Australia: Cheptegai looks to stay hot in Cowra Cup

The 6-year-old gelding Cheptegai has bounced around some of the smaller tracks in Australia in recent months, efficiently winning three of his last five starts.

Cheptegai was favored in only one of those races, but will be the public choice in the Cowra Japan Cup at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Orange Racecourse on Saturday evening. A start at Orange fits with the way Cheptegai has been raced of late, with a focus on sprints at smaller venues.

The field for the Cowra Japan Cup is anything but small. The race drew 11. Cheptegai, trained by Michael Mulholland, was the 5-2 favorite in early betting on Friday, a slight choice over Larynx and Almost Persuaded at 5-1.

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Cheptegai drew post 10, which should suit his closing style. He won the Gilgrandra Cup at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Gilgandra Racecourse on Jan. 2 by closing from seventh in a field of 10 to win by slightly more than two lengths.

Almost Persuaded, a 5-year-old mare, tends to run near the front, while Larynx, a 7-year-old gelding, can set the pace, but is also effective from a stalking position.

Almost Persuaded has won three of her last five starts, but was third by 4 1/2 lengths in a seven-furlong handicap at Canberra Racecourse on Dec. 30.

Larynx was second in a seven-furlong handicap at Orange on Dec. 30, racing near the front throughout before losing by about a neck. Larynx has won 7 of 47 starts in his career, but is winless in five starts at Orange. He has finished second four times and third once at Orange, which is located in the New South Wales countryside.

Larynx is winless in his last eight starts, since a handicap at the abbreviated distance of 4 3/4 furlongs at Cowra in August.

Orange has an eight-race program beginning at 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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