Australia: Maui Girl steps up into handicap at Canterbury Park
Maui Girl returned from a layoff of just less than 18 months to win a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse in Australia on April 30. A little more than two weeks later, Maui Girl was just as sharp, winning a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Kembla Grange on May 16.
Trained by Jason Coyle, Maui Girl takes a leap in class in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs at Canterbury Park on Wednesday. Maui Girl’s recent wins make her the likely favorite in a field of 10.
Maui Girl, a 4-year-old filly by Lope De Vega, has won 3 of 5 starts. In late 2018, she beat maidens in her debut and was fourth and 10th in stakes before the layoff.
For Wednesday’s race, Maui Girl is the starting highweight at 134.4 pounds. Birth of Venus was assigned highweight of 137.3 pounds, but will be ridden by apprentice jockey Chris Williams, lowering the assignment to 133 pounds.
Birth of Venus, a 5-year-old Irish-bred mare by High Chaparral, may not be suited to Wednesday’s distance. Birth of Venus won a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Jan. 18. This is her first start since a third in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles in mid-February.
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Maui Girl, a stalker, is likely to be in early pursuit of Whiskey Shooter, winless in three starts since a win in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in December. Whiskey Shooter, who will carry 131 pounds, was ninth as a longshot in a handicap at six furlongs on May 13 in her first start since Jan. 1.
Whiskey Shooter is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who also start the sharp 4-year-old mare Smart Decision, a winner of her last two starts.
The Canterbury Park program begins at 10:50 p.m. Eastern, or 7:50 p.m. Pacific, on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.