Australia: Magic Palace, Call Me Brad top sprint handicap field

The lightly raced filly Magic Palace and the veteran gelding Call Me Brad headline a full field of 14 in a sprint handicap at Gunnedah, Australia, on Tuesday. They are not the only contenders in a race that lacks a heavy favorite.

Magic Palace, a 4-year-old in the Southern Hemisphere, won her debut at Coffs Harbour in March 2019 and was seventh in her final start of that year a month later. This year, Magic Palace has had two starts, finishing seventh in a five-furlong handicap at Muswellbrook on Nov. 3 and fourth by 2 1/2 lengths in a handicap at six furlongs at Newcastle on Nov. 24.

Tuesday’s race will be run at 6 1/2 furlongs and will be the longest career start for Magic Palace. Considering she finished with interest on Nov. 24, the added distance should be a benefit for Magic Palace, who will carry 123 pounds.

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Call Me Brad, 8, has won 7 of 64 starts and won a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs at Gunnison Racecourse on Dec. 5, ending a 17-race losing streak since August 2019. Call Me Brad had his debut in February 2016 and has been very active throughout his career, making 11 starts in 2016, 10 in 2017, 13 in 2018, 17 last year and 13 this year.

By comparison, the 5-year-old Larynx has barely started his career, winning 3 of 22 starts. Larynx is winless in his last four starts, and was a good third by a length in a six-furlong handicap at Newcastle on Nov. 24.

In Tuesday’s race, Larynx will break from post 7, which should aid his style of leading or disputing the pace.

Trained by Brett Thompson, Larynx has started in tougher races at times this year, but this race represents a class that more closely resembles the recent Newcastle race and should be an attractive fit.

Gunnedah has an eight-race program beginning at 9:20 p.m. Eastern, or 6:20 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.