Australia: Mrs Sippy returns on short rest for Bairnsdale Cup

Mrs Sippy was a neck away from her third win in her last five starts in a one-mile handicap on the Lakeside course at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on March 10.

A 5-year-old Australian-bred mare, Mrs Sippy appears to have emerged from the race in top condition, and will have a quick turnaround to Sunday’s Bairnsdale Cup at a mile at Bairnsdale Racecourse on the southern coast, east of Melbourne.

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Mrs Sippy is part of a field of eight in the seventh of eight races on a program that begins at 10:20 p.m., Eastern, or 7:20 p.m., Pacific on Saturday.

Mrs Sippy won handicaps at 6 1/2 furlongs and seven furlongs in December and January. She is winless in seven starts at a mile, even though the March 10 race was a very close defeat. Trained by the partnership of Jason Warren and Dean Krongold, Mrs Sippy closed from fourth to finish behind 8-5 favorite Pale King, who is unbeaten in three starts.

The Bairnsdale Cup field does not have any such standouts. Aside from Mrs Sippy, Gold Fields and New Choice have reasonable form.

Gold Fields was sixth in the listed-level March Stakes at seven furlongs at Flemington Racecourse on March 6, and ran a game second in the listed Cup Day Plate at 1 1/8 miles at Flemington last November. Gold Fields was third in the Bairnsdale Cup when the race was run in October 2019.

New Choice beat a lesser field in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Cranbourne Racecourse on March 12.

The field has one Kentucky-bred in Price Range, a 5-year-old gelding by First Defence who began his career in France with trainer Pascal Bary. Now trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Price Range is winless in seven starts in Australia since May.

Price Range was seventh of 12, beaten about 3 1/2 lengths, in a seven-furlong handicap at Sandown on March 3.