Australia: Chateaux Park on track to end losing streak
For a veteran who has finished fourth in his last two starts, Chateaux Park does not lose by much in Australia these days.
Chateaux Park, a winner of 5 of 45 starts, was fourth by a half-length in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles on Sept. 20, closing from seventh in a field of eight despite encountering traffic issues in the final sixteenth. On Oct. 2, Chateaux Park was beaten 1 1/4 lengths in a race at 1 3/8 miles, closing from last of eight.
Those races were at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney where Chateaux Park starts on Tuesday evening in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles. The gelding has an outstanding chance to end a four-race losing streak since early August.
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Trained by Jason Coyle, Chateaux Park will be ridden for the first time in more than a year by James McDonald, the leading rider in Australia in money earnings in recent seasons.
This will be Chateaux Park’s first start at 1 1/2 miles since he finished ninth of 12 behind Melbourne Cup hopefuls Athabascan and Serpentine in the CTC Cup at Randwick on Sept. 2 at 50-1. Chateaux Park was second by slightly less than 1 3/4 lengths in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Randwick on Aug. 19.
Chateaux Park will carry topweight of 131 pounds in a field of 13 in Tuesday evening’s race. A 7-year-old New Zealand-bred, Chateaux Park will be in pursuit of expected leader Golden Passport, who has been second or third in four starts since a win in a maiden race at 7 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook Racecourse in August.
Golden Passport was beaten slightly less than a length in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles when second to Lady Redwood at Warwick Farm on Oct. 2 and will race at 1 1/2 miles for the first time in this race.
Lady Redwood is part of Tuesday’s field, but rated as an outsider. She ended a five-race losing streak at Warwick Farm on Oct. 2.
Warwick Farm has an eight-race program beginning at 10:25 p.m. Eastern or 7:25 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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