Australia: Gytrash has home-course advantage in Goodwood Stakes

Gytrash is at home at Morphettville Racecourse outside of Adelaide, Australia.

A 4-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding, Gytrash is trained by Gordon Richards at Morphettville, and obviously feels quite comfortable racing there. A winner of 8 of 18 starts, Gytrash has won 3 of 9 starts at Morphettville, including the Group 3 Irwin Stakes on April 18, his third stakes win.

That win, and a victory in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at five furlongs at Flemington Racecourse in February, will make Gytrash the favorite in Saturday’s Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at six furlongs at Morphettville.

The race drew a field of 15. Gytrash starts from post 12, which may not be a detriment considering he typically races as a stalker.

The Goodwood Stakes is part of a nine-race program that begins at 10 p.m. Eastern, or 7 p.m. Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Gytrash, by Lope de Vega, won the Irwin Stakes by three lengths as the even-money favorite, closing from third in the final furlong. Jockey Jason Holder rode Gytrash for the first time in the Irwin and retains the mount Saturday.

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Gytrash is one of three group stakes winners in the Goodwood field. Jungle Edge, 9, won the Group 3 McKay Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Morphettville on May 2, the same day the filly Xilong won the Group 2 Euclase Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.

They are rated as longshots against Gytrash, with Santa Ana Lane and Trekking considered more formidable rivals. Both were 6-1 in future-book betting Wednesday, compared to 5-2 for Gytrash.

Santa Ana Lane, a 7-year-old by Lope de Vega, has won 10 of 40 starts, but is winless in his last seven starts. Santa Ana Lane has kept good company, finishing second in the $8.8 million Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick last October and second to Nature Spirit in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes on April 4 at Randwick. Nature Spirit is considered one of the top sprinters in Australia.

Santa Ana Lane was sixth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes against 13 rivals at seven furlongs on April 18 at Randwick from a rail draw. Santa Ana Lane starts from post 10 on Saturday.

Trekking, a 5-year-old gelding, was seventh in the Smith Stakes at 30-1, but was a game second to Greyworm in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes on April 18 at Randwick.