Australia: Macleay gets more ground in rematch with Arrabbiata
There are familiar rivals in a seven-furlong handicap at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia on Saturday evening.
Arrabbiata, an intriguing outsider, beat Macleay by three-quarters of a length in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Armidale Racecourse on Dec. 3. They have a rematch at Tamworth.
For Macleay, the Armidale race was his first start since Christmas Eve 2022 and may have been an ideal prep for this weekend’s race. Macleay was the 2-1 favorite in early betting as of Friday.
Macleay and Arrabbiata must contend with Burraneer Buoy and Vis I Do, the first two finishers of a seven-furlong handicap at Tamworth on Dec. 12.
The quartet are part of a field of 10 in the second of seven races at Tamworth on a program that begins at 9:50 p.m. Eastern, or 6:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
For a 6-year-old gelding, Macleay is lightly raced, having won 2 of 17 starts. A closer, Macleay’s most recent win came in a one-mile handicap at Moree in May 2022, but he has had only two subsequent starts.
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The extra distance at Tamworth should work in favor of Macleay. Arrabbiata will be an early target again. A 4-year-old filly, Arrabbiata set the pace at Armidale in a 10-1 upset. She could face pressure in this field from the outsider Royalz, who faded to finish sixth in the Armidale race on Dec. 3.
Burraneer Buoy can be handy as he showed with a win at Tamworth on Dec. 12 that ended a seven-race losing streak since August 2022. Burraneer Buoy has won 2 of 10 starts, with both victories at Tamworth.
Vis I Do runs from farther off the pace. A winner of 2 of 13 starts, Vis I Do last won in a seven-furlong handicap at Armidale in June and was beaten slightly less than a half-length at Tamworth on Dec. 12. He figures to be a late threat in this competitive field.
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