Australia: Crystal Waters will need patient ride to win third straight

The team of Crystal Waters and jockey Winona Costin are tough to ignore in a seven-furlong handicap for fillies and mares on the infield Kensington track at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday.

Crystal Waters has won her last two starts, the most recent of which was a seven-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Jan. 22. Costin was aboard for that victory as well as a win by Crystal Waters in a seven-furlong handicap at Nowra Racecourse in October.

While those races were against lower-class handicap rivals than what Crystal Waters will face on Wednesday, the performances gives the 4-year-old filly a leading role in a competitive race that drew a field of eight.

Crystal Waters has won 4 of 13 starts. Her current two-race winning streak began at Nowra on Jan. 9 when she was ridden by Grant Buckley. Trained by Paul Murray, Crystal Waters tends to run from off the pace, which is key since she has drawn the rail in this race at Kensington.

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Costin will need a patient trip from that draw and will be in pursuit of expected leader Cafe Royal, a winner of 6 of 18 starts but winless in five starts since a seven-furlong handicap at Warwick Farm last June. Cafe Royal was second by three-quarters of a length in a six-furlong handicap at Warwick Farm on Jan. 5, but only 11th against a tougher field of runners in a seven-furlong handicap at Randwick on Jan. 22.

There will be strong support for Cap Estel, who won a maiden race at seven furlongs in her eighth start on the Kensington course on Feb. 2 from a stalking position.

The 3-year-old filly Hope In Your Heart is a threat from off the pace. A winner of 2 of 8 starts, Hope In Your Heart was third by about four lengths in a seven-furlong handicap at Kensington on Feb. 2 in her first start since late October.

An exacta finish by Crystal Waters with any of those runners would likely yield a fair payoff.

The seven-race Kensington program begins at 10:20 p.m. Eastern or 7:20 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.