Australian Racing: Speed Bubble can burst clear

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Kyneton where seven races are scheduled.

Race 5 Kyneton

Professor Pickles @ 2.80

Race 6 Gosford

Llewellyn @ 2.90

Race 6 Narrogin

Speed Bubble @ 4.20

Professor Pickles to resume with victory

The fifth race at Kyneton is a 1454m Benchmark 64 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Lovin’ Laughs is one of two horses due to carry 62kg and he has been in good form without winning so far this year.

The veteran has finished in the top three in two of his last three starts, including when beaten two-and-a-half-lengths over 1400m at Ballarat earlier this month.

This gelding competed in a similar event to the one he tackles here that day and he boasts an inside barrier for this contest.

PROFESSOR PICKLES is the pick here however, having recorded some good efforts last prep, including when breaking his maiden at Nowra first up.

The four-year-old went on to complete a double when stepped up to 1600m for the first time to take out a Class 1 handicap at Wyong last April.

While Professor Pickles has made just three subsequent starts, he has performed well in two of those, most recently when three-and-a-half-lengths fourth at Warwick Farm in May.

The son of So You Think contested a 1600m Benchmark 68 handicap held on a wet track that day and he should have no issues with the drop back in distance.

Teodore Nugent is set to ride the gelding for the first time and, with the forecast going to suit, his mount looks up to scoring for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott stable.

Llewellyn to record win

A soft 6 track is expected for Gosford’s eight-race card with the sixth race a Benchmark 68 handicap over 1200m.

Richard Litt’s Oryx has been in good form this prep, recording top-three finishes in all three starts so far in 2025.

Those starts include a half-length second when contesting an 1100m Benchmark 64 handicap held on a wet surface at this venue on his return to action in February.

A third place over the same distance at Hawkesbury followed, prior to the six-year-old losing out by just over a length when fourth at Kembla Grange last time.

The son of Exceed And Excel raced over this distance for the first time this prep on that occasion and he holds obvious claims jumping from barrier three.

Mendelssohn gelding LLEWELLYN is preferred here however, having won three times last prep, including by a narrow margin over this distance at Wyong in December.

Llewellyn contested a Benchmark 68 handicap that day and he boasts a strong record of two wins and a further two top-three finishes from four starts over this distance.

John Sargent’s representative has won both soft and heavy going in the past, with his maiden success coming over 1400m on a heavy track at Kembla Grange in September last year.

The four-year-old has gone well first up in the past, having placed second when resuming in a Kembla Grange maiden last prep.

Llewellyn arrives here on the back of a 1000m trial event at Hawkesbury and the gelding looks capable of delivering a first up win.

Speed Bubble to salute at Narrogin

The sixth race at Narrogin is an interesting affair, with the scratching of Playball leaving a field of eight to go to post for the 1190m Racing WA Provincial Championship Heat.

The Class 5 contest sees Justin Parsons’ SPEED BUBBLE bid to record his third win from four starts at this venue.

This five-year-old’s three starts at this track have all come over course and distance, including when completing a double in a Benchmark 52+ handicap here last month.

The son of Demerit came home over three lengths clear of his nearest pursuer that day and he went on to place third over the same track and trip here at the end of last month.

Speed Bubble raced on a wet track last time out and returning to a sound surface here, the gelding looks up to recording the sixth win of his career.