Australia: Casirina vs. Zippy Power in Monday handicap at Tamworth

Casirina closed from eighth to win for the fourth time in her 23-race career in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Scone Racecourse in Australia on July 15.

Zippy Power closed from third to win for the second time in her seven-race career in a handicap at about 1 1/4 miles at Gunnison Racecourse on July 12.

The two meet for the first time in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Tamworth Racecourse in the New South Wales countryside on Monday.

Zippy Power, a German-bred 4-year-old filly who has raced only in Australia, is rated as having a slight edge because of her recent win at a longer distance. In early betting on Sunday, Zippy Power was the 6-5 favorite over 2-1 Casirina.

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They lead a field of 11 in the first of seven races on a program that begins at 10:35 p.m. Eastern, or 7:35 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Zippy Power, trained by Kris Lees, is in the best form of her brief career, having won two of her last three starts. In the Gunnison race, Zippy Power drew clear to win by nearly 5 3/4 lengths, an appealing result considering she is racing over a slightly longer distance at Tamworth.

The distance is a little more of a question for Casirina, who did finish a good second by two lengths in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Scone last November. This year, Casirina has won 2 of 3 starts, beginning with a nose victory in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs at Muswellbrook on June 5.

Casirina was a well-beaten third in a one-mile handicap at Taree on June 28 after setting the pace, but recovered to win at Scone a little more than two weeks later.

At Tamworth, Zippy Power and Casirina so dominate the early betting that the only other horse with single-digit odds is Rockamo, at 9-1. Rockamo has a single win in 16 starts, and was sixth, beaten only three-quarters of a length, in a one-mile handicap at Tamworth on July 22.

Rockamo was second in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles last October, his most recent start at the distance.