Australia: Inquiry figures on lead as topweight in Gold Coast handicap

It took a horse forming a winning streak to end the winning streak of the gelding Inquiry in a handicap at Doomben Racecourse on May 9.

Inquiry had won his four previous starts before he finished second to Red Chase by 4 1/4 lengths in a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Doomben. Red Chase had won his previous start and returned to win a handicap on May 23 at Eagle Farm.

Inquiry starts in a handicap at six furlongs on Friday at Gold Coast Racecourse, where he is expected to take his customary position as a pacesetter. The distance is a good fit. Inquiry compiled his four-race winning streak at distances from 5 1/2 furlongs to seven furlongs from mid-March to late April.

Friday’s race is restricted to colts, geldings, and horses and drew a field of eight.

Trained by John Smerdon, who is based at Gold Coast, Inquiry has won 8 of 20 starts. He was favored in all of his four wins in the recent streak and was an odds-on choice in three of those races.

Friday, Inquiry could face early pressure from I’ve Gotta Nel, a 6-year-old gelding who led throughout a six-furlong handicap on heavy turf on May 22 at Gold Coast.

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The turf course is expected to be soft Friday. Inquiry won on soft turf in a seven-furlong handicap on March 28 at Townsville Racecourse.

Weight is another matter. The four-race winning streak has propelled Inquiry’s official rating in recent months. As a result, Inquiry will carry 132 pounds, considerably more than I’ve Gotta Nel, at 125.6 pounds.

Inquiry will carry joint topweight with Rhyme Nor Rhythm, who will be ridden by apprentice jockey Corey Bayliss.

Rhyme Nor Reason has won 2 of 5 career starts at Gold Coast. A 7-year-old gelding, Rhyme Nor Reason was second in a five-furlong handicap on May 10 at Toowoomba in his first start since he fell in a handicap on Dec. 26. Rhyme Nor Reason is most effective as a stalker.

The nine-race program at Gold Coast begins at 9:40 p.m. Eastern, or 6:40 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.