Australia: Jumpers get spotlight on first day of Warrnambool May carnival

The May carnival at Warrnambool Racecourse typically unfolds over three days before large enthusiastic crowds in the tiny coastal town in southern Australia.

This week, the festival goes forward for a two-day racing week on Tuesday and Wednesday without spectators because of the coronavirus outbreak.

While the atmosphere will be remarkably different, there are still plenty of top-class races, notably a strong jump racing program Tuesday. The leading race is the $201,915 Grand Annual Steeplechase at 3 7/16 miles, or 5,500 meters, which drew a field of eight.

Ablaze, unbeaten in three races over obstacles and a winner of 12 of 44 races in his career, will be an odds-on favorite. Under the handicap conditions, Ablaze has a favorable assignment of 145.5 pounds compared to 161 pounds for Zed Em, who won the 2019 Grand Annual.

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Ablaze, an 8-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, was the comfortable winner of a two-mile steeplechase at Warrnambool on March 27 at 1-5 in his first start over the tougher obstacles. In the span of a week last August, Ablaze won two races over hurdles, both at two miles.

In his last start on the flat, Ablaze won a handicap at 1 7/8 miles on Feb. 21 at Moonee Valley. Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Ablaze tends to race as a stalker on the flat and over jumps. The extended distance of the Grand Annual is unlikely to pose a problem for Ablaze who won the $205,625 Jericho Cup on the flat at 2 7/8 miles at Warrnambool last December, the track’s top flat race.

The Grand Annual is the seventh of eight races on a program that begins at 9:45 p.m. Eastern, or 6:45 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Zed Em and Gold Medals are likely to be second and third in the betting.

Gold Medals, 10, has a remarkable record at Warrnambool in recent years.

In 2018, Gold Medals won the Brierly Chase at 2 1/8 miles at Warrnambool and two days later won the Grand Annual. Last year, Gold Medals was second in the Brierly Chase two days before finishing second to Zed Em by three lengths.

With the Warrnambool May carnival reduced to two days this year instead of its customary three-day schedule, the $86,535 Brierly Chase is on the same program as the Grand Annual.

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The Brierly Chase drew a field of 10 that includes Euroman, winner of a two-mile chase by a length over The Dominator on April 21 at Pakenham Racecourse. The Dominator is part of the Brierly field along with Slowpoke Rodriguez, who was fifth in the 2019 Grand Annual.