Australia: Archipeta Beach draws attention in Mornington handicap

A four-month layoff was not an issue for the Australian filly Archipeta Beach last month.

Archipeta Beach won for the second time in her seven-race career in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Kyneton Racecourse as the 5-1 fourth choice in a field of 11. The win has led to a start in a six-furlong handicap on Tuesday at Mornington Racecourse, located southeast of Melbourne.

A 3-year-old Australian-bred, Archipeta Beach is based at Mornington with trainer John McArdle and will start at the venue for the first time this week.

Daniel Stackhouse, who rode Archipeta Beach at Kyneton, has the mount at Mornington. The filly has a tendency to race as a stalker, which should be a favorable draw from post 6 and give Archipeta Beach every chance for a third win.

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The 4-year-old filly Zoupino and 5-year-old mare She’s Sensational will draw considerable support even though both are returning from layoffs.

Zoupino, a winner of 2 of 10 starts, has not raced since she finished fourth as the 6-5 favorite in handicap at about 5 1/2 furlongs at Moe Racecourse last September. Zoupino’s most recent win occurred last July in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Bendigo Racecourse on heavy turf, conditions forecast for Mornington.

She’s Sensational, a winner of 5 of 24 starts, had a disrupted campaign in the second half of 2020. She won a six-furlong handicap on the synthetic track at Pakenham Racecourse in July and had one subsequent start, finishing seventh of 10 in a six-furlong handicap at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Dec. 11.

By comparison, this is the fifth start of 2021 for Leggero, who is winless this season, but has faced a few tougher fields. Leggero was seventh of 10 in a higher class race for fillies and mares at Mornington on March 20, losing by 4 1/4 lengths.

Mornington has an eight-race program beginning at 11:30 p.m. Eastern, or 8:30 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.