Australia: Group 1 winner Huetor gets topweight for Summer Cup
Huetor, winner of the Group 1 Doomben Cup in Australia in May, will lug topweight of 132 pounds in the Group 3 Summer Cup at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Monday evening.
While the assignment is hefty, Huetor has left clues in his last two starts that he is ready for a peak effort in the $169,900 Summer Cup, which is run at 1 1/4 miles and drew a field of 11.
Huetor was sixth of eight, beaten slightly less than 2 1/2 lengths in the Group 3 Craven Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Randwick on Oct. 28. Huetor was hampered by traffic issues in the stretch that cost him a chance at a much better placing.
On Nov. 11, in the ultra-tough Group 1 Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Huetor closed from last of 11 to finish seventh by slightly more than 2 3/4 length as a 60-1 outsider.
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In the Summer Cup, the 7-year-old Huetor was the 7-2 second choice in early betting on Saturday behind Lion’s Roar at 9-5. Lion’s Roar is winless in 22 starts since the Group 1 Randwick Guineas in March 2021.
In fairness, Lion’s Roar has been close in important races in recent starts, finishing second of 20 in the Little Dance Stakes at a mile at Randwick on Nov. 7, and third of 20 by a half-length in the $1.2 million Ingham Stakes at a mile at the same venue on Dec. 9.
Lion’s Roar has a favorable weight assignment of 121 pounds in the Summer Cup, but is winless in eight career starts at the distance.
The distance suits Baby Rider, who won the ATC Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on Dec. 9 at 20-1. Baby Rider was near the front throughout and finished more than a half-length in front of Wyclif, a longshot in the Summer Cup.
The Summer Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 9:35 p.m. Eastern or 6:35 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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