Australia: Casino Kid tries to qualify for The Big Dance in Dubbo Gold Cup

After a win and a second in lucrative handicaps at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, since early August, Casino Kid will start in the Dubbo Gold Cup at Dubbo Racecourse across American time zones on Saturday with the goal of getting back to Randwick in November.

The Dubbo Gold Cup, run at a mile, is a qualifier for the newly created The Big Dance Stakes at a mile at Randwick on Nov. 1. The Big Dance has a purse of $1.36 million and is restricted to horses that finish first or second in 26 qualifying races from last October to Oct. 9 this year at tracks throughout the state of New South Wales.

The Dubbo Gold Cup will be Casino Kid’s first start in a qualifier for the The Big Dance. As of Friday morning, Casino Kid was the 5-1 favorite in a field of 16, which will equal the largest field he has faced. Casino Kid won a 16-runner handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Randwick in June 2021.

More recently at Randwick, Casino Kid finished a closing fourth in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs in July in his first start since February. Trained by Jan Bowen, Casino Kid followed with a win in a one-mile handicap on Aug. 6 and a second by 1 2/3 lengths in a one-mile handicap on Aug. 20.

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Blesk, who was 7-1 for the Dubbo Gold Cup on Friday, was seventh in the Coffs Harbour Cup at a mile at Coffs Harbour Racecourse on Aug. 4, part of the qualifying series for The Big Dance. Blesk was beaten 3 1/4 lengths in a field of 13 after a wide trip. In the stretch, Blesk was closer to the outside rail on the narrow Coffs Harbour course.

Even with a big field in the Dubbo Gold Cup, Blesk should be a factor, having won 4 of 22 starts in his career.

Prince of Helena, a three-time winner earlier this year, will start at a mile in the Dubbo Gold Cup for the first time since a win in June. Prince of Helena is quick enough to lead. She was 7-1 as of Friday.

The Dubbo Gold Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 11:10 p.m. Eastern or 8:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.