Australia: Kristalove must avoid speed duel in Gosford handicap

Last March, Kristalove won for the first time in her third start in a seven-furlong maiden race for 3-year-olds at Ballarat.

This year, the races have been longer and the results similar. After finishing third by less than three-quarters of a length in a one-mile race Feb. 17, Kristalove won her second start of 2021 in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Canberra Racecourse on March 7, leading throughout.

Her front-running ability will be tested in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles on Thursday at Gosford Racecourse.

Kristalove is likely to be favored. The race drew 13, but top contender Ladylovestogamble won a handicap Tuesday at Newcastle Racecourse and is highly unlikely to race again within 48 hours.

The Gosford handicap is the seventh race on an eight-race program that begins at 10:15 p.m. Eastern, or 7:15 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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Kristalove has won 2 of 6 starts in her career for trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse.

Ladylovestogamble tends to run near the front. If she does not start, Kristalove could still face an early threat from Sally Pops, who has never raced beyond a mile, finishing third in a handicap at that distance on March 12 at Kembla Grange Racecourse. Sally Pops was beaten two lengths in that race by Favreau, the 6-5 favorite who won his second consecutive race.

A potential duel between Kristalove and Sally Pops would help Eugenio, a 5-year-old gelding who has won 4 of 30 starts and should have no trouble with the distance. Eugenio was fifth by 1 3/4 lengths in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles on March 12 at Kembla Grange, finishing behind Savvy Valentino who won a handicap at 1 1/2 miles on the Kensington course March 25 at Royal Randwick Racecourse for his third consecutive victory.