Australian Racing: Shock to star in Supernova

There's plenty of racing action for punters to get involved in on Saturday, including ten-race cards at Pakenham, Randwick and Eagle Farm.

They also race at Alice Springs, Ascot, Dubbo, Ipswich, Murray Bridge, Narrogin, Toowoomba, Werribee and Wyong on a hugely busy day of racing.

Race 8 Pakenham

Here To Shock @ 6.50

Race 5 Eagle Farm

I'm Heroic @ 13.00

Race 6 Ascot

In Good Order @ 8.00

Shock to open the champagne in Supernova

The Supernova, a $1,000,000 1400m set weights contest, comes up as the eighth race of the day at Pakenham.

A good 4 track is expected for the race, with Nadal expected to jump as favourite having won two of his four starts this prep.

The first of those victories came when saluting by nearly two lengths in an 1100m Benchmark 78 handicap at Caulfield in October.

A close up fourth in Listed company at Flemington followed prior to returning to winning ways in The Meteorite over 1200m at Cranbourne just under a month ago.

The gelding finished strongly having been ridden cold at Cranbourne and he is expected to perform better than when down the field in the Group 1 Golden Rose on his only previous 1400m start.

However, the Ben, JD & Will Hayes-trained HERE TO SHOCK is the pick here, having demonstrated good form over around this distance earlier this prep.

The seven-year-old triumphed at Group 3 level when taking the 1500m Australian Bloodstock Cameron Handicap at Newcastle three starts back.

The 6.50 selection raced on a good 4 track that day and encountered similar conditions when following up in the 1400m Alan Brown Stakes in October.

The form of that contest is working out well and the son of Shocking can be forgiven a down the field effort in the 1600m Listed Big Dance at Randwick subsequently.

The drop back in distance is in his favour here and, jumping from barrier eight, he looks capable of recording his fifth win of 2024.

Eagle Farm to see Heroic effort

The fifth race of the day at Eagle Farm is an interesting 1600m contest for three-year-olds.

A soft 7 track is expected, with Run Lucy Run expected to start favourite for the Glenn Thornton team.

The filly broke her maiden when jumping at short odds for a 1200m contest at Toowoomba and went on to acquit herself well when third in Listed company here a week later.

The daughter of Divine Prophet has improved with racing this prep, breaking through for her first win of the campaign when successful in a 1400m Benchmark 70 handicap here two weeks ago.

I'M HEROIC failed to shine in that Benchmark 70 handicap, however, she was returning off just a six-day break and it’s possible that race came too quickly for him.

The gelding had impressed when coming home over three lengths clear of his rivals when competing in a Benchmark 65 handicap held on a heavy 10 surface at Sunshine Coast prior to that.

That marked the youngster’s first effort back, having been freshened following a seventh over 1500m here at the start of last month.

The 13.00 pick has shaped as if the step up to 1600m would be no issue, while the forecast underfoot conditions are no issue for this event.

Jockey Angela Jones knows the selection well, having ridden him for both previous victories, so the pair are taken to register their third win together.

Order looks Good for Group 2 glory

The Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes over 2100m comes up as the sixth race of the day at Ascot.

Daniel Morton’s IN GOOD ORDER is the selection here, having recorded a string of good efforts since taking out a 1600m Benchmark 66+ handicap at Belmont in September.

Those efforts include placings in Listed company in three of his last four starts, most recently when beaten less than a length in finishing third in the G.A. Towton Cup here two weeks ago.

The 8.00 selection raced over 2200m on that occasion, with connections opting to scratch from a race here on Wednesday to head here.

Shaun O’Donnell is set to ride the gelding for the first time and he is taken to steer the gelding to his fifth career win.