Australian Racing: Dancinginthedark to boss it at Moe

There are three meetings set to take place on Monday, including at Moe, where a nine-race card is scheduled.

They also race at Kempsey and Wellington.

Race 7 Moe

Dancinginthedark @ 5.50

Race 6 Kempsey

Miss Arizona @ 4.60

Race 7 Wellington

Obey @ 6.50

Dancinginthedark to complete a double

The seventh race on the card is a 2063m Benchmark 58 handicap set to take place on a good 4 surface.

Ten Downing Street broke his maiden when successful by over one-and-a-half-lengths in a 1600m contest at this venue in May.

The gelding raced on a soft 5 track that day and has been kept to wet surfaces since, bar when racing on Ballarat’s synthetic track in July.

The five-year-old returned to this venue to deliver a fourth-place finish when contesting a 1628m Restricted 58 handicap here last time.

The quicker going here shouldn’t provide too many issues, but while Matthew Smith’s gelding holds obvious claims preference is for DANCINGINTHEDARK.

Trained by Michael Kent, the mare registered some good efforts in registering three consecutive fourth-place finishes earlier this prep.

The pick of those efforts saw her beaten just over four lengths when contesting a 2100m Benchmark 70 handicap on the Lakeside track at Sandown just under a month ago.

The 5.50 selection raced at metro level on that occasion and returned to winning ways when triumphing over 2088m at this venue subsequently.

She won by over two lengths in comfortable fashion when encountering a soft 6 surface that day, while a wide alley shouldn’t pose an issue in this contest.

Apprentice Bailey Kinninmont takes four kilograms off the mare’s back, with the daughter of Testa Rossa taken to complete a course double.

Arizona to score at Kempsey

The penultimate contest on Kempsey’s seven-race card is a 1000m Benchmark 58 handicap.

A good 4 surface is expected, with Black Alexandra expected to feature towards the head of the market to deliver her second win of the year.

The first of those victories saw her triumph by a narrow margin when contesting a 1000m Class 1 handicap on a soft 5 track at Gosford in April.

The mare has delivered some fair efforts since and showed that her third win might not be far away when fifth over 1020m at Moruya last month.

Marc Chevalier’s mare has a wide barrier here and, while the underfoot conditions are no issue she looks opposable in this field.

MISS ARIZONA has been racing on wet tracks in recent starts and she is preferred in this field.

The six-year-old lost out by just over a length when contesting a Benchmark 58 handicap over 1250m at this venue three starts back.

Both of the mare’s subsequent efforts have come at Kempsey, including over 1205m when runner-up in a Benchmark 58 handicap on a soft 7 track on her penultimate outing.

The 4.60 pick was beaten less than a length on that occasion and she followed that effort up with a fourth on a heavy 8 surface over the same track and trip just over a week ago.

An inside barrier is a positive for Madeline Owen’s mount and, having won on a good 4 track in the past, she is selected to record the fourth win of her career.

Lundholm mare set for Wellington glory

A soft 7 surface is expected at Wellington, with OBEY the selection to record a win for the Clint Lundholm stable.

The 6.50 daughter of Nicconi has recorded some solid efforts in recent times, including when finishing sixth at Dubbo in her last two outings.

The second of those efforts saw her beaten just over two-and-a-half-lengths in a 1200m Benchmark 58 handicap held on a soft 7 track.

The shorter distance here is no issue, with her previous Dubbo effort having seen her beaten less than two-and-a-half-lengths over this trip in a similar contest.

Jockey Jean Van Overmeire has been among the winners in recent months, with this mount looking capable of adding to his 2024 tally.