Australian Racing: Sparkle Link can dazzle at Pakenham

There are five meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Hawkesbury where an eight-race card is scheduled.

Race 7 Hawkesbury

Magnatear @ 4.60

Race 4 Pakenham

Sparkle Link @ 5.50

Race 5 Geraldton

Whaitiri @ 7.00

Magnatear to take Qualifier

The most valuable contest on the Hawkesbury card is the penultimate race of the day, the 1400m Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championship Qualifier.

This race, set to take place over 1400m on a good 4 track, is worth $150,000 with Harlow Mist expected to feature prominently in the betting.

The four-year-old finished sixth in the 1625m Group 3 Belle Of The Turf Stakes held on a good 4 track at Wyong at the end of December.

Harlow Mist was beaten just over three lengths on that occasion and came close to recording her second win of the season when runner-up over 1600m at Randwick earlier this month.

John Sargent’s filly contested a Benchmark 72 handicap that day and she rates highly dropping in distance.

In-form MAGNATEAR is preferred in this event however, having registered top-three finishes in all five starts this season.

The third of those efforts saw the gelding beaten a length into second when contesting a Benchmark 72 handicap over this distance at Randwick in December.

Magnatear raced from the front on a good 4 track that day and he has successfully employed similar tactics in winning both subsequent starts.

The five-year-old confirmed that wet tracks are no issue when getting home by a narrow margin when racing on a soft 5 surface over 1600m at Wyong on his next start.

Magnatear duly completed a double when winning by nearly three lengths in a Benchmark 72 handicap over the same distance at Randwick two weeks later.

The sixth and ninth from that Randwick event have both boosted the form in winning next time and Adam Hyeronimus’ mount looks up to defying a wide barrier to complete a hat-trick.

Sparkle to shine at Pakenham

The fourth race at Pakenham in a 2000m Restricted 64 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Ginger Sweet is expected to prove popular for the Peter Gelagotis stable, having registered three consecutive placed efforts prior to finishing fifth here last time.

That fifth place finish came in a Benchmark 64 handicap over this track and trip and, while beaten over five lengths that day, the filly was wearing a visor for the first time.

The blinkers worn previously return here and she is expected to put that latest effort behind her, having placed a close second in a similar race to this over 2000m at Mornington prior.

Ben Allen’s mount holds strong claims here, however, SPARKLE LINK is the pick with Craig Williams taking the ride.

The daughter of Reliable Man ended her last prep by breaking her maiden in a 2200m maiden held on the synthetic track here in August.

While the filly has finished only fourth in two starts this time around, it’s of note that both of those efforts have come over shorter distances including over 1600m here first up.

Sparkle Link was beaten just over three lengths when contesting a Benchmark 64 handicap that day and she went on to be beaten five lengths over 1615m at Sale subsequently.

The four-year-old was held up near the 500m marker in that Sale contest and, stepping back up in distance, she is taken to record a win for the Greg Eurell stable.

Cortes mare to complete Geraldton double

In Western Australia they are set to race at Geraldton with the fifth race a 1600m Class 1 handicap event.

WHAITIRI has registered a couple of good efforts in maiden company at this track, including when losing out by a narrow margin over this distance last month.

Racing on a good 4 track the mare came from off the pace to deliver a good first up effort and she went one better when breaking her maiden over 1618m here subsequently.

Whaitiri had a change of headgear for that latest effort, which came on a good 4 track and she boasts a good barrier next to the rail for this event.

Jockey Brandon Louis, on board last time out, is again set to ride and, while it took his mount in excess of 50 starts to break her maiden, with that win under her belt she is taken to follow up.