Australia: Favoritism could go several ways in Newmarket Handicap

It may be post time for the Group 3 Newmarket Handicap at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on Friday before the favorite is determined in a field of 13.

As of Wednesday, runners such as Rock, Riodini, Special Reward, and Through the Cracks were floating around at 5-1 and 6-1 in early betting. Others such as Dajraan and Nimalee were slightly higher at 9-1, but have attractive credentials.

The Newmarket Handicap is run at seven furlongs. One certainty will be the soft condition of the turf course after excessive rain in recent days in Australia has led to flooding in some areas.

Riodini, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, has run well on soft turf at the most important times, having finished second to 2020-2021 Australian Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant in the Group 1 George Main Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney last September in such conditions.

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Riodini was later 11th and eighth in Group 1 races in October before being given a rest at the end of the year. In his lone start this year, the 5-year-old Riodini was 10th of 13 by 5 3/4 lengths in a top running of the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick on Feb. 12.

Think It Over and Verry Elleegant were first and seventh in the Apollo Stakes. Verry Elleegant followed with a win in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at a mile at Randwick on Feb. 26, with Think It Over fourth.

Riodini, who will be ridden by Rachel King, tends to run near the front and could face pressure from Ashman, the winner of the Group 3 Cameron Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Newcastle in September.

If the pace is too hot, Special Reward will be well-placed. The 6-year-old gelding is a closer and has had a fine start to the year, finishing second in the Christmas Classic at six furlongs at Canterbury Park on Jan. 7, winning the Carrington Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on Jan. 12, and finishing third in the Apollo at 16-1.

The Newmarket Handicap is the seventh race on an eight-race program that begins at 9:25 p.m. Eastern or 6:25 p.m. Pacific on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.