Australia: Kozluca looks to build on debut win

Kozluca was a well-regarded first-time starter when the Australian-bred gelding closed from fifth in a field of 12 to win a seven-furlong maiden race at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Jan. 14.

A repeat performance is widely predicted in Kozluca’s debut against winners in a seven-furlong handicap on Thursday at Eagle Farm, located in Brisbane, Australia.

By Exosphere, the 3-year-old Kozluca won the Jan. 14 race by about a head under jockey James McDonald, who is not riding Thursday. McDonald typically rides in New South Wales, primarily at tracks in and around Sydney, but underwent a two-week quarantine at the start of January to ride a series of lucrative races in Queensland in the middle of the month.

Eagle Farm is located in Queensland. The Jan. 14 race occurred during McDonald’s stay in Queensland.

For Thursday’s race, jockey Michael Rodd will ride Kozluca, who will be fitted with blinkers for the first time.

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Kozluca, trained by Chris Waller, has drawn post 2 in a field of 12. Kozluca is one of two runners in the field having their second starts after a first-race win. War Toy won a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Ballina Racecourse on Jan. 3, but is not as highly-regarded as Kozluca.

Gdansk, also a 3-year-old gelding, is rated as a more significant threat to Kozluca’s chances. Gdansk won a maiden race at six furlongs at Doomben Racecourse on Jan. 7 in his first start in two months.

Runners such as Sir Piccolo, who was third in a six-furlong handicap at Sunshine Coast on Jan. 17, and Mandeville Rocker, unraced since a fifth in a handicap at about a mile at Ipswich Racecourse in July, are likely to be near the front.

The Eagle Farm program begins at 10:45 p.m. Eastern, or 7:45 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.