Australia: Beachgoer seeks repeat of last in Sandown Park handicap

Beachgoer started at 1 7/8 miles for the first time at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 15 and passed the stamina test in brilliant fashion, winning by two lengths at 14-1.

A 4-year-old gelding, Beachgoer will be asked to accomplish the same task in a handicap at 1 7/8 miles on Wednesday on the Hillside course at Sandown Park in Melbourne.

This time, Beachgoer is rated as a top contender along with two other distance specialists in Miss Five Hundred and Field of Lights.

Beachgoer, trained by Symon Wilde, has won 2 of 10 starts in a career that began last March. In the Moonee Valley race, Beachgoer closed from last of 12 to beat Field of Lights, an impressive rally considering Moonee Valley has a short stretch.

Beachgoer tipped his form with a fast-closing second by three-quarters of a length in a handicap against a lesser field at about 1 5/8 miles at Werribee Racecourse, also known as Spendthrift Australia Park, on Jan. 9.

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Field of Lights, also trained by Wylde, was second in two starts at 1 7/8 miles in January, having finished runner-up to Miss Five Hundred in a handicap at that distance at Cranbourne Racecourse on Jan. 8. Field of Lights has won 2 of 13 starts.

Miss Five Hundred, a 5-year-old mare trained by Peter Gelagotis, ended a 12-race losing streak over 13 months in the win at Cranbourne. A winner of 4 of 25 starts, Miss Five Hundred won the Cranbourne race by 4 3/4 lengths over Field of Lights as the 6-5 favorite. Miss Five Hundred is projected to be favored again Wednesday.

The seven-race Sandown program begins at 11:40 p.m. Eastern, or 8:40 p.m. Pacific, on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.