Australia: Point Counterpoint has 'only' nine rivals in Armidale Cup
After facing field of 20 and 18 in his last two starts, Point Counterpoint may seem lonely with nine rivals in the Armidale Cup at Armidale Racecourse in Australia on Saturday.
A winner of 6 of 22 starts, Point Counterpoint was fourth by a length in a field of 20 in the Little Dance Handicap at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Nov. 1, and fourth by slightly less than a length in a field of 18 in the Country Classic Handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Nov. 26.
The Armidale Cup is run at 1 3/16 miles, a familiar distance for the 6-year-old Point Counterpoint. He won a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Armidale in March 2021. Last December, Point Counterpoint was second in the Armidale Cup when the race was run at a mile and moved to Tamworth Racecourse because of excessive rain at Armidale.
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Point Counterpoint, trained by Stirland Osman at Armidale, won consecutive starts in September in the Moree Cup at seven furlongs and a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs at Canterbury Park. Point Counterpoint tends to run from off the pace.
In the Armidale Cup, Point Counterpoint will be joined at the back of the field by the contender Beckford, who was 10th in the Little Dance and third in the Country Classic. Beckford won the relocated Armidale Cup last December.
Point Counterpoint, the mount of Aaron Bullock, will carry top weight of 137.7 pounds, while Beckford has been assigned 132 pounds.
The race lacks a clear pacesetter, although the outsiders Red Beryl and Casirina have set the pace in some of their recent starts. They will carry the minimum weight of 121 pounds.
Group Think, a winner of 5 of 35 starts, will carry 122.3 pounds and should be suited to the distance. He finished third by about a half-length in a one-mile handicap at Tamworth on Nov. 29 in his second start following a layoff of more than six months. Group Think has won at distances ranging from 1 1/8 miles to 1 3/8 miles in the last few years.
Armidale has an eight-race program beginning at 9:10 p.m. Eastern or 6:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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