Australia: Poseidon Ruler looks to end skid in Wauchope Cup

A retreat to a countryside track may help Poseidon Ruler end a three-race losing streak in the minor Wauchope Cup at 7 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie Racecourse in Australia.

Since a win in a six-furlong handicap at Newcastle Racecourse on April 8, Poseidon Ruler has finished fifth twice and fourth once in lucrative handicaps at tracks in Sydney restricted to smaller stables from the state of New South Wales.

Of those losses, Poseidon Ruler got within a length of winning a seven-furlong handicap at Rosehill Gardens on June 3, closing from 10th in a field of 13 to finish fourth.

Trained by John Bannister, Poseidon Ruler, a 5-year-old gelding, has won 4 of 25 starts with the wins at distances ranging from six to seven furlongs. The Wauchope Cup will be Poseidon Ruler’s first start at Port Macquairie, located on the Australian east coast well north of Sydney.

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Poseidon Ruler is part of a field of 14. All of the runners were beaten in their last starts.

Dubai Tycoon has been second in his last two races, a head loss in a six-furlong handicap at Sunshine Coast on May 14 and a nose loss in the Beef Week Cup at seven furlongs at Lismore Racecourse on May 26.

A closer, Dubai Tycoon lost the Beef Week Cup to Mikado, who carries topweight of 131 pounds in the Wauchope Cup. Dubai Tycoon will carry 130 pounds.

The assignments are areverse of the weight they carried in the Beef Week Cup.

Poseidon Ruler carries 126.7 pounds in the Wauchope Cup.

Mikado is a closer who drew the outside post. He won his only start at Port Macquarie in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs in March 2022. Mikado followed his win in the Beef Week Cup with a 10th-place finish in a field of 11 in the Wingham Cup at a mile on June 6, racing at the back of the field throughout.

Port Macquarie has an eight-race program beginning at 9:45 p.m. Eastern or 6:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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