Australia: Lyrical Gangster should enjoy stretch to a mile

A first start at a mile may lead to a second career win for Lyrical Gangster in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday evening.

From the powerful Chris Waller stable, Lyrical Gangster won his debut in a maiden race at 6 1/4 furlongs at Newcastle on April 22 and followed with a third-place finish in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Kembla Grange on May 6.

At Kembla Grange, Lyrical Gangster closed from seventh in a field of 10 to lose by 2 1/4 lengths. For the Warwick Farm race, Waller has turned to top Australian money rider James McDonald to ride Lyrical Gangster for the first time.

McDonald leads Australian riders in earnings, and was tied for third in wins for the current season through Monday.

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Lyrical Gangster is part of a field of 10 Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds in the second of seven races on a Warwick Farm program that begins at 10:50 p.m. Eastern or 7:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

While there will be support for Lyrical Gangster, the gelding Grebeni and filly Celestial Spirit are likely to be the top choices.

Grebeni is a closer who finished second by slightly less than a half-length in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Kembla Grange on April 23 in his first start since early January. Grebeni won a maiden race at a mile at Newcastle last December, but has lost his last three starts.

Celestial Spirit has a single win in 10 starts, and was fourth by slightly more than two lengths in a seven-furlong handicap against older fillies and mares at Wagga Wagga Racecourse on May 5 in her most recent start.

Celestial Spirit, who is quick enough to set the pace, finished eighth of 10 in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile last October in her only previous appearance at a mile, a race far different than what she will face at Warwick Farm.

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