There are six meetings set to take place on Thursday, including at Newcastle, where a heavy 8 track is expected for their eight-race card.

Action also takes place at Albany, Grafton, Kyneton, Newcastle and Pakenham.

Race 6 Newcastle

Gendarmerie @ 4.80

Race 9 Warwick

Ruby's Lad @ 8.00

Race 8 Kyneton

Brooklyn Baby @ 2.30

Gendarmerie goes for Newcastle glory

The sixth race on the Newcastle card is a 1350m Benchmark 64 handicap restricted to fillies & mares.

Shuri is expected to prove popular with punters given that she heads into this race unbeaten in two starts.

Both of those efforts came on good 4 surfaces, however, including when coming home four-and-a-half-lengths clear of her rivals over 1400m at Taree on debut.

The Kris Lees-trained filly duly followed up when winning by a head stepped up to 1500m at this venue when racing at this Benchmark 64 level subsequently.

The four-year-old hasn't been seen in race action since November and, while she has had a couple of trials in recent weeks, she looks opposable dropping in distance.

GENDARMERIE is preferred on this occasion, having placed on a heavy surface in the past.

While that effort came on debut at Caulfield as a two-year-old she has registered some good efforts on wet tracks since.

It's over a year since the 4.80 pick encountered a heavy surface, however she has won three times since then including at this venue.

The daughter of Epaulette arrives here on the back of a half-length success in a 1400m contest when racing at this level at Hawkesbury on 18th April.

The selection has an inside barrier here and, having demonstrated a liking for this track in the past, is taken to complete a double dropping back slightly in distance.

Lad to deliver at Warwick

The concluding race on Warwick's nine race card is a 1500m Benchmark 70 handicap.

Annabel Neasham sends out Moritz Girl here, with the filly having finished down the field in a metro Benchmark 65 handicap over 1200m at Doomben first up this prep.

While the three-year-old showed improvement in being beaten less than three lengths into fourth over 1400m at Beaudesert last time out, a further step forward is required here.

Damien Thornton's mount will have to overcome barrier nine if she is to take this race and confirmed hold-up performer RUBY'S LAD is the pick in this contest.

Trained by Paul Wallace the 8.00 gelding is a dual winner this prep, with the first of those wins coming by half-a-length in a 1400m Benchmark 60 handicap at Dalby.

The six-year-old returned to winning ways when encountering a firm 2 surface in taking out a Benchmark 60 handicap over 1600m at Thangool last time.

Leslie Tilley, on board at Thangool, is again in the saddle, with the pair looking up to recording their second win together.

Brooklyn to complete hat-trick

The finale at Kyneton is an interesting 1103m Benchmark 58 handicap contest.

A good 4 track is expected for the race with BROOKLYN BABY the selection to register her third consecutive victory.

The four-year-old ended her last prep by breaking her maiden in a 1200m contest held on a good 4 track at Mornington in January.

The filly tracked the speed on that occasion and, having been spelled following that effort, returned in a Restricted 58 handicap over 1115m at this circuit on 27th April.

The 2.30 selection raced in third for much of that contest prior to going on to put eight lengths between herself and her rivals.

She raced on a sound surface for both of those efforts and she has underfoot conditions to suit in this event.

Trainer Mick Sell's representative has an inside barrier here and looks up to racing close to the speed prior to going on to register her third consecutive victory.