Australia: Recommendation will try to stay unbeaten in 12-runner handicap

The undefeated colt Recommendation will have his third career start in a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse in Australia on Thursday, the final race of his juvenile season. He has yet to race in his own age group.

Recommendation beat older horses when he won a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlong at Gosford Racecourse on June 9, and again in a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook on July 1 as an odds-on favorite.

All Australian and New Zealand horses become a year older on Monday, when the calendar turns to August, much like Northern Hemisphere horses have “birthdays” on Jan. 1.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Recommendation will not be an odds-on favorite at Wyong. A consistent pacesetter, Recommendation is part of a full field of 12 and is likely to be prominent early from an outside post.

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The race drew 18, with four horses on an also-eligible list following two early scratches. Navajo Peak, a winner of two of his last three starts, can play an important factor, if he draws into the field. Navajo Peak won a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Hawkesbury on July 17 in his second start against winners.

Air of Alsace, a 4-year-old New Zealand-bred filly who has won 2 of 7 starts, is another major threat to Recommendation with a significant class drop from her last two races and a late kick that led to wins last December and January.

Air of Alsace was rested for nearly six months after the January win, and finished second and sixth in two starts against tougher company earlier this month in six-furlong sprints at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney.

Wyong has an eight-race program beginning at 10:20 p.m. Eastern or 7:20 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.