Australia: Barmah Al goes best distance at Echuca
Good, soft, or heavy turf does not seem to matter to Barmah Al. The 6-year-old Australian-bred gelding has won on all three types of conditions.
What is vital is distance. Barmah Al has won at distances ranging from 1 5/16 miles to 1 1/2 miles in his 24-race career. Trained by Daryl Archard, Barmah Al may be better suited to 1 5/16, the length of his next start in a handicap at Echuca Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.
Barmah Al was a slight favorite at 3-1 in early betting on Tuesday in a field of 11.
Barmah Al won a handicap at this class level at 1 5/16 miles at Echuca on Aug. 2, leading throughout. He was unable to make the lead in a more lucrative handicap at this level at 1 1/2 miles at Sandown Racecourse on Aug. 18 and finished fourth of 11, beaten 4 1/2 lengths.
This is not the quickest turnaround of his career. He raced twice without success in a six-day period in 2020 in maiden races.
:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing
Barmah Al drew post 8, which should allow jockey Craig Newitt to grab the lead without too much difficulty. None of the other 10 runners have customarily shown speed, although the longshot Ocean Dew often races as a stalker.
Fine Weather and Ocean Heart have competitive form.
Fine Weather won a maiden race at about 1 1/4 miles at Cranbourne Racecourse on July 22 and finished fifth, beaten about 2 1/4 lengths, in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Geelong on Aug. 13. Fine Weather is often a mid-pack runner.
Ocean Heart, a 5-year-old mare, has been raced at a mile in recent starts, including a sixth by less than two lengths at Sale on July 25. Ocean Heart won a one-mile handicap at Ballarat in May in a 20-1 surprise, closing from seventh in a field of 11.
Ocean Heart is trained by the leading stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, whose runners often attract attention.
Echuca has a nine-race program beginning at 10:30 p.m. Eastern, or 7:30 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.