Australia: Fiesta brings two-race win streak into The Hunter Stakes at Newcastle
A year ago at this time, Fiesta finished fourth of 15 in The Hunter Stakes at 13-1 at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia, the seventh setback in what would be a 14-race losing streak.
The streak ended with a win in the Group 3 Northwood Plume Stakes at six furlongs on Oct. 10 at Caulfield and was followed with a victory in the Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 31 at Flemington.
Thanks to those recent victories, Fiesta starts as a leading contender Saturday in The Hunter Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs. She is one of three runners in Saturday’s race who started in last year’s first running of The Hunter Stakes, a race designed to boost sprint opportunities for horses based in the state of New South Wales.
:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing
Tactical Advantage was second last year, but will be a longshot this year because of disappointing recent form. Redouble was 13th last year and will be an outsider this year.
The Hunter Stakes is worth $1 million Australian dollars or $726,000 in American currency, and it will be the fifth time that Fiesta has appeared in a seven-figure race in Australia. A 5-year-old Australian-bred mare, Fiesta has won 5 of 28 starts, all for top trainer Chris Waller.
Fiesta has won four group stakes and the $1 million (Australian) Inglis Sprint for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds in 2019.
The Hunter Stakes drew a field of 15 and is the seventh race on a nine-race program that begins at 9:05 p.m. Eastern, or 6:05 p.m. Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Fiesta is a closer who should have a strong pace to follow. Under the handicap conditions of The Hunter Stakes, Fiesta will carry 122.3 pounds, well below topweight Trumbull at 127.8 pounds.
Trumbull, a 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, may go favored on the basis of a win in the Group 3 Sydney Stakes at six furlongs on Oct. 17 at Royal Randwick in his first start in three months. A closer, Trumbull has won 7 of 20 starts and has steadily risen in class this year.
The well-regarded Ranier, who will carry 126.7 pounds, won a listed stakes in May, but is winless in his last three starts. He was fourth in a lucrative handicap Oct. 24 at Randwick.