Australian Racing: Taylor charge to boldly go at Kempsey

There are five meetings set to take place on Friday with Pakenham, Kempsey, Albury, Hamilton and Rockhampton all set to race.

Race 7 Kempsey

Bold Hoi Ho @ 5.50

Race 3 Pakenham

In Your Hands @ 4.80

Race 7 Albury

Dynamic One @ 3.20

Kempsey Cup chance for Taylor inmate

The penultimate race on the Kempsey card is the 1450m Kempsey Cup, an open handicap contest set to take place on a good 4 track.

Jack Duggan is expected to jump as favourite for the race, having been allocated an inside barrier.

The seven-year-old finished fifth in his first three starts this prep, including when beaten just under one-and-a-half-lengths over 2000m at Coffs Harbour in August.

The gelding has been freshened since finishing seventh in a metro Benchmark 72 handicap over 1800m at Rosehill at the end of that month.

While Jason Deamer’s galloper holds obvious claims, preference is for BOLD HOI HO.

The pick has been kept to wet tracks so far in 2024, however, he has gone well on a sound surface in the past, including when fourth at Toowoomba just over a year ago.

The 5.50 six-year-old returned from a break with a sixth in an eight-runner 1100m Benchmark 58 handicap at Murwillumbah last month.

Sally Taylor’s representative took a step forward when beaten a length over 1410m when contesting a Benchmark 66 handicap at Grafton two weeks later.

The son of Niagara has a good barrier three from the rail here and he looks capable of recording a win with apprentice Courtney Bellamy set to ride.

Hands to salute at Pakenham

The third race on the Pakenham card is a 2000m Benchmark 64 handicap event.

A good 4 track is expected for the race, with John Leek Jnr’s The Englishman expected to have his supporters.

The five-year-old broke through for his first win of the year when victorious by a narrow margin in a 1900m Benchmark 72 handicap at Canterbury in August.

The son of Tavistock has contested metro events on Sandown’s Hillside track on both subsequent starts, including when seventh over 1800m there last time.

That latest effort saw the gelding beaten six lengths in a Benchmark 78 handicap held on a good 4 track.

Daniel Stackhouse’s mount has been freshened since that effort, however the concession of weight to in-form mare IN YOUR HANDS is expected to prove too much.

The pick has finished in the first three in each of her last five starts, with those efforts including two victories.

The first of those wins came by four lengths when contesting a 2075m Benchmark 58 handicap held on a soft 6 track at Moe three starts back.

A narrow defeat at Mornington in a 2020m Benchmark 64 handicap followed, prior to a return to winning ways at Sale last time.

The 4.80 daughter of Preferment drops back in distance here, having raced over 2200m in a Benchmark 64 event at Sale, however, that should pose no issues.

A wide barrier is more of a concern, but Jamie Mott knows the pick well, with the pair looking up to registering their third win together.

Dynamic looks good for Albury glory

The seventh race at Albury is an interesting Benchmark 66 handicap set to take place over 1500m.

The Michael Travers-trained DYNAMIC ONE has been running well this season, with his sole unplaced effort coming in a Rosehill metro contest last month.

Prior to that the gelding had registered a narrow victory when contesting a 1400m Benchmark 58 handicap on a soft 5 surface at Gundagai.

While that victory came on a wet track, the 3.20 pick is equally at home on a sound surface, having finished runner-up on a good 4 track here two weeks ago.

The selection was placing second at this venue for the second time this prep and he looks up to going one better in this contest.