Australia: Controlthewitness looks to end drought in Gosford handicap

The first half of 2020 was a quiet stretch for Controlthewitness, the 3-year-old Australian-bred gelding who won four times in 2019.

This year, Controlthewitness is winless in seven starts in Australia, including two second-place finishes and one third. His last two starts – a second in a handicap June 11 at Gosford and a third by 1 3/4 lengths on July 7 at Newcastle – suggest the losing streak can end in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles on Thursday at Gosford Racecourse.

Controlthewitness will be favored in a field of 10. He was supposed to carry top weight of 133 pounds, but the presence of apprentice jockey Louise Day reduces the weight to 129, slightly less than Call Me Mo at 131.

Day rode Controlthewitness on July 7 at Newcastle and was aboard for the gelding’s first career win in May 2019.

Call Me Mo won a one-mile handicap at Gosford last October, but is winless in three starts this year. An Australian-bred by Uncle Mo, Call Me Mo was fourth in a seven-furlong handicap on July 4 at Newcastle, beaten a little more than a length for second. This is a new distance for the 3-year-old gelding, who has won 3 of 11 starts.

The Gosford Park program begins 10:15 p.m. Eastern, or 7:15 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Controlthewitness is best as a stalker and will have targets in Bernson, who is winless in four starts this year, and Dambulla, a two-time winner who is winless in his last five starts. Dambulla led in a handicap at seven furlongs at Kembla Grange on June 25, but faded to finish 10th.

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Azarmin and Kelvinside have run races that would make them competitive.

Azarmin has won 3 of 14 starts. He has had mixed form of late, finishing second in a one-mile handicap on June 17 at Warwick Farm and ninth at 30-1 in a much tougher handicap at seven furlongs June 27 at Rosehill Gardens. This field is considerably easier and should be a better fit.

Kelvinside has won 3 of 50 starts, but has been second in his last three starts. In each of those races at distances ranging from 1 1/8 miles to 1 5/16 miles, he closed steadily to be within a length at the finish.