Australia: Kapsali looks to continue roll in Grafton handicap

Last July and August, the Australian gelding Kapsali could do no better than second in the first three starts of his career. This year, he can’t lose.

Kapsali was rested for five months from mid-August to mid-January and has won his first two starts this year. He will be favored to extend the winning streak to three races in a handicap at about seven furlongs at Grafton Racecourse on Monday, the site of the 3-year-old’s two recent wins.

Trained by Brett Dodson, Kapsali races as a stalker and has taken the lead in the final furlong of his two wins, recording narrow victories at seven furlongs – a maiden race by about three-quarters of a length on Jan. 23 and a handicap by a half-length on Feb. 12.

Jockey Matthew McGuren has been aboard for the two wins and retains the mount.

Kapsali breaks from post 2 in a field of 11 in the third race on a seven-race program that begins at 9:50 p.m. Eastern. or 6:50 p.m. Pacific, on Sunday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Dodson has another leading contender with the 4-year-old gelding Free Press, a winner 2 of 18 starts. Free Press is unlucky not to have a greater number of wins, having lost his last race by a nose in a one-mile handicap at Tamworth on Feb. 11.

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Free Press, who also races as a stalker, won consecutive starts at seven furlongs at Armidale last March and April, but has lost his last nine races.

Kapsali will carry top weight of 133 pounds. Off Her Roca, a 5-year-old mare, was given an assignment of 135.5 pounds, but the booking of apprentice jockey Jasper Franklin will reduce the weight to 131.

Off Her Roca, a winner of 3 of 19 starts, was fourth by 1 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong handicap at Port Macquarie on Feb. 6. She has raced against tougher competition in recent starts.

Hitotsu, Converge win stakes

Hitotsu won his second consecutive Group 1 race, while Converge recorded a minor upset in his first Group 1 win since June in a $736,300 stakes at a mile for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds in Australia on Saturday.

Hitotsu won the Australian Guineas at Flemington in Melbourne, while Converge won the Randwick Guineas at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Hitotsu ($18) rallied on the rail through the final three furlongs in a field of 15 to finish about a half-length in front of 13-1 Lightsaber, who was a three-quarters of a length in front of 23-1 Bon’s a Pearla, a filly.

Ridden by John Allen for trainer Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Hitotsu won the Group 1 Victorian Derby at 1 9/16 miles at Flemington in his final start of 2021.

Converge ($16.80) won the Randwick Guineas by a neck over 1-2 favorite Anamoe, closing from fifth in a field of 10. Hilal (3-1) was third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths. Anamoe, Hilal, and Converge finished first through third in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Feb. 19.

Converge, who was ridden by Tim Clark for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins Stakes at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane last June.

Earlier on the Flemington program, Inspirational Girl ($8.60) finished a head in front of even-money Zaaki in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at a mile. Inspirational Girl closed from fifth in a field of 10 to beat Zaaki, a six-time group stakes winner in 2021.

There was a minor upset in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes at five furlongs at Randwick when second choice Eduardo ($5.60) beat three rivals, including 1-5 Nature Strip, the 2019-20 Australian Horse of the Year.

Eduardo finished a head in front of 21-1 Shelby Sixtysix, with Nature Strip finishing third by 1 1/4 lengths.

The Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Randwick had a predictable result with Forbidden Love ($2.90) finishing 1 3/4 lengths in front of the Kentucky-bred Lighthouse, the 3-1 second choice.

Lighthouse was a stakes winner at Kentucky Downs in 2020 and in Australia in January.

Inspirational Girl, Lighthouse, and Zaaki are among 12 invitees to the $3.68 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 19. The race will have 15 entries with the final field to be determined Monday.