Australian Pick of the Week January 8

Race 6 at Stony Creek (Australia A) on Wednesday night is a handicap for Benchmark 58-rated horses going 5 furlongs around one left-hand turn. The track designation is "Soft 5" so it should favor horses with experience with give in the ground.

#5 Realign ran extremely well two starts back at Werribee when she romped by three lengths going gate-to-wire. It was her first start against this class level and she doesn't usually show that kind of gate speed but needed to that day from post 1. Five separate horses came out of that race to win so the form was very solid. Off for eight months, she came back with an even fourth and now should be ready second start off the layoff. She switches to Carleen Hefel, who is 9-for-50, lately and trainer Cindy Anderson has the same record lately.

#7 Iloveannie is an interesting filly that used to show high gate speed but has been rallying from far back lately. She also shows form on soft tracks so she should be right at home today. Two starts back, she rallied extremely wide from far back to get up for third then came right back with a good win employing similar tactics while four wide in the stretch to get up in time. Jason Maskiell is back aboard and she can show speed to overcome post 1 going into the turn.

#1 Dothraki King has to tote high weight and draws post 10. He broke his maiden two starts back on a soft track two starts back then came back with a close second against Benchmark 64 handicap foes. Now he drops down in class off the seven-month layoff, but he was a good second in his career debut so he's shown he can run well fresh. Apprentice rider Jaden Lloyd – 17 wins this season – picks up the mount. Gelding should be able to sit behind the pace and get a good trip if he is ready.

Dick Powell's pick

Realign could be ready to pop at good odds in her second start off the layoff. Key him underneath the other two in exactas.