Australian Racing: Stormfront a force to be reckoned with

There are four meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Kembla Grange where a seven-race card is scheduled.

Race 7 Kembla Grange

Etched In Time @ 6.50

Race 5 Cranbourne

Stormfront @ 3.00

Race 6 Ipswich

Isle Ornsay @ 7.50

Etched in Time to complete double

The finale at Kembla Grange is a 1500m Benchmark 64 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Brad Widdup’s Colours Of Autumn is expected to jump as favourite having registered two good efforts this prep.

The first of those saw her lose out by a narrow margin when runner-up on a wet track in a similar race to this over 1500m here last month.

This four-year-old suffered interference at the start that day and duly went one better when justifying short-priced favouritism at Newcastle at the start of this month.

The daughter of The Autumn Sun raced on a good 3 surface at Newcastle and while she holds obvious claims here ETCHED IN TIME is preferred.

Etched In Time won twice last prep, including when breaking his maiden in a track and trip contest held on a good 4 surface in March.

The gelding’s second victory saw him triumph by a narrow margin when stepped up to 1600m for a Benchmark 58 handicap at Nowra two starts later.

Richard & Will Freedman’s representative was spelled following that frontrunning triumph and he recorded a couple of trial efforts at Rosehill prior to resuming at Wyong.

Etched In Time proved that being ridden with slightly more restraint was no issue when successful by a length dropped to 1350m for a Benchmark 64 handicap that day.

Regan Bayliss, on board at Wyong, is again set to ride and he can navigate a wide barrier to steer the son of Written Tycoon to victory.

Stormfront for Cranbourne glory

Cranbourne are set to play host to an eight-race card with the fifth race a 1300m Class 1 handicap.

Immortal Shield is expected to prove popular from barrier two having performed well in three starts on synthetic surfaces.

The second of those saw him triumph by five lengths when making all in a 1200m maiden contest last month.

This three-year-old had been ridden from the rear of mid-division when runner-up over the same track and trip prior and connections returned to such tactics at Pakenham subsequently.

Immortal Shield was beaten just over two lengths when fourth in a Benchmark 58 handicap at Pakenham and he holds obvious claims switched to turf.

The Clinton McDonald-trained STORMFRONT is the pick here however, with the gelding another to have broken his maiden on a synthetic surface.

This four-year-old came home nearly a length clear of his rivals when racing close to the speed in an 1100m contest on that occasion.

Stormfront had to undergo a pre-race veterinary track prior to debuting that day and he has been freshened since that triumph.

The eighth home in that Pakenham race was a winner next time and Ben Melham’s mount is taken to maintain his unbeaten record with barrier five a positive in this contest.

Isle Ornsay to register hat-trick

The sixth race at Ipswich is a 1350m Class 2 set weights contest due to be held on a soft 5 surface.

ISLE ORNSAY has been in good form in recent starts winning twice since placing third in a track and trip maiden in July.

This pick broke her maiden by one-and-a-half-lengths when jumping at $26 for a maiden over the same distance at Doomben next time.

The four-year-old raced on a soft 5 surface that day and went on to complete a double when making all the running over this course and distance later that month.

Isle Ornsay contested a Class 1 handicap last time and has Tahlia Fenlon, on board for both of the previously mentioned victories on board once more.

Barry Lockwood’s representative boasts a good alley in this contest and she looks capable of continuing her winning run.