Australia: Nikau Spur must overcome wide post in Gold Nugget Stakes

An outside draw in a large field is not ideal for Nikau Spur in Sunday’s $72,700 Gold Nugget Stakes on turf at Ballarat Racecourse in Australia, but his stalking style and recent race record may alleviate any concern.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Nikau Spur has won three of his last five starts and 4 of 9 races in his career, which began in July 2020.

Nikau Spur won his most recent start, in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, closing from sixth of nine to win by a length over Global Gift.

This is not Nikau Spur’s richest race. He was third in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in January with a slightly higher value.

A 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Nikau Spur is part of a full field of 13 that drew six also-eligibles. Harry Coffey rides Nikau Spur for the first time, replacing John Allen, who rides the outsider Constantinople in the Gold Nugget.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing

Nikau Spur was 9-2 in early betting on Friday, a second choice behind Shot of Irish, who was sixth in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes at a mile at Moonee Valley Stakes in Melbourne on Sept. 4, the gelding’s 10th consecutive loss over the last 15 months.

Shot of Irish has won nine races – five in the state of Tasmania in 2017 and 2018, and four in the state of Victoria in 2019 and 2020.

Trained by Scott Brunton, Shot of Irish is most effective setting the pace or racing as a stalker.

This is the first start of 2021 for Pappalino, who has been gelded since his last appearance in November. A minor stakes winner in France in 2018, Pappalino was fifth in his Australian debut in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown last November, his only start in the country.

Wicklow Town, a 5-year-old gelding with a handy racing style, is well drawn in post 2. Wicklow Town won a seven-furlong handicap at Sandown on Aug. 25, but was fourth, beaten slightly less than a length, in a more lucrative handicap at a mile at Moonee Valley on Sept. 4.

The Gold Nugget is the eighth of nine races on a Ballarat program that begins at 11:25 p.m. Eastern, or 8:25 p.m. Pacific, on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.