Australian Racing: Muswellbrook to marvel at Golden Honour

There are four meetings scheduled to take place on Tuesday, including at Muswellbrook where a soft 7 track is expected.

Race 6 Muswellbrook

Golden Honour @ 6.00

Race 7 Ballarat

Queen Beira @ 6.50

Race 5 Beaudesert

Midnight Drifter @ SP

Honour to record Muswellbrook win

The penultimate race on Muswellbrook’s seven-race card is a 1280m Benchmark 66 handicap. 

Heavelon Van Der Hoven is expected to partner Superhero for the Annabel & Rob Archibald team.

This gelding has finished runner-up in two of his three starts this prep, with all three of those efforts coming on wet surfaces.

The most recent of those saw the son of Deep Field beaten just under one-and-a-half-lengths in a 1400m Benchmark 72 handicap at Kensington last month.

This three-year-old drops to country-level racing here and he has gone well over this distance in the past.

The gelding’s most recent start over this distance saw him beaten a length at Kembla Grange when racing first up this prep. 

However, he has to concede weight to his rivals here and GOLDEN HONOUR is preferred on this occasion.

The five-year-old has been in good form over further in recent months, including when successful over 1300m on heavy going at Taree on his penultimate start.

Golden Honour won by just under a length on that occasion and he went on to finish a good fourth in a 1505m Benchmark 58 handicap at Coffs Harbour subsequently.

The son of Caravaggio is a four-time winner, including over this distance and an inside alley is a positive here, having jumped from a wide barrier at Coffs Harbour.

Mitchell Bell’s mount is set to make his first appearance at this venue and he is taken to provide the Glen Milligan stable with a winner. 

Queen to rule at Ballarat

They are set to race on the synthetic track at Ballarat, with the penultimate race of the day a 1500m Benchmark 58 handicap. 

New Zealand-bred Savamoon is expected to feature prominently in the betting as he seeks his second win this prep.

The gelding broke through for his first win when taking out a 1600m maiden at Cranbourne earlier this month.

A good second in a Benchmark 0-64 handicap over the same course and distance followed, however the gelding has finished held in his two most recent starts.

Those starts include a seventh in a 1600m event at Pakenham and he drops in distance here.

QUEEN BEIRA is the pick in this event with apprentice Beau Treloar set to take three-kilograms off her back.

The four-year-old has won three times on turf this year, including by two-and-a-half-lengths in a Benchmark 58 handicap over this distance in May.

The daughter of American Pharoah had finished a good third when beaten just over four lengths in a similar contest held over 1607m at Kilmore prior to that.

The filly has been freshened since the previously mentioned Mornington effort and she boasts a good barrier six from the rail.

While Queen Beira has failed to win in four previous starts on synthetic surfaces, her best effort, a second place finish, came at this venue.

David & Coral Feek’s representative boasts a good record over this distance and she is taken to complete a double. 

Midnight to salute at Beaudesert 

Eight races have been scheduled at Beaudesert, with the fifth race of the day a 1400m Benchmark 0-60 handicap.

A soft track is expected for the race with MIDNIGHT DRIFTER taking the eye on his second start back from a spell.

Midnight Drifter was a winner in Benchmark 62 handicap company when successful by one-and-a-half-lengths over 1400m at Sunshine Coast in January.

The gelding was spelled following an eighth in a similar event held over 1600m at the same venue two starts later.

This son of All Too Hard delivered a good effort when finishing fourth over 1200m when contesting a Class 2 handicap at Gold Coast first up this prep.

The six-year-old jumped at $41 when racing on a soft 5 track that day and with the step up in distance a positive he is taken to record a victory on his second start back.