Australian Racing: Lane to impress at Hawkesbury

There are five meetings scheduled to take place across Australia on Thursday. including at Hawkesbury.

They also race at Bendigo, Dalby, Murwillumbah and Northam.

Race 6 Hawkesbury

Audrey's Lane @ 6.00

Race 5 Northam

Mistress Of War @ 15.00

Race 8 Bendigo

Rivkin @ 4.20

Lane to return with Hawkesbury win

A good 4 track is expected for the previously mentioned Hawkesbury meeting, with the sixth race of the day a 1300m Benchmark 64 handicap.

True Amor is expected to jump as favourite for the race, having contested a couple of stronger races for the John O'Shea & Tom Charlton team this prep.

The three-year-old was beaten just over a length when contesting a 1300m Benchmark 72 handicap at Warwick Farm last month on his return from a spell.

The gelding went on to record a solid fifth-place finish in a 1250m Benchmark 64 handicap at Canterbury subsequently, with both of those efforts coming on soft ground.

The son of I Am Invincible's only previous success, a maiden win at Kembla Grange, came on good going and the forecast underfoot conditions are a positive here.

Brad Widdup’s course winner AUDREY'S LANE is preferred on this occasion, however, with the filly having won over this track and trip in March last year.

That success came in a Class 1 handicap and, while unable to win in the interim, the filly has recorded some good efforts in defeat.

Those efforts include top-three finishes in three of her four starts last prep, including when losing out by a narrow margin over 1600m at Newcastle in October.

The 6.00 Pierro filly contested a Benchmark 64 handicap held on soft going that day and she has made a couple of appearances in Randwick barrier trials in recent weeks.

Alysha Collett, on board for her previously mentioned win here, is set to ride and her mount is taken to resume with a win.

War to deliver Northam victory

The fifth race on Northam's eight-race card is a 1300m Benchmark 44+ handicap set to take place on a soft 5 track.

Chanel Cooper is booked to ride Talk To Wyn, with the gelding dropping down from metro-level racing after ending his last prep with a fifth at Belmont in October.

The five-year-old was beaten two-and-a-half-lengths when contesting a 1200m Class 1 handicap on that occasion.

The son of I'm All Talk had previously delivered a one-and-a-half-length fourth in a Class 1 handicap over 1300m at this track.

The gelding jumped from a wide barrier that day and looks like a leading player on his return from a spell.

However, Karen Kersley-trained MISTRESS OF WAR takes the eye here, having registered three solid efforts since breaking her maiden at Albany in March.

The five-year-old placed second in the first two of those outings, including when narrowly beaten in a 1600m Class 1 handicap at Ascot last month.

The 15.00 selection competed at metro level when jumping from a wide barrier that day and she went on to finish fifth over 1650m in a Belmont Class 1 later that month.

The War Chant mare has been freshened since that effort, with the return to soft ground also a positive here.

The drop back to 1350m is a slight concern, but she has been in good form this prep and has placed over the distance in the past.

Rivkin to record Bendigo win

A nine-race program has been programmed for Bendigo, with a heavy 8 track expected for their card.

The penultimate race of the day is a 1000m Benchmark 64 handicap, with RIVKIN the selection to provide the Patrick F Ryan Jr stable with a winner.

The five-year-old is a proven wet track performer and has placed in the top three in all seven of his starts on heavy ground.

Those seven efforts include three wins, with the most recent of those coming over 1000m at Warrnambool in September.

The 4.20 gelding has placed third in both starts this prep, including in a Benchmark 70 handicap at Sandown last week.

Jockey Ruby Lamont placed third on her first ride at Donald recently and, dropping to provincial level racing, her mount looks up to registering a victory.