Australian Racing: Smart Elissim to sparkle at Echuca

There are six race meetings set to take place on Sunday, including at Echuca, where a nine-race program is scheduled.

They also race at Horsham, Kalgoorlie, Lismore, Nowra and Sunshine Coast.

Race 8 Echuca

Smart Elissim @ 5.00

Race 4 Lismore

Goomeri @ 2.80

Race 4 Sunshine Coast

Arisphere @ 4.20

Elissim to deliver Echuca success

The penultimate race on the Echuca card is a 1200m Restricted 58 handicap set to take place on a soft 7 track.

Rutilant is expected to jump as favourite as he chases his fourth career win following two solid efforts in defeat this prep.

The first of those saw the six-year-old finish fifth, beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths in a 1200m Restricted 58 handicap held on a good 4 track here just under a month ago.

The gelding followed that up with a fourth over 1200m in a Mildura Benchmark 58 handicap on similar going just under two weeks ago.

Donald Hird’s representative is chasing his second win at this venue in 2024, having taken out a similar race to this here in May.

However, Rutilant has been kept away from wet tracks since finishing last of ten at Kyneton in December 2022 and he looks opposable in this event.

Austy Coffey is set to saddle confirmed wet-track performer SMART ELISSIM, who is preferred in this race.

The veteran galloper failed to shine when ninth of ten at $101 when racing over 1100m at Horsham, but has delivered improved efforts in three subsequent starts.

All three of those outings have seen him finish in the first three, including twice at $61, most recently when narrowly beaten in a 1300m Benchmark 64 handicap at Swan Hill last month.

The 5.00 selection arrives here on the back of a three-length third when finishing one place ahead of Rutilant in the previously mentioned Mildura contest.

While each of his three placed efforts this prep have come on a sound surface Harry Coffey’s mount is a dual winner on soft going and he is taken to return to winning ways.

Lismore glory awaits Goomeri

Top weight The Astronomer is expected to prove popular with punters ahead of the fourth race at Lismore.

The race in question is a 1110m Class 3 handicap expected to take place on a soft 6 surface.

The gelding registered a metro win on a wet track when taking out a 1200m Class 2 set weights contest at Doomben in March.

The four-year-old raced on a soft 6 track that day and, while he finished held in two starts at Eagle Farm subsequently, he made a pleasing return to action back at Doomben last month.

The son of Zoustar was beaten four lengths into second when contesting a Benchmark 65 handicap on a good 4 track and he returns to a wet surface here.

However, Matthew Dunn’s GOOMERI is the selection on this occasion, despite having made just the one start so far in 2024.

That saw him beaten just over a length when racing from the front in a 1106m Benchmark 66 handicap at Grafton last month.

The third and fourth that day have both delivered second place finishes since, with the 2.80 pick having trialled well with wins at Beaudesert and Gold Coast prior to that effort.

The five-year-old was making his first race start since returning lame, having finished down the field over 1400m at Eagle Farm on that occasion.

The wet track shouldn’t pose too many issues here, with him having delivered two victories on soft surfaces in 203 and with in-form apprentice Claire Ramsbotham up he can record his first win of the year.

Arisphere to dazzle at Sunshine Coast

The in-form ARISPHERE takes the eye in the fourth race at Sunshine Coast, with the mare heading into the 1000m Class 2 handicap as the winner of two of her last three starts.

Both of those victories have come at this venue, including when contesting a track and trip maiden on good 4 going in August.

The 4.20 pick raced first up on that occasion and came within half-a-length of completing a double when runner-up over 1110m at Doomben the following month.

The five-year-old contested a Restricted 62 handicap that day and had her jockey here, Angela Jones, up when returning to winning ways over this course and distance earlier this month.

Tony Gollan’s representative boasts a good barrier and she is selected to record her third win in eight career starts.