Australian Racing: Jungle tough to Beat at Rockhampton

There are three meetings set to take place on Tuesday with Grafton, Swan Hill and Rockhampton all set to race.

Race 5 Grafton

Uncut Gem @ 7.00

Race 7 Swan Hill

Bunjil @ 3.50

Race 4 Rockhampton

Jungle Beat @ 4.00

Uncut Gem for Grafton glory

The fifth race at Grafton is a fillies and mares Benchmark 58 handicap set to take place over 1181m.

A good 4 track is forecast for the race, with Pisa Cake expected to prove popular with punters having debuted with a win at Beaumont in March.

That Beaumont triumph saw her get home by a narrow margin when contesting a 1200m maiden race held on a soft 6 track.

The four-year-old had gained plenty of experience in trials prior to that and registered a respectable effort when fifth over 1305m at Tuncurry subsequently.

The filly is set to race on a sound surface for the first time here and, while less exposed than her rivals, she looks opposable in this field.

Cejay Graham’s mount UNCUT GEM is the selection, here having finished in the first three in all five starts this prep.

Those starts include a victory by a narrow margin when contesting a 1255m maiden held on a heavy 10 track at Taree in August.

The mare was freshened following that effort and she has since proven that the good 4 going forecast for this event is no issue.

This five-year-old lost out by less than two lengths when racing from off the pace, prior to finishing third in an 1100m Restricted 58 handicap at Ipswich on her penultimate start.

Marcus Wilson’s mare proved her tactical versatility when racing from the front prior to placing second stepped up to 1310m at Lismore last time.

The drop back in distance is no issue and, jumping from barrier three, she looks up to recording her second win of the year.

Bunjil to salute at Swan Hill

The penultimate contest on Swan Hill’s eight-race card is a 1600m Benchmark 64 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 track.

Eskimo has been running well in recent months, placing second twice since saluting over 1411m at Seymour in August.

The four-year-old is expected to start favourite here, having suffered narrow defeats in each of his last two starts.

Both of those starts have come in Benchmark 64 handicap, including when racing over this distance on a good 4 track.

However, he has to concede two-and-a-half-kilograms in weight to BUNJIL and, with that in mind, Patrick & Michelle Payne’s representative is preferred on this occasion.

The gelding finished down the field when resuming in a 1200m Restricted 58 handicap at this venue in June but he has demonstrated improved form subsequently.

Those subsequent efforts include a run of four consecutive second-place finishes, including at Warracknabeal when racing over 1610m on a wet track three starts back.

The son of Alpine Eagle returned to winning ways when saluting by over two lengths in a Restricted 58 handicap over 1600m at Echuca last month on his most recent start.

Luke Currie’s mount has been freshened since that effort and, with an inside barrier, he looks capable of completing a double.

Jungle Beat to triumph at Rockhampton

John O’Sing is set to saddle course regular JUNGLE BEAT in the fourth race on the Rockhampton card.

The race in question is a 1300m Benchmark 65 handicap set to take place on a soft 5 surface, with the pick having completed a hat-trick when winning over 1200m here in June.

This six-year-old could finish only fourth when dropped to 1100m for a Class 6 set weights event held on a heavy 8 track later that month and he was spelled following that effort.

The son of Drumbeats returned with a respectable fourth, beaten just under three lengths in a 1200m set weights Class 6 event earlier this month.

Jungle Beat is expected to have improved for that effort and has won over this course and distance in the past.

Raul Silvera Oliviera, on board last time out, is again set to ride and his mount looks capable of recording his sixth win at this venue.