Australia: Heika going longer, looks to rebound Monday at Scone

The 4-year-old gelding Heika will be an odds-on favorite to win for the fourth time in his seventh start in the longest race of his career at 1 3/8 miles at Scone Racecourse in Australia on Monday evening.

While Heika was seventh in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Gosford in his last start on Nov. 25, he has every chance to rebound at Scone.

The turf course is expected to be good, the type of surface that works for Heika, who has won three times on good turf. The turf course was rated as heavy at Gosford.

Apprentice jockey Braith Nock told stewards at Gosford that Heika failed to respond when urged. Nock blamed the surface.

Heika won his two starts prior to the loss in his last start, in a six-furlong handicap at Scone in October, and a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook on Nov. 5. The latter is the longest race of Heika’s career to date.

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Heika is part of a field of eight in the first race on a seven-race program at Scone that begins at 9:50 p.m. Eastern or 6:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Kentucky-bred veteran Flambeur is suited to the distance, having won twice at 1 1/4 miles and once at 1 5/16 miles in his 42-race career. Flambeur has won six races, but is winless in his last seven starts.

Flambeur, an 8-year-old by Mizzen Mast, began his career in 2018 in France, where he was a stakes winner at 1 1/4 miles on turf the following year.

Flambeur was moved to Australia in the winter of 2020-2021 and has won twice this year in races at 1 5/16 miles. Flambeur was sixth of seven in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Canterbury Park on Dec. 8, losing by slightly less than 2 3/4 lengths.

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