Australia: Monsters Inc takes on winners as highweight

Monsters Inc was well-touted before a successful debut in a six-furlong maiden race April 16 at Wangaratta Racecourse in Australia. He was the 8-5 favorite, raced near the front throughout, and won by three-quarters of a length.

Monsters Inc, by Animal Kingdom, faces winners for the first time in a six-furlong handicap at Sale Racecourse, east of Melbourne, on Tuesday. He will be at the front of the betting market in a full field of 12.

A gelding trained by Kane Harris, Monsters Inc drew post 11 and will carry top weight of 136.6 pounds. Harris’s stable does not have many starters, but has with won 3 of its last 20 runners since late January. The span includes the maiden win by Monsters Inc.

Jockey Daniel Stackhouse, who was aboard for the April 16 race, keeps the mount.

The eight-race Sale program begins at 9:35 p.m. Eastern, or 6:35 p.m. Pacific, on Monday evening. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Sale program begins with two hurdles races and one steeplechase followed by five flat races.

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Monsters Inc is part of a field that could be dominated by lightly-raced runners.

Designer Chef, who won a maiden race in his third start April 24 at Cranbourne Racecourse, will carry 135.5 pounds and is capable of setting the pace.

Motakhayyel, who also will carry 135.5 pounds, is likely to race as a stalker. A gelding by Snitzel, Motakhayyel won a maiden race at about six furlongs on April 16 at Wangarratta in his second start, and first race since August.

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This is the second start of 2020 for Mister Yu Shu, a colt by Artie Schiller who won a maiden race in his debut last September. Mister Yu Shu, a closer, was sixth in stakes on two high-profile race days at Moonee Valley and Flemington last October and November.

In his lone start this year, Mister Yu Shu was eighth of 10 at 25-1 in a six-furlong handicap April 13 at Sandown Racecourse. Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne also is known as Ladbrokes Park.