Australian Racing: Westozi well set for Geraldton win

There are six meetings scheduled to take place on Sunday and we have selections from Geraldton, Geelong and Taree.

They also race at Donald, Townsville and Woodville.

Race 7 Geraldton

Westozi @ 11.00

Race 5 Geelong

Ironbar @ 4.40

Race 5 Taree

Yareakh @ 4.00

Westozi to score at Geraldton

The most valuable race of the day comes up as the penultimate race on Geraldton’s card, the $125,000 Batavia Sprint.

The 1200m Benchmark 72+ handicap has seen eighteen horses declared with Drakina expected to start favourite for the Michael Grantham team.

The four-year-old won at Listed level when trained in New Zealand last season, with that win coming in the 1400m NZB Airfreight Stakes at Wingatui in March.

The filly came home six-and-a-half-lengths clear of her rivals when racing on a good 4 surface that day.

The daughter of Ace High returned with a solid seventh when contesting a 1000m Benchmark 66+ handicap at Ascot and improvement is expected.

However, she has a wide barrier to overcome here and course regular WESTOZI is the pick on this occasion.

Albert Bowtell’s gelding came home in front in a 1400m Benchmark 70+ handicap when racing on a good 3 surface here in November last year.

The 11.00 selection finished in the first three in four of his five subsequent starts that prep with the exception coming when upped to 2100m at Ascot in December.

The five-year-old registered a couple of good efforts in 1100m barrier trials here last month prior to resuming over 1113m at this venue just under two weeks ago.

The son of Awesome Rock got home by a narrow margin when contesting a Benchmark 70+ handicap that day and he has a fair barrier in eight.

Ironbar looks strong at Geelong

The fifth race at Geelong is a 1335m Restricted 58 handicap set to take place on a good 4 track.

Hot Chilli Mama is expected to have her supporters, having broken through for her first win when taking out a 1200m maiden at Bairnsdale three starts back.

The filly delivered her best effort in two starts since when beaten just over one-and-a-half-lengths in finishing third at Pakenham last month.

The four-year-old contested a Benchmark 64 handicap that day and she gets a drop in grade for this contest.

Andrew Payne’s IRONBAR is preferred, however, with the gelding having registered some good placed efforts in maiden company last prep.

Those efforts included a two-length second in a 1400m maiden held on a good 3 track at Hamilton in November last year.

The 4.40 five-year-old was spelled following a below par ninth at Ararat later last year and, having missed most of this year, he resumed at Avoca last month.

The gelding got off the mark first up this prep when triumphant by a narrow margin in a 1300m event held on a wet track at Avoca.

The return to a sound surface shouldn’t pose any issues here and he looks up to following up with Billy Egan booked to steer.

Yareakh set to impress at Taree

The fifth race at Taree is a 1600m Benchmark 58 handicap event.

A wet track is expected for the race, with YAREAKH the selection to register a win for the Wayne Wilkes stable.

The gelding has shown a liking for a wet track in the past, including when ending his last prep with a third over 1600m on a heavy 9 surface here last December.

The 4.00 pick resumed this time around with a third, beaten less than a length when acing over 1200m in a Class 1 handicap at Port Macquarie last month.

While the five-year-old could finish only eighth next time out. it’s of note that the selection was contesting a metro Class 3 handicap at Rosehill that day.

Shae Wilkes, on board at Port Macquarie, takes a valuable two kilograms off the gelding’s back and, stepping up to 1600m, he is taken to return to winning ways.