Australia: Hardyo may have advantage in one-mile handicap at Tamworth

A recent win and a favorable weight assignment could give Hardyo an advantage in a one-mile handicap at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia on Tuesday.

Trained by Jane Clement, Hardyo has won 5 of 39 starts, with two of the wins coming in the 6-year-old gelding’s last four starts. Hardyo won a seven-furlong handicap at Inverell on Oct. 16 and followed with a second at Moree on Oct. 29 and a seventh in a field of 13 at Armidale on Nov. 7.

Hardyo rebounded to win a one-mile handicap at Quirindi Racecourse on Nov. 18, closing from 11th in a field of 12 to prevail by about a half-length. Surjin and Ziggi Rocks, who were second and third, will face Hardyo again at Tamworth.

Hardyo will be ridden by apprentice Madeline Owen, who rode the gelding to a fifth-place finish in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie on Oct. 9. Hardyo has been assigned minimum weight of 121 pounds, well below topweight Mister Smartee at 127.8 pounds.

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Owen won with 8 of 50 mounts from Oct. 24 through Nov. 23. The Tamworth program will be her first day of riding since Oct. 23.

Hardyo is part of a field of 11 in the second race on an eight-race program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern, or 6:15 p.m. Pacific on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Beckford, who has won two of his last four starts, will be a slight favorite, and will carry 126.7 pounds. Beckford won a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Armidale on Nov. 7, on the same program that included Hardyo, but was ninth of 11 at 25-1 in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney on Nov. 17.

Mandalong Tapit, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding, and Surjin are two other well-regarded runners.

Mandalong Tapit, by Tapit, has won 4 of 50 starts racing in Australia throughout his career. Mandalong Tapit is winless in his last nine starts since a one-mile handicap at Gunnison last December. He was fifth behind Beckford on Nov. 7.