There’s plenty of racing action to get stuck into on Saturday including at Flemington where the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap is the feature race.
Race 6 Flemington
It'sourtime @ 7.00
Race 6 Doomben
The Catch @ 11.00
Race 7 Rosehill
Compelling Truth @ 3.80
Time to shine in Aurie's Star
The previously mentioned Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap is a 1200m event set to take place as the sixth race of the day at Flemington.
Top weight Zarastro is expected to have his supporters for the Tony Gollan stable, having demonstrated solid form up in Queensland so far in 2024.
While the gelding was unable to win in his first four starts this prep, he broke through for a victory in the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes over 1200m at Eagle Farm in June.
The six-year-old raced on a good 4 track that day and should have no issues with the softer underfoot conditions expected for this contest.
He does however have to concede weight to his seven rivals here, with last year's winner IT'SOURTIME taken to go back-to-back in this contest.
The gelding won by just under half-a-length here 12 months ago and he has registered some good efforts in the interim period.
Those efforts include two second-place finishes from his first five starts this prep, most recently over 1200m in the Golden Topaz at Swan Hill in June.
The seven-year-old recorded his first win of the year when saluting by over a length in the Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final over this track and trip subsequently.
It'sourtime jumped at $20 for that Listed contest held on a good 4 track and he is another for whom the expected soft 5 going is no issue.
Damian Lane, on board last time out, is again set to ride and his mount looks capable of saluting for trainer Danny O'Brien.
Catch for Doomben glory
The sixth race of the day at Doomben is a 1630m handicap event set to take place on a soft 5 surface.
Without Revenge is expected to start favourite having shown good form in two starts since failing to shine at Ipswich when racing first up this prep.
The seven-year-old came home three-lengths clear of his rivals in a 1400m Class 6 set weights contest at Eagle Farm subsequently.
Without Revenge raced on a heavy 9 track that day but encountered a quicker good 4 when third over 1600m at Eagle Farm subsequently.
While he holds obvious claims for the Corey & Kylie Geran team, Jeff Dunn's THE CATCH is preferred on this occasion.
The son of Medaglia d'Oro has won over this track and trip in the past and registered his first win in over two years when successful at Ipswich last month.
The Catch came home over one-and-a-half-lengths clear of his rivals when contesting a 1350m handicap held on a soft 5 track that day.
Dunn's representative had earlier finished sixth in a 1300m Benchmark 70 handicap at Toowoomba and he looks ready for this step back up in distance.
Rikki Jamieson, on board for both previous starts this prep, is again set to ride and racing off a low weight her mount is selected to complete a double.
Truth to continue winning run
The seventh race at Rosehill is the 1100m Jockeys Celebration Day, a Benchmark 78 handicap contest.
The race is expected to take place on a soft 6 track with COMPELLING TRUTH taking the eye having won each of his last four starts.
While the pick failed to shine in a Class 3 here in April, he registered three consecutive wins at Dubbo by a combined total of over 17 lengths.
Those victories saw him jump at odds-on on each occasion, including when winning by seven lengths over 1100m there on his penultimate start.
Compelling Truth came home nearly four-lengths clear of his rivals in a 1000m event held on a good 4 track at Grafton on 18th July and he hails from the in-form Mack Griffith stable.
Jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes knows the gelding well and his mount is taken to make a winning return to metro racing.
