Australia: Irish Kisses tries longer for first time

Irish Kisses was zooming past rivals in the final furlong of a one-mile handicap at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on Nov. 18 on her way to a third-place finish. Closing from 10th in a field of 11, she finished well, but was unable to catch rivals Toesonthenose and Stray, losing by 2 1/4 lengths.

The result may be reversed when Irish Kisses starts at 1 1/8 miles for the first time in a handicap on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick on Thursday evening.

Irish Kisses, a winner of 5 of 26 starts, is part of a field of 10 and may not be as far off the early pace as she was at Newcastle. The race on the Kensington course lacks a clear leader.

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Through her career, Irish Kisses has frequently raced near the front and sometimes has set the pace. She won a one-mile handicap for fillies and mares at a mile at Warwick Farm Racecourse in early October, her most recent win.

Six days later, Irish Kisses was second by a length in the Coonamble Cup at Coonamble Racecourse, a narrow loss that led to a start in the $472,000 Little Dance Stakes at a mile at Randwick in which she was 17th of 20.

Irish Kisses was 2-1 in early betting for the race on the Kensington course as of Wednesday. Brynner, the winner of a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Canterbury Park on Nov. 17, was the 7-2 second choice. Brynner closed from eighth of 11 as the 9-2 favorite to win at Canterbury, ending a 13-race losing streak since August 2022.

Of the other runners, the 6-year-old mare Galaxy Belle will earn support. She has won three times at 1 1/8 miles and will benefit from a longer distance after finishing fifth by nearly four lengths in a handicap for fillies and mares at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Nov. 15. Galaxy Belle closed from last of eight in that field to be closest to the front at the finish.

Kensington has a seven-race program beginning at 11:20 p.m. Eastern or 8:20 p.m. Pacific on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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