Australia: Aurora’s Symphony seeks three-peat in Launceston Cup

Aurora’s Symphony can become the first three-time winner of the Group 3 Launceston Cup in Australia in more than 20 years on Tuesday evening, if the 7-year-old gelding can handle a hefty weight assignment in the $195,900 race at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Aurora’s Symphony, who has won the last two runnings of the Launceston Cup, will carry 135.5 pounds, much higher than the 119 to 122.3-pound assignments for his nine rivals.

A winner of 10 of 39 starts, Aurora’s Symphony has earned the role of topweight on the strength of his overall race record, including consecutive wins in a lucrative handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Jan. 13 and the Group 3 Hobart Cup at 1 1/2 miles on Feb. 10.

In the Hobart Cup, Aurora’s Symphony closed from sixth of 10 to win by a convincing 2 3/4 lengths over Wyclif, who is part of the Launceston Cup field. Aurora’s Symphony carried top weight of 131 pounds in that race. The other runners had weight assignments ranging from 119 to 124.5 pounds.

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The Launceston Cup field includes Alhambra Lad, who finished eighth in the Hobart Cup as the 7-5 favorite, fading from contention in the final furlong. He can be a danger as a stalker as shown with a win in the Summer Cup at 1 3/8 miles at Hobart on Jan. 21. Alhambra Lad will carry 122.3 pounds in his first career start at Launceston.

The distance should suit Wyclif, who had his best race at 1 1/2 miles in the Hobart Cup. Wyclif was second by slightly more than a half-length in the ATC Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in December.

Should Aurora’s Symphony succeed, the 7-year-old gelding will join St Andrews as recent three-time winners of the Launceston Cup. St Andrews won the race in 2000 and again in 2002 and 2003. He was second in 2001 and was pulled up in 2004 in his final career start after he bled.

Launceston has a 10-race program beginning at 8:45 p.m. Eastern, or 5:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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