occasion, is again set to ride here and, with the extra 100m unlikely to be an issue, she looks capable of steering the son of Al Maher to a third win of 2024.

Boots to stride forward at Warwick Farm

The fifth race at Warwick Farm is a 1400m Benchmark 72 handicap, with SLY BOOTS taking the eye for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott team.

The four-year-old broke through for his maiden win when successful over 1300m on the Kensington track at Randwick in October last year.

The gelding has made just three subsequent starts, including when fourth in the Group New Zealand Bloodstock 3yo Spring Stakes over 1600m at Newcastle the following month.

The 3.60 selection was off the track for just over a year following that effort and he resumed with a good third in a 1250m Benchmark 64 handicap at Canterbury.

The son of Toronado is expected to have improved for that first start back and stepping back up in distance he is taken to deliver a victory racing second up.