Australia: Canberra Cup a showdown between Fawkner Park and So United

The $165,400 Canberra Cup at Canberra Racecourse in Australia on Saturday evening is run at 1 1/4 miles, the perfect distance for a showdown between two principal runners in the field of 11 – Fawkner Park and So United.

Fawkner Park, the 3-1 favorite in early betting on Friday, won three consecutive races at distances ranging from 7 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/2 miles from late May to early July last year.

Fawkner Park is winless in his last five starts, including a fast-closing fifth by 1 1/2 lengths in a handicap at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Feb. 24 in his first start since mid-November.

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So United, who tends to set the pace, won the $665,800 Magic Millions Trophy at 1 3/8 miles at Gold Coast Racecourse on Jan. 13 in his first start of 2024 by leading throughout, and was sixth, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in the Parramatta Cup at 1 3/16 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Feb. 24 as an 11-1 chance in a field of 14.

The 10-race Canberra program begins at 8:35 p.m. Eastern or 5:35 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

In the race before the Canberra Cup, Fully Lit will be an odds-on favorite to remain unbeaten in three starts in the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at six furlongs.

Fully Lit won a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs in his debut at Rosehill Gardens on Jan. 20, and followed with a win by three-quarters of a length in the $1.3 million Inglis Millennium at 5 1/2 furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Feb. 10.

In the $165,400 Black Opal Stakes, Fully Lit is part of a field of 13 and is one of three winners in the field along with Odinson and Vella’s Best. Odinson won the Nursery Stakes at five furlongs at Randwick on Dec. 9, and was seventh by slightly more than two lengths in the Inglis Millennium, closing from eighth of 15.

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