Almanac Horse Racing: Jumps Racing Preview – Pakenham, Sunday 13 April 2025

 

#AusJumpsRacingPreviews – Pakenham, Sunday 13 April 2025

 

 

Jumps racing heads to Pakenham on Sunday for the all jumps racing meeting, where we will see three Hurdle races and two Steeplechase races.

 

I don’t like to be critical or focusing on negatives, but where are all the jumpers? 35 acceptors (before any scratching’s) and five races. Last year there were 43 acceptors (there were scratching’s then) for this meeting and six races.

 

We have a shortened jumps racing season this year, and yes its been dry weather but the track was prepared well at Ballarat last Sunday and Monday, so well that the Club have had to move their next meeting to allow the track time to recover after being prepared to a Soft 6, as required. With this being an all jumps racing meeting I’m sure the track will be prepared accordingly again.

 

From an Administration/Industry point of view the sport needs runners, to generate turnover and increase interest. Those involved (and yes, I am financially) need to help themselves.

 

I understand its dry this year, and some trainers will be holding horses back for the Warrnambool Carnival, but if we don’t want to run our horses even this early in the season (and we’ve had a slightly later start this year) then maybe the timing of the season commencement needs to be looked at further (again). However, if that happens, what impact does it have on the Warrnambool Carnival, where let’s face it, the jumps racing is the highlight.

 

Pakenham is a big flat track and ability on the flat can come into play.

 

 

Race 1 – E-cycle Solutions Maiden Hurdle 3200m

 

I liked the run of 1 Balinor at Warrnambool recently where he finished second behind the impressive Loft, beaten 0.75 of a length. Prior to that he was a winner over 3000m on the flat at Moonee Valley. At his only other jumps racing start he finished 5^th of 9 behind Noonday Gun, beaten some 22 lengths on Grand National Steeplechase day last year at Ballarat, at the end of a long preparation.  He’s early in a campaign here and has been racing well on the flat and in his Maiden Hurdle start at Warrnambool and can breakthrough here.

 

Hardest to beat are 5 Highness, 8 Whiskey Jack and 6 Pressfal. 5 Highness comes off two distance country flat racing wins and has had two jumps trials in preparation for this, whilst 8 Whiskey Jack finished 3^rd in the Loft race at Warrnambool, beaten a little over 4 lengths and 6 Pressfal has jumped well and won two hurdle trials leading into this.

 

Balinor and Highness to me have the best ability on the flat and have both seemed to jump well previously and are the main two, Balinor has the experience under race pressure and was good at Warrnambool. He gets the nod.

 

1 Balinor – 5 Highness – 8 Whiskey Jack

 

 

Race 2 – E-cycle Solutions 1JW Hurdle 3200m

 

A small field but a very interesting race from a number of angles. 1 Point Nepean and 2 Dashing Willoughby were brought to Australia as Melbourne Cup contenders and have the prizemoney in the bank. 3 Serenade The Stars is an evergreen jumper and always competitive. 4 Noonday Gun and 5 Road Runner are the inexperienced horses whichever way you look at it, but on the way up.

 

I’ve been very impressed by the trials of 5 Road Runner, obviously purchased by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable/connections to specifically target jumps racing in Australia. He’s had three starts in New Zealand for two wins, including a Maiden Hurdle on heavy ground. He’s jumped impressively in his trials and I’m going with him on top here to beat 1 Point Nepean from the in form Shane Jackson stable and to be ridden by Tom Ryan. He was a 12 length winner over this course and distance last year before two very good second placings in strong jumps races, beaten by The Cunning Fox both times. He gives Road Runner 2.5kg at the weights but he has the form to warrant that.

 

4 Noonday Gun, an 8 length Maiden Hurdle winner on Grand National Steeplechase day last year at Ballarat for Steven Pateman, is also well in the mix and wouldn’t surprise.

 

As I said a small field but a very good race, where honestly nothing would surprise me, but I’ve just got a feeling from the trials that Road Runner could be very good and whatever the outcome here he’ll certainly benefit from this run.

 

5 Road Runner – 1 Point Nepean – 4 Noonday Gun

 

 

Race 3 – E-cycle Solutions M J Bourke Hurdle 3200m

 

Another small field but a good race. 1 Stern Idol is back to the hurdles here and taking on some real up and coming jumpers who are getting weight off him but based on ratings they should be getting significantly more weight off him. He’s in well at the weight scale.

 

A recent Cranbourne Hurdle trial and a subsequent 3000m flat run at Sandown Hillside have fitted him off nicely for this and he can return a winner here. 2 Affluential, last year’s Grand National Hurdle winner, who won a Maiden Hurdle on this day last year, will be the hardest to beat. He’s also trialed up nicely for this and came through the same Sandown Hillside 3000m flat race as Stern Idol and there was really nothing between them there.

 

3 The Cunning Fox, who is unbeaten over the jumps has had a couple of quiet Hurdle trials and flat racing to prepare for his return to jumps racing here and may still have plenty of upside. He won his Maiden Hurdle at this course and distance in July 2024. This is a big step up in grade, but he wouldn’t surprise.

 

I think 4 Prismatic is the only other place chance.

 

1 Stern Idol – 2 Affluential – 3 The Cunning Fox

 

 

Race 4 – E-cycle Solutions Steeplechase 3200m

 

I tipped 2 The Mighty Spar to win the Open Steeplechase at Warrnambool a couple of weeks ago and whilst he finished third, narrowly beaten, I saw nothing at all to suggest that he couldn’t win next start. He’s a very good jumper and I think he can add to what will be a very good day for Steven Pateman in the saddle at this meeting.

 

The Mighty Spar was a big drifter in the betting at Warrnambool to my surprise and I don’t think that will be the case here.

 

Hardest to beat will be 3 Duke Of Bedford who had trialed up very well before his Warrnambool Open Steeplechase start where he finished ahead of The Mighty Spar.

 

1 Port Guillaume, another one-time Melbourne Cup contender and last year’s Australian Hurdle winner, will also make this an interesting race.

 

2 The Mighty Spar – 3 Duke Of Bedford – 1 Port Guillaume

 

 

Race 5 – J.E.H Spencer Memorial Steeplechase 4000m

 

1 Leaderboard, on the back up from Ballarat last Sunday can win again here and make it a winning double for trainer, Mark Walker. Will Gordon rode him like the best horse in the race last Sunday, and he proved he was. He may lead again here but will certainly race handy and I think he’ll be too good again. He’s a Group 3 Wellington Cup winner in New Zealand over 3200m on the flat and was placed in both the Grand National Hurdle and Steeplechase last year over 4200m and 4500m respectively so the 4000m here won’t be an issue.

 

You can never count 2 Tom Foolery out as he proved at Warrnambool when he got off the canvas late to defeat The Mighty Spar and Duke Of Bedford in the Open Steeplechase over 3450m. He ran third in last year’s Grand Annual Steeplechase and will be obviously heading that way again, so the extra distance here will be no issue for him also. He’s had a run on the flat since Warrnambool to keep him ticking over and 5 Schabau also backs up from Ballarat last Sunday where he finished second to Leaderboard. Schabau meets Leaderboard 0.5kg better at the weights but that won’t be enough for him to turn the tables here.

 

1 Leaderboard – 2 Tom Foolery – 5 Schabau

 

I’m tipping a big day for both Steven Pateman and Will Gordon in the saddle.

 

Happy punting.

 

 

Gamble Responsibly. Chances are you’re about to lose.

 

 

 

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