Australia: Mamaragan's speed gives him edge in Summer Sprinter Series at Moonee Valley

It helps to race near the front at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, with a stretch slightly shorter than a furlong.

Mamaragan has a forward style that led to a win at Moonee Valley earlier this year, and that is one of the reasons the 5-year-old gelding is favored to win the $85,400 Summer Sprinters Series Final at six furlongs on Saturday evening.

Mamaragan won a five-furlong handicap at Moonee Valley in January in his first start since July. He broke from the outside in a field of nine and was always near the front, winning by three-quarters of a length.

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In the Sprinters Final, Mamaragan also starts from post 9 in a field of 10.

Mamaragan was second in a handicap at 4 1/2 furlongs at Moonee Valley on Feb. 17, losing by about a neck after racing in traffic in early stretch. Jockey Blake Shinn claimed foul, but the objection was disallowed.

Shinn is aboard Mamaragan on Saturday evening. They face Red Hot Nicc, who won a six-furlong handicap at Moonee Valley on Feb. 10 and was third against a higher level of handicap runners in a six-furlong race at Flemington on Feb. 18. Red Hot Nicc tends to set the pace.

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

Earlier on the program, Wagon Wheel has an excellent chance to win his second consecutive start in the $85,400 Summer Stayers Series Final at 1 9/16 miles.

The 4-year-old gelding won for the second time in his seventh career race, a handicap at 1 9/16 miles at Moonee Valley on Feb. 17l. He closed from fifth in a field of 12 to prevail by a convincing 3 1/4 lengths in his first start at the track.

The recent British import Zoom runs closer to the pace than Wagon Wheel and can be a factor in a field of eight in the Summer Stayers Final.

Zoom was winless in six starts in Britain in 2021 and 2022, but is unbeaten in three starts this year in Australia in races ranging in distance from a mile to about 1 1/2 miles.

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