Australia: Ninja goes for first six-furlong win in Missile Stakes

For an accomplished sprinter, the 4-year-old Australian-bred Ninja has never won at six furlongs, a statistical oddity that may change in Saturday’s Group 2 Missile Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Ninja, trained by Michael Freedman, has won half of his eight starts, with the wins at 6 1/2 furlongs and seven furlongs, including two group stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds earlier this year.

The $211,800 Missile Stakes will be Ninja’s first start at six furlongs since a third-place finish by a half-length in an allowance race for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane last December. It will mark his first start in any race since he faded from contention to finish fifth in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas at a mile in March.

Ninja won the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney in February. Ninja stalked the pace and won by slightly less than 1 1/2 lengths.

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In the eight-runner Missile Stakes, Ninja is likely to be the third choice behind Angel Capital, a winner of 5 of 15 starts, and the 5-year-old mare Gangsta Granny, who has won 5 of 12. Angel Capital, the expected favorite, started in three consecutive Group 1 sprints in March and April, with his best result a second by a half-length in the William Reid Stakes at six furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on March 21.

The Missile Stakes will be Angel Capital’s first start since a sixth-place finish by 2 1/2 lengths as the 2-1 favorite in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on April 18.

Gangsta Granny, one of two mares in the Missile Stakes, was third by slightly less than a length as the even-money favorite in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on April 11. Gangsta Granny has won 4 of 9 career starts at six furlongs.

The Missile Stakes is the first Group 2 race of the new Australian season, which began last Saturday. The Missile Stakes is part of a 10-race program at Randwick, with a post time of 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Saturday.

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