Australia: Fortune Follows favorite in Tuesday handicap

With even a sliver of luck, Fortune Follows would have a two-race winning streak in his recent past in advance of a start in a six-furlong handicap at Mornington Racecourse in Australia on Tuesday.

Fortune Follows won a six-furlong handicap at Kyneton Racecourse on April 17 and was second by a nose against a slightly tougher field in a six-furlong handicap at the same venue on May 3.

Those races will make Fortune Follows a deserving favorite against 11 rivals at Mornington. The eight-race program begins at 11 p.m. Eastern, or 8 p.m., Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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Trained at Mornington by Patrick Caboche, Fortune Follows is a closer who has won 3 of 18 starts. One flaw in his career is the absence of good performances in consecutive races, making the recent loss on May 3 all the more promising of an effort for the 4-year-old gelding, who tends to run from off the pace.

The April win ended a 13-race losing streak and was the first for Fortune Follows since he was transferred to Caboche’s stable last August.

Caboche also starts Leggero, a 5-year-old mare who has won 2 of 9 starts at Mornington and 3 of 28 starts in her career. Leggero was second by about a neck in a six-furlong handicap at Mornington on April 13, closing from fifth in a field of 10 to be closest at the finish.

Leggero is winless in six starts since a six-furlong handicap at Mornington last December. The April 13 race was her best finish in that span.

This race will be the first start of 2021 for Vainly, who has not raced since a second in a six-furlong handicap at Mornington last October. Vainly won a maiden race on soft turf at Mornington last August and similar conditions are expected in this race.