Australian Racing: Yalla ready to go at Grafton

There are a number of meetings to get involved with on Tuesday, including at Grafton where a wet track is forecast.

Race 6 Grafton

Yalla @ 4.80

Race 1 Ballarat

Never Let Me Go @ 2.90

Race 6 Albury

Sheila @ 3.60

Yalla for Grafton glory

The sixth race on the Grafton card is a 1610m Benchmark 58 handicap set to take place on a soft 6 surface.

Top-weight Frappes is expected to have his supporters, having registered a number of big efforts this prep.

Those efforts include a win by over three-and-a-half-lengths in a 1400m Benchmark 58 handicap at this track.

Frappes is proven on wet tracks having finished runner-up on a heavy 10 track when racing over 1405m at Coffs Harbour at the end of May.

The five-year-old arrives here on the back of a fourth over 1400m in a Class 3 handicap at Casino, however he looks opposable jumping from barrier nine.

YALLA is preferred on this occasion having placed in the top three in three of her five outings this prep.

The second of those placed efforts saw the daughter of Whittington lose out by a length, when contesting a 1600m Class 1 handicap at Eagle Farm last month.

Yalla raced in a metro event held on a soft 7 track that day and went on to finish just over a length second when racing off a light weight at Ipswich subsequently.

The five-year-old gets a marked drop in grade, having contested a Benchmark 68 handicap at Ipswich and she has an inside alley in this contest.

Jockey Claire Ramsbotham takes four-kilograms off her back here and her mount looks capable of recording the second win of her career.

Never Let Me Go to break maiden at Ballarat

They are set to race on the synthetic track at Ballarat with the opening contest a 1200m maiden plate.

Tamala Rose is expected to jump as favourite for the Ciaron Maher team, having shown ability when debuting over 1000m at this venue at the end of last month.

The daughter of Grunt was beaten just over three lengths when jumping from barrier three that day and she is expected to improve for the step up in distance.

However, the experienced NEVER LET ME GO is the pick on this occasion, having placed in all three starts since switching to synthetic tracks this prep.

The four-year-old placed third in her first two starts on Pakenham’s synthetic surface, including when beaten just under five lengths over 1000m on her penultimate start.

Never Let Me Go jumped at $12 when contesting an 11-runner event that day and finished one place better stepped up to 1100m at this venue 12 days later.

The filly was slowly away in that 1100m contest and, while she could finish only sixth on her only previous start at this trip, it’s of note that she raced on turf that day.

Sheila to salute at Albury

The penultimate contest on the Albury card is a 1000m Benchmark 66 handicap event, with apprentice Alysha Warren set to ride SHEILA.

A heavy 10 track is expected, with the pick having demonstrated a liking for wet surfaces in the past.

The daughter of Adelaide is unbeaten on tracks described as heavy, including when successful by just under two-and-a-half-lengths when racing at Wagga last month.

The six-year-old contested a Benchmark 58 handicap when ridden by Brittany Button that day and she is set to jump from an inside alley in this contest.

Andrew Dale’s mare had previously recorded a good third place finish when jumping at $11 for a Corowa Benchmark 66 handicap.

The selection has won at this venue in the past and, with an inside barrier here, looks capable of recording the seventh win of her career.