Australia: Nicolini Vito picks up McDonald for Carrington Stakes
The Australian gelding Nicolini Vito could only manage a sixth-place finish after he failed to settle early in the Chester Manifold Stakes at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Jan. 1.
A different rider and a new venue in the Carrington Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday evening may lead to a better result.
James McDonald, the leading rider in Australia by prize money this season, will ride Nicolini Vito for the first time in the Carrington Stakes at seven furlongs. In the Carrington Stakes, a closer such as Nicolini Vito may have a favorable trip in pursuit of two other leading contenders in Titanium Power and Vreneli, who often race near the front.
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Nicolini Vito, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Ben and J.D. Hayes, has won 7 of 15 starts, with most of the wins coming in routine handicaps that comprise a majority of the races in Australia. Nicolini Vito has started in four listed stakes, including the Chester Manifold at seven furlongs. He was second by a length in the Village Stakes at six furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse in October.
Prior to the Chester Manifold Stakes, Nicolini Vito won a lucrative seven-furlong handicap at Flemington on Dec. 17, closing from 10th in a field of 13.
Vreneli, a winner of his last two starts at six and seven furlongs, is more of a need-the-lead type than Titanium Power, who won a six-furlong handicap at Rosehill Gardens in his most recent start Jan. 7. Titanium Power has won 8 of 26 starts and will have his stakes debut in the Carrington Stakes.
The 8-year-old Looks Like Elvis can be a factor from off the pace. A winner of 10 of 60 starts, Looks Like Elvis was second in the Chester Manifold, closing from fifth. He does not have a good record at Randwick, however, going winless in 10 starts.
Randwick has a 10-race program beginning at 8:20 p.m. Eastern, or 5:20 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.