Australia: Darvin and Dashing Tycoon rematched Wednesday at Sandown
Darvin and Dashing Tycoon flew through the stretch of a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 6 to finish second and third behind race winner Tolemac. Darvin was beaten a nose, while Dashing Tycoon was a neck behind.
There was little separating the pair that day and appears to be little between them in advance of a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Sandown on Wednesday. Darvin and Dashing Tycoon will both carry 133 pounds, and were 11-2 and 4-1 in early betting on Monday.
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The handicap is the fourth race on an eight-race program that begins at 11:40 p.m., Eastern, or 8:40 p.m., Pacific, on Tuesday. Wagering and viewing is available through DRFBets.com.
Darvin, a 5-year-old Irish-bred gelding, is winless in four starts in Australia since arriving from France a year ago. The recent loss at Sandown was by far his best performance in Australia. In France, Darvin had one win in six starts.
Darvin will have his third start after a layoff on Wednesday, and has every chance for a breakthrough win.
Dashing Tycoon is winless in four starts since a handicap win at 1 1/4 miles in September at Donald Racecourse, about 175 miles from Melbourne. More recently, Dashing Tycoon was second and third in handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Warrnambool Racecourse in November and December prior to the narrow loss on Jan. 6.
Wednesday’s Sandown handicap will not have a heavy favorite. Tarn’s Prince, a winner of 3 of 10 starts, was the 7-2 early favorite, while Medieval Miss was 9-2.
Tarn’s Prince, 10th of 14 in the listed Victorian St. Leger at 1 3/4 miles in April, won a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Sandown on Dec. 2 and was fourth in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles on Dec. 23, closing from eighth in a field on 14.
Medieval Miss, one of three females in Wednesday’s field of nine, was third behind Tarn’s Prince on Dec. 2, and ninth in the same race as that rival on Dec. 23. While Tarn’s Prince has not raced since Dec. 23, Medieval Miss was third at 25-1 in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Sandown on Jan. 6, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.
Of the four principal runners in the race, Darvin has the best result at 1 1/2 miles, having finished second at the distance in France in May 2019.