There are four meetings set to take place on Monday and we have three selections covering Muswellbrook, Penola and Warrnambool.
They also race at Mount Isa on a relatively quiet start to the new week of racing.
Best Of Maher @ 4.60
A Good Yarn @ 4.40
Bangerang Redback @ 2.90
The fifth race on the Muswellbrook card is a 1500m Benchmark 66 handicap set to take place on a soft 7 surface and Jan Bowen’s Ollie’s Secret is expected to have his supporters racing second up this prep.
The five-year-old last won over this distance when contesting a Class 1 handicap at Newcastle in July last year.
However, he registered some fair efforts in defeat without placing last prep, including when eighth in a Rosehill Class 3 handicap over 1400m in February.
The gelding showed signs that his next win might not be far away when two-and-a-half-lengths sixth in a 1280m Class 2 handicap here on his return to action earlier this month.
Apprentice Lauren Van Tijn, on board that day is again set to ride and while her mount holds obvious claims preference is for BEST OF MAHER.
The son of Al Maher performed well when racing on a heavy 10 track at Tamworth first up this prep, placing second when beaten a length over 1400m.
The 4.60 pick contested a Class 1 handicap on that occasion and he has contested Class 1 events on both subsequent starts including back at Tamworth over 1400m 11 days later.
The five-year-old placed third on a soft 5 surface that day and arrives here on the back of a runner-up finish over 1600m when racing on a good 4 track at Narromine last month.
The application of blinkers appears to have suited this prep and Luke Thomas’ gelding looks capable of returning to winning ways.
The seventh ace on the Warrnambool card is an 1100m Benchmark 58 handicap.
A soft 5 track is expected, with Courageous Lass expected to feature prominently in the betting having broken her maiden here first up this prep.
The four-year-old won by half-a-length when contesting a 1200m maiden on a soft 7 track with Colin Chandler’s representative making all the running that day.
A change of tactics saw the filly ridden cold having been inconvenienced at the start when crossing the border for a metro contest at Morphettville earlier this month.
A GOOD YARN is the selection here, however, having registered some solid efforts in defeat since recording a victory over 1014m at Werribee at the start of February.
The veteran won on a good 4 track that day, but softer conditions are no issue, with the gelding’s subsequent efforts including a half-length second on a heavy 10 at Hamilton.
The 4.40 selection is fairly versatile with regard to tactics with his recent starts including a third when attempting to make all over 1125m at Geelong at the start of last month.
The 11-year-old contested a Benchmark 64 handicap that day and has been freshened since finishing eighth over 1000m in a similar event here last month.
Barrier five is a positive in this contest and apprentice Jordyn Weatherley’s mount is taken to record the ninth victory of his career.
Penola are set to host a nine-race program on a heavy 8 surface, with the seventh race of the day a 1555m Restricted 54 handicap.
Garret Lynch saddles BANGERANG REDBACK in this contest, with the gelding having placed in three of his last four starts.
The seven-year-old lost out by a narrow margin over 1200m in a Restricted 56 handicap at Murray Bridge three starts back, with his two subsequent placings both coming at Port Lincoln.
The second of those Port Lincoln efforts saw the 2.90 pick beaten less than half-a-length when runner-up in a Restricted 54 handicap on a good 4 track.
Samuel Payne is set to ride here and jumping from barrier six he can steer the son of Redente to victory.