Australia: Avonview, Red Cobra try winners for first time
Avonview and Red Cobra needed seven and 14 races, respectively, to beat maidens in Australia, finally doing so three days apart earlier this month.
The recent wins give Avonview and Red Cobra excellent chances to beat winners for the first time in a one-mile handicap at Wyong Racecourse on Tuesday evening.
As of early Monday, Avonview (3-1) and Red Cobra (4-1) were the second and third choices in early betting behind the unreliable Acceber, who was 6-5 despite having won once in 20 starts.
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In fairness, Acceber has been close to a second career win in two of his last four starts, losing by a head in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Wyong in June and by the same margin in a one-mile race at Kembla Grange on Nov. 18.
A repeat of the narrow loss at Kembla Grange in his last start would be good enough for Acceber to win the Tuesday evening races at Wyong. Acceber tends to run from off the pace.
Avonview, who tends to run as a stalker, won a maiden race at a mile by a nose as the 3-5 favorite at Gosford Racecourse on Nov. 14 in his second start of the month. Avonview was sixth by 6 3/4 lengths against a much tougher field of maidens on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Nov. 1.
Red Cobra, who runs from well off the pace, was second in three consecutive starts from late September to late October, always within 1 1/2 lengths of a victory, before a win in a maiden race at a mile at Wyong on Nov. 11.
Red Cobra is trained by Damien Lane, who is based at Wyong. In five starts at Wyong, Red Cobra has finished in the first three four times.
Avonview may have a slight edge with his ability to race relatively close to the pace.
Wyong has an eight-race program beginning at 9:25 p.m. Eastern or 6:25 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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