Australian Racing: Kantishna to strike for Reith at Scone

There are three meetings set to take place on Monday, with Scone, Benalla and Mackay all scheduled to stage racing action.

Race 7 Scone

Kantishna @ 3.00

Race 7 Benalla

Fire Tribe @ 3.80

Race 5 Mackay

Booming Lad @ 2.00

Kantishna set for Scone success

The seventh race of the day at Scone is a 1000m Benchmark 66 handicap expected to take place on a soft 5 track.

Paul Perry’s Totoka was set some stiff tasks last prep and she is expected to prove popular with punters dropping in grade.

Among the three-year-old’s six appearances earlier this season were three in Group company, including when seventh in a 1600m Group 3 at Newcastle in November.

The filly followed that effort up with a ninth of 10 in a 2000m Benchmark 72 handicap at Rosehill at the end of November.

The daughter of Brutal returns from a spell here and, while this rates an easier event, she is dropping markedly in distance here.

Preference here is for fellow three-year-old filly KANTISHNA, who has been running well in the main this prep for trainer Scott Singleton.

The 3.00 pick completed a double in her first two starts this time around, including when taking out a 900m Class 1 handicap at Gunnedah in January.

Two placed efforts followed, including when beaten less than a length into third in a 1000m Benchmark 64 handicap at Wyong on her penultimate start.

The selection was beaten less than one-and-a-half-lengths when sixth on a wet track at Muswellbrook subsequently.

Christian Reith’s mount has been freshened since that effort and she looks up to defying a wide barrier to deliver her third career win.

Tribe to Fire for Benalla victory

Seven races have been programmed for Benalla, with the finale a 1200m Benchmark 64 handicap.

A good 4 track is expected, with top weight Rocket Tiger expected to feature prominently in the betting for handler Ben Brisbourne.

The six-year-old has recorded some good efforts this prep, including when runner-up in two of his last three starts.

Those efforts include a defeat by less than a length a 1000m metro Benchmark 64 handicap held at Sandown last month and this looks an easier contest.

While the son of Cluster could finish only sixth at Caulfield subsequently, he was beaten less than two lengths over this distance that day and Alice Kennedy’s four-kilogram claim is a positive here.

The New Zealand-bred FIRE TRIBE is the selection here, however, having registered top-three finishes in two of his four starts last prep.

Those places included a defeat by just over three-and-a-half-lengths when third in a 1500m Class 1 handicap at Newcastle in January. 

The 3.80 gelding raced on a wet track that day, having performed well in finishing fourth in a similar event held over 1350m on a sound surface at Wyong the previous month.

The drop back in distance is no issue for Lee & Shannon Hope’s representative, with the pick’s only previous victory having come over this distance.

Logan Bates’ mount usually goes well fresh and with a decent barrier seven from the rail he is taken to return with a win.

Booming time at Mackay

A soft 6 surface is expected at Mackay, with the fifth race of the day a 1050m Benchmark 65 handicap.

BOOMING LAD is a dual winner from four starts this prep, including when getting home by a narrow margin in a Class 3 event here on his penultimate start.

The 2.00 selection raced over 1100m on a wet track that day and he again raced in wet conditions when losing out by a narrow margin in a 1200m Benchmark 65 handicap here at the start of the month.

The son of Spirit Of Boom should have no issues with the drop back in distance here, while an inside alley three off the rail is also a positive.

Apprentice Jaimee-Lee Devine, on board last time out, takes two-kilograms off the gelding’s back and the pair are taken to go one better here.