Australia: Lismore Cup will provide two berths for rich Big Dance Stakes

Saavy Lad is proving tough to catch in the final furlong of turf marathons in Australia in the last month.

With wins in his last two starts at 1 1/4 miles and 1 5/16 miles, Saavy Lad has earned the role of topweight for the Lismore Cup at about 1 5/16 miles at Lismore Racecourse on Wednesday evening.

The key to a victory will be holding off an expected late threat from Holstein, who had a two-race winning streak end with a sixth-place finish by three lengths in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday.

Holstein, the 6-5 favorite in early betting, and Saavy Lad (3-1) are the top two contenders in the Lismore Cup, which drew a field of 10 and has long-term ramifications.

The first two finishers qualify for consideration for the $1.93 million Big Dance Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Nov. 7.

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Horses gain consideration for berths to the Big Dance Stakes with top-two finishes in a series of qualifying races. The field will be limited to 20 starters determined by handicap ratings.

The Big Dance distance may not be an ideal fit for Holstein, who won at six furlongs and a mile at the start of his career in 2021, but has been better at 1 1/8 miles this year. This is his first start at 1 5/16 miles.

Saavy Lad, who will carry 129 pounds compared to Holstein’s 127.8, has led or raced near the front in his last two starts, including a handicap against a lower class of handicap runners at about 1 5/16 miles at Lismore on Sept. 7.

Aside from those two, Without Revenge (4-1) will be prominent in the betting. A winner of 4 of 21 starts, Without Revenge is winless in eight starts since November, but was third by slightly more than a half-length after setting the pace in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Sunshine Coast on Sept. 10.

Without Revenge is not reliant on setting the pace. He won as a stalker earlier in his career.

Lismore has an eight-race program beginning at 10:50 p.m. Eastern or 7:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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