Almanac Horseracing: #AusJumpsRacingPreviews – Terang, Sunday 15 June 2025

Jumps racing heads to Terang on Sunday, with the running of a Maiden Hurdle, Maiden Steeplechase and the Bill Roycroft Open Steeplechase on the program, along with three highweight races making it a full day of riding for the jumps jockeys. This meeting has been moved from an earlier date in the season this year and after last weekend’s wet weather runners will see their first heavy track for the jumps season.

 

The Open Steeplechase is named in honour of a great Australian Olympian and equestrian competitor, James William George (Bill) Roycroft, OBE. Bill Roycroft competed at five Olympic Games (1960-1976), winning one Gold Medal and two Bronze Medals. Bill and his wife, Mavis, had three sons who all competed in equestrian at the Olympics alongside their father.

 

Terang is a spacious flat track and ability on the flat will certainly come to the fore in the jumps races.

 

 

Race 1 – Laurie Kenna OAM Memorial Maiden Hurdle 3200m @ 12.50pm

 

In my opinion a very good Maiden Hurdle to kick proceedings off with the main chances being 1 Balinor, 4 Farag, 6 Normandy Bridge and 8 Stockman. All capable gallopers on the flat and over jumps on what we’ve seen from them to date. I’ll be very surprised if the winner doesn’t come from those four runners and I’m keen on the 6 Normandy Bridge from the strong Ciaron Maher stable and to be ridden by Steven Pateman. Normandy Bridge comes through the quickest of the Maiden Hurdles from the Warrnambool Carnival when beaten by Highland Blaze who has gone on to prove that form, and he followed that up by running third beaten a little over 5 lengths in a BM120 Hurdle at Sandown by the impressive jumper, Noonday Gun. Interestingly Pateman, who has ridden both Balinor and Normandy Bridge at recent starts stays with Normandy Bridge here. He’ll race forward, make his own luck, has won on heavy ground and goes in as the top selection here.

 

8 Stockman loves wet ground and has run on the flat in the Sandown Cup over 3200m since his debut over jumps at Warrnambool when running second. He’ll be significantly improved by that experience and is certainly the horse to beat. 4 Farag and 1 Balinor also have sound form on the flat and over hurdles from their limited jumps racing experience and have to be respected.

 

6 Normandy Bridge – 8 Stockman – 4 Farag – 1 Balinor

 

 

Race 2 – Victory Treadmills Maiden Steeplechase 3200m @ 1.30pm

 

One of only two Maiden Steeplechase’s programmed for the jumps season and see’s the Steeplechase debut of some who have shown sound form over hurdles. 6 Fabalot and 10 Road Runner can be expected to ensure a good pace here which will see every horse get their chance.

 

Going with 9 Prismatic to win. He’s won twice over hurdles and been placed second at two recent Steeplechase starts, the latest behind stablemate The Mighty Spar at Casterton when carrying equal topweight with his stablemate.

 

He comes into a Maiden Steeplechase here at level weights, handles heavy ground and is sure to be given the run of the race by Will Gordon.

 

6 Fabalot has mixed it with the best hurdlers in recent seasons but has been off his best so far this season and may improve here over the bigger jumps and at a steadier pace if he settles. I was tipping big things from 10 Road Runner based on his early season hurdle trials, and he hasn’t produced what I expected of him, but he can improve significantly here on heavy ground – it could be the key to him based on his Maiden Hurdle win in New Zealand prior to coming to Australia. He’s two wins from two starts on heavy ground. 4 Custom Of The Sea gets the services of Steven Pateman here but meets Prismatic 4.5kg worse at the weights for being beaten 1.5 lengths by him at Warrnambool back on 30 April. 1 Alakahan is a capable jumper, but I’d prefer to see him again after a very lackluster jumping display before being pulled out of the race at Casterton at his last start.

 

Happy enough to say it’s a race in two – 9 Prismatic has the best form going into this but 10 Road Runner can improve significantly here on his favoured heavy ground.

 

9 Prismatic – 10 Road Runner – 4 Custom Of The Sea – 6 Fabalot

 

 

Race 3 – Bill Roycroft Steeplechase 3200m @ 2.10pm

 

He’s a horse I’ve tipped previously, has to carry the top weight here and it’s hard to go past 1 The Mighty Spar who returned to form with a good win last start at Casterton, a course he obviously appreciates having won their twice now. He’s a better jumper than these on exposed form.

 

However, I am going past him and tipping the most inexperienced jumper in the race, 7 Raise The Note, who could have run in the Maiden Steeplechase. I’ll take the lead of trainer, Shane Jackson, who has elected to run the 5yo mare here in the Open Steeplechase where with rider Jordan Hart utilising his full 3kg claim she will come into the race carrying 62kg and receiving 11kg off 1 The Mighty Spar. They say weight will stop a train, and I’m thinking it will stop The Mighty Spar here.

 

Raise The Note has placed in two good Maiden Hurdles, although well beaten at Warrnambool when making her debut over hurdles and has since run second in a 2800m Steeplechase trial at Traralgon. She’s by proven producer of jumpers and stayers, Raise The Flag, and I’m sure Shane Jackson wouldn’t be running her here if he didn’t think she could give this race a shake. Whilst she hasn’t won on heavy ground, she has placed on it, and that big pull in the weights is too hard to go past.

 

2 Blandford Lad and 3 Not Usual Dream can also get into the finish and have significantly more jumps racing experience than Raise The Note. Blandford Lad has won on heavy ground and has a good strike rate over jumps. Not Usual Dream is yet to win on heavy ground and finds it hard to find the line first.

 

4 Sky Hero is a capable jumper and has won on heavy ground.

 

7 Raise The Note – 1 The Mighty Spar – 2 Blandford Lad – 3 Not Usual Dream

 

 

Safe jumping.

 

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

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE