Australia: Best of Days drops out of group company for Wagga Wagga Gold Cup

Last year, Best of Days would not have been a candidate for a race such as Friday’s Wagga Wagga Gold Cup at Wagga Racecourse southwest of Sydney, Australia.

In 2019, Best of Days was winless in 10 starts in Group 1 and Group 2 races. His best result was a second in the Group 1 Railway Stakes at Ascot Racecourse, north of Melbourne, in November.

This year, Best of Days is winless in three group stakes, the most recent of which was a fourth in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Plate at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick Racecourse on April 18.

The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup, which drew a maximum field of 16, is a listed stakes and will be the first start for Best of Days in a non-group level stakes since a second in a handicap at Caulfield in September 2018. Best of Days has won 5 of 27 starts, including the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, England, in 2016, but is winless in his last 13 starts.

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The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup is run at 1 1/4 miles, a distance that will suit Best of Days. A 6-year-old British-bred gelding, Best of Days won the Group 3 Coongy Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in 2018.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trained by James Cummings, Best of Days will carry top weight of 133 pounds. Some of the runners close to him in the weights are familiar rivals.

Greysful Glamour, who will carry 124.5 pounds, was second in the JRA Plate, finishing a head behind Life Less Ordinary. A 4-year-old mare, Greysful Glamour is a threat from the front. She led throughout the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield in February.

Greysful Glamour, one of five fillies and mares in the field, drew favorably in post 3, which should allow jockey Koby Jennings to grab early position. Jennings won with four of 20 mounts from April 21 through Wednesday.

Master of Arts and Maurus, sixth and ninth in the JRA Plate, are part of the Wagga Wagga field.

The Wagga program begins at 10:35 p.m. Eastern, or 7:35 p.m. Pacific on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.