Australia: Bunker Hut lowers bar for Monday handicap

From a maiden race winner to an also-ran in two group stakes, Bunker Hut had an eventful span in three starts last August and September in Australia.

What began well, with a maiden win in his fourth career start in August, ended with a last-place finish in a field of 16 in the Group 1 Champion Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at Royal Randwick Racecourse in September.

By comparison, the goals with Bunker Hut are of a more modest nature for his first start of 2023 - a six-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Monday evening.

Trained by Michael Freedman, Bunker Hut finished fifth and second in two schooling races from the gate, or barrier trials, in March in preparation for his comeback. Brett Prebble, who was aboard for one of the schooling races, has the mount on Bunker Hut, who is likely to race from off the pace.

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Bunker Hut has inherited the role of topweight at 131 pounds from Unwritten, who was assigned 133 pounds but has been scratched.

Bunker Hut will be in pursuit of Semana, a 3-year-old filly who has won 2 of 6 starts. Semana tends to run closer to the front. She finished fifth of 12 in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Warwick Farm on March 23 in her first start in nearly two months, closing from eighth after a tardy start to lose by only 1 1/4 lengths.

Semana drew the rail at Kembla Grange and is likely to be patiently ridden by jockey Brenton Avdulla. The distance should not be an issue. Semana has won at seven furlongs.

Five of the runners won their last starts – As You Were, Dame Cartland, Greaves, More Mischief and Seany’s Girl.

Greaves ended a three-race losing streak with a come-from-behind win in a six-furlong handicap against a lower class of runners at six furlongs at Moruya Racecourse on March 5, the gelding’s third win in 16 starts. He is effective as a stalker, and could be a runner to catch in the stretch at Kembla Grange.

Kembla Grange has a seven-race program that begins at 11:10 p.m. Eastern, or 8:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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