Australia: Ducasse must avoid another troubled trip in Queensland Guineas

After seventh-place finishes in consecutive Group 1 races in Australia in March, the 3-year-old colt Ducasse benefited from a drop in class by winning the Group 3 Carbine Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on April 7.

The victory has given Ducasse the role of early favorite in Friday’s Group 2 Queensland Guineas at a mile at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane.

Backing Ducasse will test a bettor’s patience. The colt has won 2 of 11 starts, racing from slightly off the pace and sometimes finding trouble. In the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas on March 23, Ducasse was seventh by 3 1/2 lengths after he was unable to find sufficient running room in the stretch.

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The issue could surface in the $229,000 Queensland Guineas, which drew a full field of 17. Ducasse drew post 16 in the one-turn race. With the wide draw, jockey Tommy Berry is likely to have Ducasse in a stalking position in an effort to save some ground in the run to the turn.

The lightly-raced Press Link, and Kintyre, third in the Carbine Stakes, are two of Ducasse’s leading rivals.

Press Link has won 3 of 4 starts. His only loss was a third by 2 1/2 lengths in the Daybreak Lover Stakes at seven furlongs at Eagle Farms on April 20 when he closed from ninth of 17 to be closest to the front at the finish. Press Link will have his mile debut in the Queensland Guineas.

Kintyre followed his loss in the Cabrine with a win in the Group 3 Packer Plate at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on April 20, his fifth start of the year, all since late February, and first win of 2024.

Eagle Farm has a nine-race program beginning at 9:28 p.m. Eastern or 6:28 p.m. Pacific on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Earlier on the program, Uncommon James, a Group 1 winner in 2023, will have his second start of 2024 in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at six furlongs. Uncommon James was fifth of 14 in the Group 1 Galaxy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 23, losing by 1 3/4 lengths.

The speedy gelding Front Page, third in the Galaxy, is expected to set the pace in the $196,200 Victory Stakes, which drew a field of nine.

Front Page, a winner of 7 of 23 starts, finished fifth by six lengths in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick on April 20, fading from the lead in the final furlong as the 11-10 favorite.

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