Australia: Marcassin favored in seven-furlong handicap
Marcassin, the 3-year-old Australia-bred gelding, was fully extended to win his 2021 debut in a maiden race at Goulburn Racecourse on May 9, hanging on by a head as the 3-10 favorite.
For his second start this year, Marcassin will start favored again in a seven-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Tuesday. Marcassin, facing winners for the first time, will not be as short of a price as he was in the May 9 race, and will be fitted with blinkers for the first time.
This will be Marcassin’s first start in a handicap, and the weight assignment is friendly. Marcassin will carry 122.3 pounds, far below topweight Liveinthefastlane at 135.5 pounds.
Marcassin finished fourth, fifth and second in three maiden races for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds in May and June 2020. Earlier this month, Marcassin beat five rivals at Goulburn in a race at about 6 1/2 furlongs, setting an early pace.
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At Kembla Grange, Marcassin is part of a field of 10. The seven-race program begins at 10:35 p.m. Eastern, or 7:35 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Liveinthefastlane is winless in her last eight starts and takes a significant drop in class level, having finished ninth of 11 as a 40-1 outsider in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup at a mile at Hawkesbury Racecourse on May 1.
Liveinthefastlane was a good third in the Provincial Country Championship at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse on April 17, a very competitive handicap that brought together a field of horses from throughout the smaller stables in the state of New South Wales.
Temoin Chaud, a 4-year-old filly, has won 4 of 11 starts, but is winless in her last two appearances. Temoin Chaud was third of 13 in a lucrative seven-furlong handicap for fillies and mares at Wagga Wagga Racecourse on May 7, setting the early pace. She was beaten 2 1/4 lengths in that race and is likely to be the filly to catch at Kembla Grange.