Australia: Camaguey big fish in small pond in Mudgee Cup

Camaguey, who starts in the Mudgee Cup in Australia on Thursday, is far from a high-profile member of the powerful Godolphin Racing stable.

Trained by James Cummings, Camaguey has won 2 of 12 starts, racing in everyday handicaps at prominent tracks. The Mudgee Cup, run at a mile at Mudgee Racecourse, will be held at one of Australia’s smaller venues, but provides the 4-year-old Camaguey with an excellent chance to add to his win total.

The Mudgee Cup is Camaguey’s third start following a layoff more than four months. A gelding, Camaguey won his comeback in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Hawkesbury on Nov. 3 and was third by slightly less than a half-length in a seven-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Nov. 19.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing

The Mudgee Cup is at a slightly longer distance, but Camaguey has a closing style that should be suited to a mile.

The Mudgee Cup drew a full field of 14, with three runners on the also-eligible list. Camaguey figures to be well backed. He was 5-1 behind early favorite Awesome Lad, who was 7-2 as of early Wednesday.

Awesome Lad, a winner of 4 of 23 starts, won a four-runner allowance race at 7 1/2 furlongs at Hawkesbury on Nov. 9. That was a quick turnaround from a second-place finish in a field of 20 in the $320,000 Four Pillars Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Oct. 29.

Ashley Morgan, who rode briefly at Santa Anita in October, has the mount on Awesome Lad, who tends to run near the front.

The 5-year-old mare French Bonnet, 5-1 as of Wednesday, will not be far from the lead. A winner of 6 of 18 starts, French Bonnet was second by a nose in a seven-furlong handicap at Newcastle on Nov. 12. She won as recently as June, in a seven-furlong handicap at Rosehill Gardens in which she closed from third in a field of 14.

Mudgee has an eight-race program beginning at 9:14 p.m. Eastern or 6:14 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.