Australia: Lord Ardmore in sharp form for Wyong Gold Cup
Two recent wins in lucrative handicaps and a third in a Group 3 race last month have made Lord Ardmore the favorite and topweight for the $137,100 Wyong Gold Cup at Wyong Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.
Lord Ardmore’s recent form and the race distance of 1 5/16 miles suggest the 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding can win for the sixth time in his 21st start in the 11-runner Wyong Gold Cup.
Since returning from a five-month layoff in early June, Lord Ardmore has started four times and not been worse than third. After a second in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on June 11, Lord Ardmore won handicaps at 1 1/8 miles at Rosehill Gardens on July 16 and at Royal Randwick on Aug. 6.
:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing
The winning streak ended with a third by slightly less than a length in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on Aug. 20 as the 2-1 favorite.
Six of the runners who finished behind Lord Ardmore in the Premier’s Cup are back in the Wyong Gold Cup, including fourth- through sixth-place finishers Grove Ferry, Yiyi, and Toomuchtobear. They are rated as the Lord Ardmore’s principal rivals.
Lord Ardmore, trained by Chris Waller, will carry 127.8 pounds, while Grove Ferry, Yiyi and Toomuchtobear will carry 122.3 pounds.
Hugh Bowman rides Lord Ardmore for the fourth consecutive race in the Wyong Gold Cup. He is likely to have the gelding on or near the lead in a race void of a confirmed front-runner.
Grove Ferry, second to Lord Ardmore at Randwick on Aug. 6 and fourth by 1 1/4 lengths in the Premier’s Cup, is capable of racing near the front. He has never raced at 1 5/16 miles and will face a stamina test.
The 5-year-old La Chevalee, one of two mares in the field, won a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on July 9 and was fourth by 2 3/4 lengths behind Lord Ardmore at Randwick on Aug. 6.
The Wyong Gold Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 10:45 p.m. Eastern or 7:45 p.m. Pacific on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.