Australian Racing: Tokyo Ice to leave rivals out in the cold

There are five meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Cranbourne and Mackay where nine-race cards are scheduled.

Race 8 Cranbourne

Flamin’ Romans @ 5.00

Race 7 Mackay

Han Dynasty @ 6.50

Race 6 Wagga

Tokyo Ice @ 3.80

Flamin’ to salute at Cranbourne

The penultimate contest at Cranbourne is a 2060m Benchmark 64 handicap set to take place on a good 4 surface.

Fretta is expected to prove popular with punters for the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr team, having been competing at metro level in two starts this prep.

The mare resumed with a good second when contesting a 1500m Benchmark 74 handicap on the Hillside track at Sandown in July.

Frettajumped at $2 when fourth on the Lakeside track at the same venue when stepped up to 1600m subsequently.

The daughter of Frankel should have no issues with the distance here, having performed well over 2040m at Moonee Valley in January, however she looks opposable in this field.

While a wide barrier isn’t ideal here, FLAMIN’ ROMANS is preferred for the Ciaron Maher stable.

The gelding resumed with a four-length fourth in a Restricted 62 handicap over 1412m at Geelong in June.

A one-and-a-half-length victory, stepped up to 1741m when racing on a soft 6 track at the same venue, subsequently followed.

John Allen, set to ride here and on board for both of those efforts, was again in the saddle when Flamin’ Romans placed third over 2040m at Moonee Valley last month.

The selection raced at Benchmark 70 level on that occasion and, having caught the eye that day, he is taken to record his third career win dropping in grade.

Dynasty to complete four-timer

A field of 11 are due to go to post for the seventh race at Mackay, an 1100m handicap expected to take place on a good 4 surface.

Blue Kentucky Moon has won once and placed second once from his three starts this prep and is expected to feature prominently in the betting.

The win saw the gelding finish nearly a length clear of his rivals, when racing over 1000m at Gladstone on his return to action at the end of June.

While the seven-year-old failed to shine on a wet track at Townsville subsequently, he returned to form with a close second over 1050m here last month.

Warwick Satherley’s mount raced close to the speed on that occasion and similar tactics are expected in this event.

HAN DYNASTY is the pick in this contest however, with the son of Raphael’s Cat arriving here in great form having won his last three starts.

All three of those victories have come at Mount Isa, including by nearly three lengths in the 1200m CNW Mailman Cup on his penultimate start.

The selection followed up with success in a small field 1000m handicap held on a good 4 track on 24th August.

Bella Youngberry, on board for both of those victories, is again set to ride here and she takes a valuable three-kilograms off the six-year-old’s back.

Bevan Johnson’s representative is expected to race from the front and jumping from barrier four he is taken to deliver a victory in what looks a tougher contest.

Ice for Wagga glory

The sixth race at Wagga is a competitive looking 1000m Benchmark 58 handicap contest.

TOKYO ICE takes the eye here having recorded three top-four finishes from as many starts on wet tracks in 2024.

The most recent of those saw the mare beaten less than two lengths into fourth, when contesting a 1200m Benchmark 58 handicap for fillies and mares in July.

Tokyo Ice was racing first up on a soft 6 surface on that occasion and she went on to salute by just under a length over 1100m at Nowra subsequently.

That Nowra success came when dropped to 1100m for a Class 1 handicap held on a good 4 track with the selection overcoming a slow start and overracing to score that day.

Scott Collings’ six-year-old has been allocated an inside barrier here and racing on a forecast soft 5 track she is taken to complete a double.