Australia: Berruti tops handicap at Tamworth Racecourse

Berruti, who will start favored in a seven-furlong handicap at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia on Monday, has not performed as expected in his seven-race career, or his latest start.

Berruti, a winner of 2 of 7 starts, is by Medaglia d’Oro and is a half-brother to Shooting to Win, the winner of the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in Melbourne, Australia, in 2014.

Trained by Kris Lees, Berruti has yet to start in a stakes. At Mudgee Racecourse on April 14, Berruti closed steadily to finish fourth, beaten less than a neck, in a seven-furlong handicap as the 4-5 favorite. He needed the entire stretch to produce his best stride and just missed winning in a close finish.

A gelding, Berruti will not be as short of a price at Tamworth against 13 rivals. Berruti is well-suited to the distance, having won a minor handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Newcastle Racecourse last November. This is Berruti’s third start of 2021; he began the season with a third by about 1 1/4 lengths in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie on April 3.

Berruti breaks from post 6, which complements his stalking style.

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The lightly-raced 4-year-old filly Lady Patricia and 4-year-old gelding Ficsimm Dave also have solid credentials, but were not helped by the draw.

Lady Patricia ended a three-race losing streak in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs at Gunnedah Racecourse on May 3, closing from fourth of 10 to pull clear in the final furlong and win by 2 1/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite. Lady Patricia has won 2 of 6 starts.

Lady Patricia drew post 13, which is not an ideal post at Tamworth where seven-furlong races begin from a chute midway through the first turn. Lady Patricia could be wide on the turn and backstretch on a track largely shaped like an oval.

Ficsimm Dave, a winner of 2 of 7 starts, will break from the rail in his second start of 2021 and typically races as a closer. Ficsimm Dave was fourth in his first start this year in a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Musswellbrook.

Ficsimm Dave will be ridden by Daniel Northey, who must find a way through a large field with a closer.

The Tamworth program begins at 10:20 p.m. Eastern, or 7:20 p.m. Pacific, on Sunday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.