Australian Racing: Our Paladin Al can battle to victory

There are five meetings scheduled to take place on Thursday, including at Sale, where eight races have been carded.

Race 7 Sale

Fabrice @ 6.00

Race 7 Gosford

Burj @ 2.80

Race 6 Northam

Our Paladin Al @ 2.80

Fabrice for Sale success

The penultimate race on the previously mentioned Sale card is a 1415m Benchmark 64 handicap expected to take place on a heavy 10 track.

Anthony & Sam Freedman are set to saddle Seindeel here with their gelding likely to start favourite.

A maiden winner on good ground at Seymour in December, he went on to place second in a 1400m Benchmark 70 handicap at Flemington the following month.

The three-year-old was spelled following a below par effort at the Melbourne venue subsequently and he dropped to 1200m for his return to action at Pakenham.

This gelding was beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths in finishing fifth in a Benchmark 64 handicap that day and he rates highly on his first start on heavy going.

Ciaron Maher’s representative FABRICE is preferred on this occasion however, having performed well on heavy going when breaking his maiden on debut in July last year.

The son of Ocean Park won by half-a-length when contesting a 1200m contest held on the Lakeside track at Sandown that day.

Fabrice has raced exclusively on good ground so far in 2025, recording four consecutive top three finishes since resuming with a seventh at Sandown in January.

The most recent of those placed efforts saw the four-year-old beaten two lengths into second in a 1400m Benchmark 64 handicap at Pakenham last month. 

Teo Nugent is set to ride for the first time here and, back on a wet track, his mount is taken to overcome a double-figure barrier to record the second win of his career.

Burj to deliver Gosford win

A soft 7 track is expected at Gosford with the finale a 1200m Benchmark 64 handicap.

Diddle Dumpling is expected to prove popular with punters, having registered some good efforts last prep including at metro level.

The three-year-old broke through for her first win when successful by over a length in a 1400m maiden at Hawkesbury in November.

While the daughter of Deep Field finished unplaced in both subsequent starts, they came in stronger races than she is set to tackle here.

Nash Rawiller has ridden the filly twice in the past and, having placed first up last prep, she holds obvious claims for the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou team. 

BURJ showed a liking for wet conditions when successful by just under half-a-length in a 1300m maiden at Newcastle on debut in December.

The filly jumped from barrier three in an eight-runner contest that day and went on to finish fourth in a Benchmark 64 handicap over the same track and trip next time.

This Pride Of Dubai filly ended her 2024 with a half-length second stepped up to 1300m for a Class 1 handicap at Kembla Grange.

The selection raced on a sound surface at Kembla Grange and returning to a wet track, along with an inside alley, she looks up to resuming with a win. 

Al to salute at Northam

Good going is expected at Northam with the sixth race of the day a 1600m Class 3 handicap.

OUR PALADIN AL takes the eye in this contest having demonstrated plenty of ability in his three starts to date.

Russell Stewardt’s representative placed second in his first two outings, including when beaten less than a length over 1300m at Pinjarra last month.

The son of A Lot jumped at $1.20 when stepped up to 1600m for a maiden at this venue subsequently and he broke through when winning by an impressive three lengths. 

Steven Parnham, on board for all three previous efforts, is again set to ride and with further improvement expected his mount is selected to complete a double.