Australia: Emissary tries to make his mark in another part of the world

Emissary was a 40-1 outsider when he beat one rival in a field of 16 in the Group 1 English Derby at Epsom Racecourse in July 2020.

More than a year later, Emissary is on the other side of the world, with a different status in racing. Sunday, Emissary will be favored to win his second start in Australia, and third race of his career, in the Benalla Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Benalla Racecourse.

Trained by Michael Moroney, Emissary was second in his Australian debut in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Sept. 8, closing from fourth to miss by a head.

The Benalla Cup was scheduled for Friday, but was postponed until Sunday after a broken sprinkler head soaked a small portion of the track. Officials told the Australian racing press that the course should be in satisfactory condition by Sunday. The course is located in the countryside north of Melbourne.

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Emissary is part of a field of 12 in the Benalla Cup, the eighth of nine races on a program that begins at 10:35 p.m. Eastern, or 7:35 p.m. Pacific, on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com

Aside from Emissary, three other leading contenders began their careers in Europe – Bartholomeu Dias and Starcaster in England, and Barade in Sweden and France.

Starcaster won the Torney Cup Stakes at 1 9/16 miles at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne in February and was third in two starts in July and August.

Bartholomeu Dias was seventh of 15 in the Heatherlie Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Caulfield on Aug. 28 in his first start in six weeks. Bartholomeu Dias has been effective in races at distances ranging from a mile to 1 9/16 miles, and is a threat in this field from well off the pace.