Australian Racing: Spicy Hotpot to turn up the heat

There are a number of meetings set to take place on Friday, including at Canterbury where an eight-race card is scheduled.

Race 7 Canterbury

Spicy Hotpot @ 6.00

Race 4 Moonee Valley

Big Me @ 3.20

Race 7 Tamworth

Takanakuy @ 11.00

Spicy to continue winning run

The seventh race of the day at Canterbury is a 1250m Benchmark 78 handicap set to take place on a soft 6 surface.

John O’Shea & Tom Charlton are represented by Junqueira here, with the mare having demonstrated solid form in defeat in her final two starts of 2024.

The first of those saw her beaten less than three lengths in a Benchmark 78 handicap over 1200m at Rosehill in July.

Racing on a soft 5 track that day, the five-year-old began awkwardly prior to finishing fourth and it was a similar story when fifth in a similar contest at Randwick the following month.

While Ronan Whelan’s mount holds strong claims following a win in a Randwick barrier trial, the in-form SPICY HOTPOT is preferred for trainer Sara Ryan.

The five-year-old is the winner of all three starts this prep, including when competing against her own sex in a course and distance Benchmark 72 handicap last month.

Spicy Hotpot won by a narrow margin on that occasion and completed her hat-trick when winning by half-a-length stepped up to 1350m for a Benchmark 72 event against male rivals at Rosehill.

The daughter of Russian Revolution raced prominently at Rosehill, however, she is equally at home racing behind the speed and barrier six is a positive here with Reece Jones set to ride.

Big for sprint success

They are also set to race at Moonee Valley with the fourth race Heat 2 of the Summer Sprint Series.

A field of seven are set to go to post for the 1000m Benchmark 70 handicap, with a soft 5 surface expected for the contest.

Trapeze Warrior is likely to feature prominently in the market, having recorded some solid efforts so far this prep.

Phillip Stokes’ representative finished fifth at Flemington at the start of last month and was freshened prior to finishing a close third dropped to this distance at Sandown two weeks ago.

The four-year-old boasts a good barrier here and holds strong claims of reversing form, with Sandown second Wolflands to record the third win of his career.

Jockey Ethan Brown boasts a 50% strike-rate (3/6) when teaming up with trainer Nick Ryan this season and they are represented by BIG ME here.

The gelding recorded his first win of the season when jumping at $1.50 for a 1000m Benchmark 64 handicap on a heavy 9 track at Bendigo at the start of December.

This son of Your Song has placed at this venue on two of his three subsequent starts, with the most recent of those a third-place finish over 955m last month.

Big Me was beaten nearly three lengths in a Benchmark 70 handicap on a good 4 surface on that occasion and he returns to a wet track here.

Prior to that third-place finish, the gelding had stayed on well from off the pace to finish fifth when racing over 1000m down the straight at Flemington.

Takanakuy to triumph at Tamworth

Trainer Melissa Dennett is set to saddle TAKANAKUY in the seventh race at Tamworth.

The race in question is a 1000m Benchmark 66 handicap set to take place on a good 4 surface.

This six-year-old recorded a solid effort when finishing fourth in a 1000m Benchmark 58 handicap when racing first up last prep.

While the mare was unable to salute in three subsequent starts, she delivered good efforts in defeat on each occasion including when fourth over 1000m at Quirindi in November.

Takanakuy was beaten just over one-and-a-half-lengths when racing on a good 4 surface that day and she was spelled following that effort.

Clayton Gallagher’s mount goes well fresh and with underfoot conditions to suit, she is taken to register her third win at this track.