Australia: Lekvarte in top form for Randwick handicap

The 5-year-old New Zealand-bred mare Lekvarte flew through the stretch to win consecutive seven-furlong handicaps against fillies and mares in Australia on Nov. 18 and Dec. 2.

Lekvarte’s recent winning streak will be put to a test when she starts against males in a one-mile handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday evening.

Trained by Joseph Pride, Lekvarte has won two of four career starts at Randwick, including a one-mile handicap against fillies and mares in February. A winner of 6 of 24 starts, Lekvarte has beaten males, most recently in a seven-furlong handicap at Randwick last December.

Through her career, Lekvarte has consistently raced as a closer.

A win at Randwick on Friday will not be easy. The race drew a field of 15 and lacks a clear favorite.

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Kirwan’s Lane and Grebeni were the 4-1 favorites in early betting on Thursday, while Lekvarte was a more attractive price at 7-1.

The handicap is part of a 10-race program that begins at 8:30 p.m. Eastern or 5:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Kirwan’s Lane will have a significant drop in class from a fourth-place finish by 1 1/4 lengths in a field of 20 in the Group 2 Ingham Stakes at a mile at Randwick last weekend. Kirwan’s Lane, a winner of 11 of 47 starts, closed from eighth in that massive field to be nearest the front at the finish. The Ingham Stakes had a purse of $1.32 million.

A multiple stakes winner, Kirwan’s Lane has won at Randwick at a mile.

Grebeni won the Goulburn Cup at seven furlongs at Goulburn Racecourse on Nov. 5, and followed with a sixth-place finish as the 3-1 co-favorite in the Group 3 Festival Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Dec. 2.

Grebeni was beaten 3 1/4 lengths at Rosehill Gardens, closing from 10th of 11.

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