Australia: Bedtime Stories, Hard Faith focus of Monday handicap

The Australian mare Bedtime Stories was 28 races into her career when she won a five-furlong handicap at Muswellbrook on May 23, her first appearance at the New South Wales racecourse.

Bedtime Stories will be back at the same venue for a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Monday as part of a field of eight.

Trained by Brett Partelle since the final months of 2020, Bedtime Stories won for the first time in 11 starts on May 23, closing from fourth in a field of seven. In her career, which began with a victory in June 2018, Bedtimes Stories has won five races at distances ranging from five to six furlongs.

Monday’s race at Muswellbrook is her first start beyond six furlongs since a 13th in a regional stakes race at seven furlongs in February 2020. On a more encouraging note, Bedtime Stories was second in a seven-furlong handicap at Grafton Racecourse in July 2019, setting the pace before losing by a nose.

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On Monday, Bedtimes Stories figures to be the second choice behind Hard Faith, who is winless in her last eight starts. A 6-year-old mare, Hard Faith has won 5 of 41 starts and has been second or third in four starts this year, all since mid-April.

Hard Faith often races near the front and has not been beaten more than 2 1/4 lengths in recent starts, form that gives an indication she can run well in the right conditions.

Hard Faith was second in a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook on May 23, closing from third to miss by about three-quarters of a length.

Sausalito is a threat from off the pace. A 6-year-old gelding, Sausalito was an encouraging second by a half-length in a five-furlong handicap at Taree Racecourse on June 7 in his second start after a layoff of four months.

Sausalito has every chance to be effective at this longer distance, having won at 6 1/2 furlongs earlier in his career.

Muswellbrook’s program begins at 10:10 p.m. Eastern, or 7:10 p.m. Pacific, on Sunday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.