Australia: Castlereagh Kid has big shot in Werribee Cup

Castlereagh Kid finished eighth and fourth in his last two starts, losses that are not as bad as the placings may indicate.

Castlereagh Kid was beaten slightly less than 3 1/2 lengths in a handicap at Flemington Racecourse on Nov. 5 when eighth, and lost by slightly less than two lengths in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Ballarat on Nov. 19.

On Saturday, Castlereagh Kid starts in the Werribee Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Werribee Racecourse.

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Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Castlereagh Kid is winless in two starts at 1 1/4 miles, but the relatively close finish at Ballarat and a win in the Group 2 Autumn Classic at 1 1/8 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in February give the 4-year-old gelding an excellent chance in the 14-runner Werribee Cup.

The race is part of a nine-race program that begins at 8:45 p.m. Eastern or 5:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Castlereagh Kid was favored at 3-1 in early betting on Friday, a slight choice over Adelaide Ace and Cormorant, who were 5-1.

The Werribee Cup is a drop in class and a rapid turnaround for Adelaide Ace after a fifth-place finish by a length in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Caulfield Racecourse on Nov. 26. This is the first start at 1 1/4 miles for Adelaide Ace since a second by 3 1/4 lengths in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse in March 2020.

A winner of 5 of 31 starts, Adelaide Ace is a closer who is winless in 14 starts since winning the Swan Hill Cup at a mile in June 2021.

Cormorant was sixth in the Eclipse Stakes, beaten slightly more than a length, for his 11th consecutive loss. A winner of 2 of 16 starts, Cormorant won the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown, Ireland, in 2020 when trained by Aidan O’Brien.

A 5-year-old gelding, Cormorant is winless in eight starts in Australia, but has lost his last three races by a combined 5 3/4 lengths.

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