Australia: Anatolian Charm looks to end skid in Port Macquarie handicap

The 5-year-old mare Anatolian Charm will be closing through the stretch of a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Port Macquarie Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.

The uncertainty is whether her late kick will result in a third consecutive second- or third-place finish, and if she can end a seven-race losing streak.

Trained by Brad Munro, Anatolian Charm has won 2 of 16 starts and been second or third in six races. A New Zealand-bred, Anatolian Charm has already had four starts this year, including a second by a half-length in a handicap on Feb. 1 and a third by slightly less than 3 1/2 lengths on Feb. 22. Both of those races were run at 1 3/8 miles at Grafton Racecourse.

In her latest win, Anatolian Charm was near the pace in a one-mile handicap at Coffs Harbour last October and won by slightly less than two lengths over Fenerbeche, a 7-year-old gelding who is part of the Port Macquarie field and a well-regarded runner.

Fenerbeche, a winner of 2 of 38 starts, was fourth behind Anatolian Charm at Grafton on Feb. 22.

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Port Macquarie has a seven-race program beginning at 9:50 p.m. Eastern, or 6:50 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Anatolian Charm and Fenerbeche will lead the betting, but there will be support for Telfer who was 11th of 12 in a one-mile handicap on good turf at Taree Racecourse on Feb. 22. The Port Macquarie course is expected to be heavy, and the conditions could work for Telfer, who has won twice on heavy turf in his 21-race career.