Australia: Oz Legend drops in class, goes longer

A much-needed drop in class and a return to a race at 1 1/2 miles can end an eight-race losing streak for Oz Legend in a handicap on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Thursday evening.

Oz Legend has won 2 of 17 starts, but the wins were on synthetic tracks in Britain in 2020 and 2021. Sent to Australia in early 2022, Oz Legend has yet to win in eight starts in the country, all on turf. Oz Legend was a good second in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Sept. 10.

The second-place finish was the fifth loss in the current losing streak. Since mid-December, Oz Legend has finished 11th, 13th, and seventh against a slightly higher class of handicap runners in races at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/4 miles.

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A longer trip will work for Oz Legend, who will be ridden James McDonald for trainer Chris Waller. Oz Legend is a threat from off the pace in a field of seven in the fourth race on a seven-race program.

The Randwick program begins at 11:20 p.m. Eastern or 8:20 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Waller-trained Whangaehu, a 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, will be favored on the basis of a win in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Canterbury Park on Jan. 6, in which he overcame traffic issues, and a third by 1 1/2 lengths as the 4-5 favorite in a handicap at the same distance at Canterbury on Jan. 23.

Whangaehu set the pace on Jan. 23, which is not his customary style. A winner of 2 of 13 starts, Whangaehu typically races as a stalker. He may wind up near the front in this field, which lacks a confirmed front-runner.

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