Australia: Full Press continues run in cup races at Armidale

The veteran gelding Full Press can continue his 2023 success in cup races at countryside tracks in Australia in the Armidale Cup at Armidale Racecourse on Saturday evening.

Full Press won the Lismore Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Lismore Racecourse in September and was later seventh by 3 3/4 lengths in the Port Macquarie Cup at Port Macquarie Racecourse in October.

Last month, Full Press was 13 of 20 in the $1.8 million Big Dance Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Cup races are often the leading annual races at smaller venues in Australia, frequently drawing substantial crowds on days treated like local holidays.

The field gathered for the Armidale Cup at 1 3/16 miles will be much easier than what Full Press faced in the Big Dance Stakes, which brought together qualifiers from a series of prep races run at tracks throughout New South Wales in the preceding year.

At Armidale, Full Press is part of a field of 12 that includes course specialist Beckford, who has won 2 of 3 starts at Armidale in his career, including a second in the 2022 Armidale Cup. Beckford won the 2021 Armidale Cup when the race was run at a mile at Tamworth Racecourse.

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In recent starts, Beckford has raced against tougher rivals at tracks in Brisbane and Sydney. On Nov. 7, Beckford was 11th of 20 in the $472,000 Little Dance Stakes at a mile at Randwick, losing by a little more than six lengths at 200-1.

The extended distance of the Armidale Cup should suit Galaxy Belle, a three-time winner at 1 1/8 miles in her 27-race career. Galaxy Belle was fifth by slightly less than four lengths in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on Nov. 15, her fourth loss since a win in a one-mile handicap last December.

Galaxy Belle, a 6-year-old mare, often runs as a stalker.

The Armidale Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 8:50 p.m. Eastern or 5:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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