Australia: Nikau Spur in good spot for Warwick Farm handicap

The four-time winner Nikau Spur is well-placed to add to his resume in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Australia on Monday.

Trained by the powerful team of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Nikau Spur finished a fast-closing third in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs at Canterbury Park on March 30, losing by a little more than 1 1/4 lengths in his first start since September.

Nikau Spur, who races as a closer, has won 4 of 11 starts, with the wins at distances ranging from seven furlongs to a mile. At Warwick Farm, Nikau Spur will be ridden for the first time by apprentice jockey Tom Sherry from post 7 in a field of 10.

The handicap lacks a clear favorite. Nikau Spur was 5-1 in early betting on Saturday behind the New Zealand-bred Sindacato at 7-2. Sindacato, trained by Chris Waller, has won 2 of 6 starts with the victories in consecutive starts in New Zealand last June and November. Sindacato was fifth of 11, beaten 5 1/2 lengths, in his Australian debut in a lucrative handicap against much tougher rivals at 6 3/4 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.

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The Warwick Farm race is the first start in Australia for the 5-year-old gelding King of the Castle, a winner of 3 of 9 starts in New Zealand. King of the Castle has not raced since he finished third by a half-length in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Riccarton Racecourse in November.

Warwick Farm has an eight-race program beginning at 10:35 p.m. Eastern, or 7:35 p.m. Pacific on Sunday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

She's Extreme Wins Champagne

She’s Extreme ($9.50) held off a late threat from 2-5 Fireburn to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Saturday.

She’s Extreme had a clear lead in early stretch and prevailed by slightly less than a half-length. The loss ended a five-race winning streak for Fireburn and denied the filly a chance to sweep the Australian 2-year-old Triple Crown.

Fireburn won the Group 1 Golden Slipper at six furlongs on March 19 and the Group 1 Inglis Sires Produce Stakes at seven furlongs on April 2, the first two races in the series. A win in the $370,650 Champagne Stakes would have made Fireburn the first Triple Crown winner since Pierro in 2012.

She’s Extreme was seventh in the $3.69 million Golden Slipper and second in the $749,000 Sires Produce Stakes. A filly by Extreme Choice, She’s Extreme has won 2 of 6 starts.

In Saturday’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick, Cascadian ($22.10) ended a three-race losing streak with a one-length win over Tofane, a 6-year-old mare having her final start before being retired to be bred.

Cascadian, a 7-year-old gelding trained by James Cummings for Godolphin Racing, has won 8 of 38 starts, including the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April 2021.

Forbidden Love, fourth in this year’s Doncaster Mile earlier this month, finished eighth as the 9-5 favorite in a field of 14 in the $444,780 All Aged Stakes.