Australian Racing: Stanley to pilot Day to Mackay glory

There are five meetings set to take place on Thursday including at Mackay, where a nine-race card is scheduled.

They also race at Ballarat, Bunbury, Port Macquarie and Quirindi.

Race 6 Mackay

Poet's Day @ 1.70

Race 6 Bunbury

Brave Shot @ 4.20

Race 8 Ballarat

Wise Legend @ 6.00

Poet's to have his Day at Mackay

The sixth race of the day at Mackay is an interesting 1560m open handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Dollar Dollar, a six-time winner in the past, is expected to feature prominently in the market as he seeks his third win of 2024.

The gelding won twice at Rockhampton earlier this year and registered a third of six when beaten less than a length in a 1200m handicap there early last month.

The six-year-old followed that up with a nine-length third of four in an open handicap when stepped up to 1400m at the same venue.

While Raul Silvera Olivera's mount holds obvious claims he looks opposable switched to a good 4 track.

Preference here, however, is for POET'S DAY, who has been in good form in recent times.

The selection failed to shine when sixth, having jumped at $21 for a 1050m Class 6 set weights contest here first up this prep.

The 1.70 gelding has demonstrated improved form stepped up in distance since following up a third at Rockhampton with a win here last month.

That course win came over this distance in a Benchmark 55 handicap and he went on to lose out by half a length when second at Yeppoon earlier this month.

Justin P Stanley is set to ride him for just the second time, with the pair looking capable of recording a win in what looks like a competitive affair.

Shot to salute at Bunbury

The penultimate race at Bunbury is a 1200m Class 3 handicap event.

Magnum Class is expected to have his supporters, having shown good form in defeat here since winning over 1100m here in January.

Those subsequent course efforts amount to three thirds and a second from four starts, including over track and trip in September.

An inside barrier is a positive dropping to provincial level racing having finished ninth when $26 for a Class 3 handicap at Belmont last month.

BRAVE SHOT is preferred for the powerful Grant & Alana Williams team, however, with the gelding set to make his first start since July.

The pick broke his maiden when racing over 1000m at Pinjarra in April and returned to the winners' enclosure at this venue three starts later.

That course success saw the four-year-old get home by a narrow margin when racing over 1214m on a soft 5 surface.

The 4.20 selection was beaten less than two lengths when contesting a 1208m Class 3 handicap at the same venue subsequently.

The son of Shooting To Win should have no issue with the good 4 going here, having won on a sound surface at Pinjarra.

An inside barrier is a positive in this contest and he looks capable of recording a first-up success.

Legend a Wise choice at Ballarat

Dan O'Sullivan's consistent gelding WISE LEGEND looks well placed to take the finale at Ballarat.

The race in question is a 2000m Benchmark 64 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 track.

The five-year-old has registered top-two finishes in all four starts since finishing fourth over 2015m at Seymour in August.

Those efforts include a narrow margin success in a 2050m Restricted 58 handicap at Murtoa three starts back.

The 6.00 pick went on to lose out by a narrow margin when contesting a 2000m Benchmark 58 handicap at Warrnambool last month.

It was a similar story for the gelding returning to this venue for a Benchmark 58 handicap over this course and distance last week.

Regular rider Jaylah Kennedy is again set to ride here, with the pair selected to record their first win together.