Australian Racing: Sneaky looks All Too good at Quirindi

There are just two meetings set to take place on Monday, with eight-race cards scheduled at both Quirindi and Benalla.

Race 6 Quirindi

All Too Sneaky @ 4.40

Race 5 Benalla

Dreamstone @ 2.50

Race 8 Benalla

Abdication @ 3.80

Sneaky set for Quirindi success

The sixth race on the Quirindi card is a 1450m Class 1 handicap event set to take place on a soft 5 track.

Cody Morgan sends out Rura Penthe here, with the gelding expected to jump as favourite on his fourth start this prep.

The six-year-old has been beaten two lengths or less in all three starts this time around, including over 1400m in a similar race to this at Tamworth at the end of last month.

The son of Maurice raced on a good 4 track that day, however, the softer going expected here is no issue.

Barrier 11 may pose more issues to apprentice Shannen Llewellyn however, so ALL TOO SNEAKY is preferred in this event.

Trained by Damien Lane, the four-year-old placed on three of her four starts last prep, including when beaten less than a length in a 1400m Class 1 handicap at Armidale in May.

The 4.40 selection raced on a soft 5 track that day, with both of her efforts this time around coming on good 4 surfaces.

The filly resumed with a fair sixth in a 1262m Benchmark 58 handicap at Taree last month, before she took a step forward when runner-up over 1300m at Canberra.

The pick contested a Class 1 handicap at Canberra and an inside barrier is a positive here, with Aaron Bullock set to partner her for the first time since the previously mentioned Armidale second.

Dreamstone to deliver Benalla victory

The fifth race at Benalla is an interesting 2100m Benchmark 58 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 track.

Dancing Duck will jump from an inside alley and she is a winner already this prep, having triumphed over 2050m in a similar race to this in September.

The veteran performer has acquitted herself well since then, including when fifth of seven having jumped at $41 for the bet365 Benalla Gold Cup here next time.

The mare arrives here on the back of a runner-up finish on a soft 6 surface at Wodonga just over a week ago and she holds obvious claims.

The winner of that Wodonga contest was DREAMSTONE, who is taken to confirm that form following a two-and-a-half-length victory that day.

The five-year-old was stepping up in distance on that occasion, having previously been racing over 1400m and 1600m this prep.

While three of her four starts this time around have come on wet tracks, she performed well when beaten just over a length into sixth on a good 3 track at Corowa last month.

The 2.50 mare has made just two starts over 2000m or more, with her first effort seeing her finish runner-up at Albury in April.

With that in mind, the pick remains open to improvement over this distance and she has a good alley four from the rail here.

Trainer Debbie Delphin’s representative is expected to race close to or on the speed here and, with jockey Amy O’Driscoll who on board at Wodonga, retaining the ride she is taken to complete a double.

Abdication should claim Benalla finale

The finale at Benalla is a Restricted 62 handicap set to take place over 1106m.

Patrick & Michelle Payne’s ABDICATION broke through for his first victory when successful by a length in a maiden held on a soft 6 track at Echuca in July.

The pick was racing first up on that occasion and he has gone one to finish a close second in each of his three subsequent appearances.

Those starts include a second in a 1112m Benchmark 68 handicap at this venue next time, while he drops in trip following a placed effort over 1200m at Mildura three weeks ago.

The 3.80 selection is a versatile type with regard to tactics and a wide barrier in nine shouldn’t pose too many issues to jockey Billy Egan.

The gelding has underfoot conditions to suit and he looks capable of registering the second win of his career.