Australian Racing: Thunder Award can storm to victory

There are four meetings set to take place on Thursday, including eight-race cards at both Grafton and Pakenham.

Race 8 Pakenham

Thunder Award @ 4.40

Race 5 Moree

Gerety @ 3.80

Race 5 Pinjarra

Fantaxtic @ 4.40

Thunder for Pakenham success

A good 4 surface is expected at Pakenham with the concluding race on the card a 1200m Benchmark 0-62 handicap.

Attain is expected to have his supporters having registered some solid efforts in metro events in recent starts.

The gelding was beaten just over two lengths when fourth over this distance at Flemington three starts back.

This son of Outreach went on to finish three-and-a-half-lengths sixth in a Benchmark 70 handicap over the same distance prior to finishing fifth stepped up to 1400m at Sandown last time.

Logan Bates takes a valuable two kilograms off his back, however, preference is for the returning THUNDER AWARD.

This Shamus Award gelding is preferred on his first start since finishing one-and-a-half-lengths second over 1250m at Morphettville Parks in September.

Thunder Award contested a Class 2 event on a wet track on that occasion, having finished fourth over 1400m on the Hillside track at Sandown prior to that.

This four-year-old has won first up at this venue in the past when making a winning racecourse debut over track and trip in November 2023 and he has the distance and going to suit.

The Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans stable boast a 43% strike-rate (6/14) with their runners at this venue and Zac Spain’s mount looks up to resuming with a win.

Gerety for Moree glory

Seven races are scheduled for Moree with the fifth race of the day a 1200m Benchmark 66 handicap expected to be held on a soft 5 track.

Stratum Star filly Kimberley Moon is expected to jump as favourite having recorded good form earlier this year.

The four-year-old’s four efforts in 2025 include two wins at Benchmark 58 level, including over 1150m at Newcastle on her penultimate start.

This filly raced on a wet track that day, however, she failed to shine when finishing eighth at $18 over 1250m when contesting a Class 3 handicap at Canterbury subsequently.

This looks an easier contest for Scott Singleton’s mare and she holds obvious claims with Ella Drew up.

The Ridge Wilson-trained GERETY is a course winner in the past, having saluted over 950m in a Class contest on a good 4 track at the start of September.

While the filly has been unable to win since she has finished runner-up twice, including when beaten less than half-a-length over 1100m at Armidale recently.

Gerety demonstrated improvement that day having finished held in her two previous efforts this prep and she should have no issues with the extra distance having won over 1200m in the past.

Clayton Gallagher is an eye-catching jockey booking here, while any quickening of the going would aid his mount's chances on her first wet track start since June last year.

Gerety boasts an inside alley here and she looks capable of helping her trainer improve on his impressive 33% strike-rate (7/21) at this venue.

Fantaxtic to salute at Pinjarra

A good 4 track is expected at Pinjarra with the fifth race of the day a 1300m Class 1 handicap event.

The twice-raced FANTAXTIC takes the eye for the Mitchell Pateman stable, having registered a respectable effort from a wide barrier when debuting at Bunbury in September.

This three-year-old was beaten three lengths into seventh when jumping from widest of all in a thirteen runner 1200m maiden on that occasion.

The son of Sessions was spelled following that effort and he demonstrated improvement to break through for his first win when saluting by half-a-length over 1100m back at Bunbury last month.

A step up in distance is expected to suit and, with further improvement expected, he is taken to complete a double under Jarrad Noske.