Australia: Needs Sugar one to beat in Gold Sovereign at Launceston Racecourse
Needs Sugar is the lone stakes winner and one of nine fillies in a field of 12 in the $104,100 Gold Sovereign Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at six furlongs at Launceston Racecourse in Australia on Saturday evening.
Needs Sugar’s victory in the Elwick Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Hobart Racecourse on Jan. 23 occurred in her fourth start, preceded by a fifth-place finish in a maiden race and two second-place finishes in allowance races. Those races were all from late November to early January.
In the Elwick Stakes, Needs Sugar closed from third in a field of eight to win by three lengths. She won in a manner that suggests the longer distance of the Gold Sovereign Stakes is achievable.
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Of the 12 entrants in the Gold Sovereign, there are four winners, four maidens with race experience, and four first-time starters. All of the debut runners are fillies.
Needs Sugar beat four rivals in the Elwick who are entered in the Gold Sovereign – Encounter Sphere (who finished third), Cairns (fourth), Batchy Bullet (fifth), and Island Warrior (seventh).
Cairns, who is quick enough to lead, beat Needs Sugar in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Launceston on Dec. 14 in his first start.
Encounter Sphere, who seems best suited to a stalking style, won his debut in a maiden race at five furlongs at Hobart on Nov. 27 and was fourth behind Cairns and Needs Sugar on Dec. 14. The Sovereign Stakes is Encounter Sphere’s fourth start.
The gelding The Spirit of Zero is the only other last-race winner in the field other than Needs Sugar. The Spirit of Zero won a maiden race in his second start at 5 1/2 furlongs at Launceston on Jan. 18, closing from fifth in a field of six.
Launceston Racecourse, located on the island of Tasmania, has a nine-race program on Saturday beginning at 8:20 p.m. Eastern or 5:20 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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