Almanac Horseracing: #AusJumpsRacingPreviews – Casterton, Sunday 27 July 2025

 

We’re in the home straight of the jumps racing season now, with four jumps meetings left in the season over the next four weekends – Casterton this coming Sunday, Sandown (Grand National Hurdle and Crisp Steeplechase), Coleraine and the finish of the season at Ballarat on Sunday 17 August, with the highlights being the running of the Grand National Steeplechase and JJ Houlahan Hurdle.

 

We’ve got very small fields at Casterton and with a busy end to the season seeing jumps racing held on five consecutive weekends, counting Hamilton last Sunday, the numbers will be tested further in coming weeks. Whilst we’ve seen some good jumps racing this season, you can’t argue that the small fields have been disappointing, and we can only hope things improve in that regard next year with owners and trainers having some certainty regarding jumps racing in 2026. Certainty was something that wasn’t there at the end of 2024 when planning for this season, mainly as a result of the review being conducted into jumps racing after the end of the 2024 season.

 

There’s been some great jumpers go around the Casterton steeplechase course and punters have probably regularly said that will never be seen again. We’ve had Burkhill’s Lane, Lazza, Half Moon Rising and most recently the “King of Casterton”, Elvison. Whilst he’s got a long way to go to reach the level of those stars, ……… could we be seeing the next star around the course, The Mighty Spar? He’s three from three at Casterton and has won the last three steeplechase’s around the course. And he’ll be looking to make it four from four on Sunday, lumping 75kgs.

 

As I write this summary the track is rated a Soft 6, with the steeplechase course a Heavy 10, and rain falling in the region. The biggest certainty of the weekend is the track won’t be rated any better come Sunday.

 

 

Race 1 – Ecycle Maiden Hurdle 3500m @ 12.53pm

1 Flood And Fire is on the quick back up from Hamilton last weekend where he was beaten by Alhambra Palace, who looks to have a very bright future at the jumping caper. He’s performed well on heavy ground and gets the services of Steven Pateman who is in red hot form after his treble at Hamilton last Sunday. If he’s come through last weekend well and you can take it he has if he backs up, then he wins. The main dangers, apart from bad luck, appear to be 3 Mr Lincoln, 7 Topspin and 2 Luckyheleft. Mr Lincoln stays all day has heavy track form and may be competitive here as the fresh horse on the scene at his jumping debut. I expected more of Topspin at Hamilton last week and frankly he was disappointing, albeit in a stronger race. Going on his run the start before at Warrnambool he would be competitive here. Luckyheleft won a recent Traralgon Hurdle trial.

 

It’s a race of two key chances for mine but I’m very keen on 1 Flood And Fire.

 

1 Flood And Fire – 3 Mr Lincoln – 7 Topspin

 

 

Race 2 –  Adam Lindsay Gordon Series Hurdle 3500m @ 1.33pm

Four horses left in the field as I write this summary and three of them trained by Symon Wilde, who loves a winner at Casterton. Having said that though, this looks a good race, with any of 2 Gambu, 3 Golden Garden and 4 Enchanted Elle more than capable of winning. Even with the 3kg claim for Jordan Hart, I just can’t see 1 Count Zero getting into the finish here.

 

I’m going with 4 Enchanted Elle. She won like a good horse here in mid-May when leading them a merry dance, before being nailed in the run to the line after the last jump here in late June by Gambu and was then disappointing at Warrnambool when she jumped awkwardly and raced keenly. Will Gordon goes back on here; after riding her at her two previous Casterton starts, she will appreciate the soft/heavy ground, and she gets a slight pull in the weights off Gambu. She can rebound here. Stablemate, 3 Golden Garden, is the hardest to beat after winning here at his jumps debut in late June and will improve off that run, and 2 Gambu has been racing in great form and comes here on the quick back up from Hamilton last Sunday when not beaten far in a very good race won by Highland Blaze.

 

4 Enchanted Elle – 3 Golden Garden – 2 Gambu

 

 

Race 4 – Moredun Hill Steeplechase 3800m @ 2.53pm

1 The Mighty Spar gave 4 Pressfal 9.5kgs at their last starts here and beat him by 2 lengths. 2 Fabalot is the fresh horse into the equation and should lead here, but I can’t see why The Mighty Spar doesn’t win again. The weight worries me, but he’s virtually lugged it around here before to win and whilst Fabalot gets a slight pull in the weights, The Mighty Spar is three wins from three starts here so loves this course and can go on his winning way. Pressfal will be improved by his last start here and meets Fabalot much better at the weights after being 11 lengths behind him in a Maiden Chase at Terang in mid-June.

 

Fabalot, a very good hurdler, seems to have taken to the bigger fences well and knowing Symon Wilde and his love of winning jumps races at Casterton I’d be pretty sure he’s trialled around the course and will be ready to run a big race come Sunday.

 

I can’t really give the other two runners a chance and will be very surprised if either get into the finish.

 

1 The Mighty Spar – 4 Pressfal – 2 Fabalot

 

Safe jumping.

 

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

 

 

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