Australia: Lekvarte seems up to challenge in this year's Belle of the Turf
Lekvarte seems to be a different mare than she was when fifth in the Group 3 Belle of the Turf Stakes at Gosford Racecourse in Australia in December 2022.
Lekvarte has won her last two starts, only the second time in her 24-race career she has accomplished such a feat.
The recent success, achieved in competitive handicaps on important race days since mid-November, suggests that Lekvarte can win the first group-level stakes of her career in the $204,300 Belle of the Turf Stakes at a mile on Wednesday evening.
In early betting on Tuesday, Lekvarte and Zoe’s Promise were the co-favorites at 3-1.
Lekvarte, a six-time winner, is a closer. The style worked in seven-furlong handicaps at Newcastle on Nov. 18, the day she beat Zoe’s Promise by slightly less than a half-length, and on Dec. 2 at Rosehill Gardens.
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Zoe’s Promise, a winner of 3 of 18 starts, rebounded from the loss on Nov. 18 to win a lucrative one-mile handicap against a tough field at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Dec. 9.
Unlike Lekvarte, Zoe’s Promise tends to run from a stalking position and is quick enough to be part of the pace at times.
This is Zoe’s Promise’s second career start at Gosford. She was 12th of 13 in the Coast Stakes on May 6 as a 40-1 outsider. Similar to Lekvarte, Zoe’s Promise’s recent form is improving.
At Randwick on Dec. 9, Zoe’s Promise beat a field that includes Ita, a 6-year-old mare who closed from last in a field of nine to finish fifth by more than two lengths. Ita was arguably left with too much to do through the stretch under jockey Dylan Gibbons.
Rachel King takes the mount in Ita in the Belle of the Turf Stakes.
The Belle of the Turf Stakes, which drew a field of 11, is part of a seven-race program that begins at 9:10 p.m. Eastern or 6:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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