Australia: Knight has weight edge in Fred Cooper Cup

Since the first of October, the handicap rating of the 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding Knight has risen steadily, boosted by two wins in his last three starts.

With a higher rating comes tougher races, at least in theory. Knight may be in a position to exploit his status in Friday’s Fred Cooper Cup at a mile at Goulborn Racecourse in New South Wales.

Knight is booked to carry 124.5 pounds, well below topweight Spunlago at 143.3 pounds, or Pirate Ben who is second in the weights at 133 pounds.

Knight, who tends to lead or dispute the pace, may be too tough to catch in the Fred Cooper Cup, which drew a field of 11. Knight has won 3 of 7 starts. He won his first race at a mile on Dec. 2 at Gosford Park in a qualifier for a seasonal racing series in Australia that culminates with a final on Jan. 2 at Wyong Racecourse.

The Fred Cooper Cup serves as an ideal bridge race between the two events.

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Trained by Kim Waugh, Knight breaks from post 8 and will be ridden by Jay Ford, who was aboard Knight for a second in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs on Oct. 17 at Newcastle. James McDonald, one of the top riders in the Australian state of New South Wales, rode Knight on Dec. 2, but is not booked to ride at Goulborn.

The 9-year-old gelding All But Gone is drawn to the inside of Knight and is likely to run from a stalking position. All But Gone won a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie Racecourse on Nov. 24 for his ninth win in 62 starts.

Spunlago, winless in his last five starts, is being given a significant drop in class from recent races. Spunlago was eighth of 11 in the tougher Wodonga Gold Cup at about a mile on Nov. 27.

The seven-race Goulborn program begins at 9:50 p.m. Eastern, or 6:50 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.