Australia: The Denzel faces winners again in search of maiden win

The Denzel was second in two seven-furlong handicaps in Australia in late August and early September, closing from off the pace to run well in losses by a head and about a half-length.

A maiden after five races, The Denzel will have another start against winners in a handicap at a mile at Wyong Racecourse on Tuesday. This time, The Denzel will not be the sole focus for bettors as he was on Sept. 4, when beaten at 4-5 at Newcastle Racecourse.

The Denzel, trained by Les Bridge, is expected to be a well-backed second choice behind the upstart 4-year-old gelding Ma and Pa.

Trained by Chris Waller, Ma and Pa won a maiden race for males at 6 1/2 furlongs at Hawkesbury Racecourse on Aug. 31 in his first start since March. Ma and Pa set the pace and prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths.

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This will be Ma and Pa’s fourth start and his second at a mile. He was last of nine in a one-mile maiden race at Warwick Farm Racecourse in March, but that result cannot be criticized too harshly since it was followed by a five-month layoff.

Jockey Nash Rawiller rides Ma and Pa at Wyong and has experience with the promising gelding. Rawiller was aboard Ma and Pa for the loss at Warwick Farm, and a game second in a maiden race in his debut on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick in February.

Ma and Pa and The Denzel are part of a field of six in the fourth race on an eight-race program at Wyong that begins at 11:10 p.m. Eastern, or 8:10 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Tip Top Timing has the most experience in the field, with one win in 15 starts. The victory came in a maiden race at a mile at Goulborn in July in the 4-year-old gelding’s 12th start.

Tip Top Timing has since finished second, third and fifth in handicaps at distances ranging from a miles to 1 1-8 miles. A 4-year-old gelding, Tip Top Timing was second in a one-mile handicap in his debut against winners at Gosford on July 25, and could easily produce a top three finish here if Ma and Pa sets a quick pace.