Australia: Military Mission ready to run winning race
With a prep race behind him, Military Mission looks poised for a first win in Australia in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Canterbury Park on Wednesday.
Trained by the high-profile stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Military Mission was third by 1 1/4 lengths in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs at Canterbury on March 10, his first start since an eighth in his Australian debut last October. In the March 10 race, Military Mission was ridden by Rachel King, who has the mount on Wednesday.
King has also been the recent rider of Main Stage, who is expected to be a slight favorite at Canterbury against Military Mission in a competitive field of seven.
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Military Mission was fifth of 17 in the King George V Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Ascot in England last June in his final start in that country, where he was trained by Hugo Palmer.
Main Stage, who will be ridden by Tim Clark, won a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Feb. 16 and was second by 2 1/2 lengths in a tougher one-mile handicap at Kensington on March 23.
A 7-year-old gelding who tends to set the pace, Main Stage will have his 49th start at Canterbury Park on Wednesday.
Race conditions should suit the former Hong Kong runner Reggiewood, who won a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the Kensington course on Feb. 2 in his second start in Australia. Reggiewood began his career in New Zealand where he was sixth in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby in 2020.
Canterbury Park has an eight-race program beginning at 10:45 p.m. Eastern or 7:45 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Duais makes it two straight
The 4-year-old filly Duais won her second consecutive Group 1 against males with an authoritative victory in Sunday’s $1.12 million Tancred Stakes at Newcastle Racecourse.
Ridden by Joshua Parr, Duais ($5.40) closed from last in a field of nine with a wide rally to win the Tancred Stakes at 1 1/2 miles by slightly more than three lengths over 15-1 Stockman.
Spanish Mission, who was third in the Grade 1 Melbourne Cup last November, was in contention with a quarter-mile remaining before fading to finish last of nine.
Duais, who is by the Snitzel stallion Shamus Award, has won 7 of 18 starts. The Tancred Stakes was her fifth stakes win and third in a Group 1. Trained by Edward Cummings, Duais won the Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm Racecourse last June and the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington on March 12.
The Tancred Stakes was scheduled for Rosehill Gardens Racecourse last Saturday, but moved to Newcastle because of excessive rain.