Australian Racing: Laizabout to fire for Wilkes

There are eight meetings set to take place on Sunday, including at Port Macquarie, where an eight-race card is scheduled.

They also race at Ararat, Benalla, Bunbury, Dubbo, Hobart, Naracorte and Toowoomba.

Race 7 Port Macquarie

Laizabout @ 7.50

Race 5 Benalla

Iluvcoffee @ 2.90

Race 7 Dubbo

Chico Casino @ 2.50

Laizabout can shine at Port Macquarie

The penultimate race at Port Macquarie is a 1200m Class 5 set weights contest set to take place on a good 4 track.

This race is a qualifier for the Country Championships, with the Marc Quinn-trained Bomarea expected to jump as favourite, although the filly hasn’t seen race action since finishing a good third in a 1000m contest held on a good 4 surface at Canberra in September.

The four-year-old has had a couple of barrier trials, however, including when a close second over 1000m at Taree earlier this month.

Mikayla Weir’s mount won first up last prep when contesting a 1000m Benchmark 74 handicap at Tamworth and she holds obvious claims.

Wayne Wilkes is set to saddle LAIZABOUT here, with the gelding preferred having made just three previous starts.

The pick broke through for his first victory when contesting a 1000m maiden held on a soft 7 track at Taree in July last year.

The three-year-old failed to shine when last of 12 when stepped up to 1205m for a Class 1 event at Tuncurry the following month, however.

The son of Zousain was eased near the 200m marker, having attempted to make all and he can be forgiven that effort having shown up well on his return to action last month.

That return saw a change of tactics employed by connections, with the 7.50 selection ridden from off the pace prior to being beaten less than two lengths in a 1006m Class 2 handicap here.

The gelding raced on a good 4 surface for the first time that day and, with a good barrier here, he is taken to record the second win of his career.

Coffee to be full of beans at Benalla

A good 4 track is expected at Benalla with the fifth race of the day a 1612m Benchmark 64 handicap contest.

Vein Zena is expected to start favourite, having broken through for her first win when taking out a 1412m maiden held on a good 3 surface earlier this month.

The four-year-old raced from behind the speed prior to delivering a comfortable victory on that occasion, having previously finished five lengths fifth over 1200m at Mornington.

ILUVCOFFEE is the pick here, however, having taken a marked step forward when losing out by a narrow margin over 1629m at Werribee last month.

The gelding contested a Restricted 62 handicap that day and he went on to deliver a creditable effort when four lengths seventh over 1733m at Geelong eighteen days later.

The 2.90 selection usually races from off the pace as was the case at Werribee and barrier seven shouldn’t pose any issues in this event.

Billy Egan takes the ride for the first time and his mount looks capable of recording his first win since triumphing on the synthetic track at Pakenham in July last year.

Casino goes for a double

The seventh race at Dubbo is a 1300m Benchmark 58 handicap expected to be held on a good 4 track.

CHICO CASINO takes the eye in this event, having registered two good efforts this time around.

The gelding resumed with a third-place finish, beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths when contesting a 1000m Benchmark 58 handicap at Orange last month.

The 2.50 selection went on to record his first win in just under a year when successful by two-and-a-half-lengths stepped up to 1200m for a Benchmark 58 handicap at Bathurst at the end of last month.

Nick Heywood, on board last time out, is again set to ride and jumping from next to the rail his mount is taken to race prominently prior to recording his third career win.