Australian Jumps Season 2025

[Darran]

There was a doubt that we would have a 2025 Aussie Jumps season as it was under threat of being axed, but thankfully it wasn't and we have another season to look forward to. The season starts with 3 races at Warrnambool on Friday with the first of them due off at 1am UK time.

Race 1

First maiden hurdle of the season and as the betting suggests it does look a match between Balinor and Loft. Balinor made his hurdles debut on the final day of the season at Ballarat, but was a well beaten 5th that day. He should be capable of better than that though and he comes here on the back of some good form on the flat including winning at Moonee Valley 22 days ago over 3000m. The 3rd won the other day so the form looks solid. He had a trial of hurdles last week and his jumping looked solid.

Loft used to be trained in Germany, but after running at Chester in August 2022 he didn't run in another race for 539 days and his Aussie career on the flat has not gone well. All his runs were in Group or Listed races though so he was running in strong contests. He has had 3 hurdle trials leading into this and I have been very impressed. His last one last week he jumped really slickly and he beat Affluential who was a leading hurdler last season. He just looked to have a touch of class about him and it looks like jumps racing is going to give him a new lease of life. I think he can land the first jumps race of the new season.

Loft 1pt @ 5/4 with Paddy Power, Betfair, Ladbrokes and Coral

Race 2

This also looks like being a match between Prismatic and Treasured Crown although you can never completely rule out El Diez given he always pops up every now and again.

Prismatic ran in 3 hurdle races last season and he easily claimed his maiden win at Hamilton at the end of May. He then went to Warrnambool and he couldn't quite pick up the front running Fabalot. Back here a couple of weeks later though he managed to reverse the form as his jockey made sure he sat much closer to Fabalot and he was able to beat him comfortably. His had a couple of flat starts and he trialed over fences last week.

He does have to give a lot of weight away to Treasured Crown who won his maiden at Sale last year. He was then 2nd to Alakahan in a winner of 1 over course and distance before finishing a fairly well beaten 4th at Sandown in a BM120 over 3400m. He's had a couple of hurdle trials and won the last of them last week. He's had 1 flat start. He is now trained by local trainer Symon Wilde.

I know he's got the weight to carry, but for me Prismatic is the one to beat on his way to bigger targets later in the season.

Prismatic 2pts @ 5/6 with Ladbrokes and Coral

Race 3

This looks quite a trappy first chase of the season. Duke Of Bedford did win a trial here last week, but he has struggled at this track in races before. He had a strange season as he started really strongly then struggled a little before winning on the final day of the season at Ballarat. 

The favourite is Freddy The Eagle is making his chasing debut. He had some solid enough hurdle form last season and could be up to winning this. It's hard to gleam too much from his steeple trials and at the price I am going to look elsewhere.

The Mighty Spar was 2nd to Wil John on his chase debut last season and he then won at Sale and Casterton over the hedge fences. He's had a couple of solid flat runs to lead into this.

Instigator won this race last season and then pushed Stern Idol close in the Brierly over this course and distance. He then went off the boil after that. He's had 1 flat start and a couple of trials and he isn't out of this.

I was with Tom Foolery on his first 2 starts at Ballarat and Pakenham last season where he was 2nd both times. I then wasn't with him here at the May Carnival and he went and won. The next day he was 3rd in the Grand Annual which was a huge effort. He didn't take to the hedge fences at Casterton, but he was 2nd here in the Thackeray before solid enough efforts behind Stern Idol at Pakenham and in the Crisp at Sandown. He's only had 1 trial leading into this last week.

I'm going to split my stake here as I am happy enough to take on Freddy The Eagle and Duke Of Bedford. I'm slightly concerned that Tom Foolery has only had one trial, but he does love it here and looks a big price. I also like The Mighty Spar as well as he looked a horse who could go onto bigger things last season.

Tom Foolery 0.5pts @ 6/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral

The Mighty Spar 0.5pts @ 7/2 with Ladbrokes and Coral

 

 

[MCLARKE]

Good news, why  was there a doubt about it ?