Australia: Rejoiced sprinting again in Tuesday handicap

Three starts into his career, the Australian colt Rejoiced has performed better in sprints than at a mile.

Rejoiced won his first two starts in November and early December in sprints, but was last of seven in a one-mile handicap at Gosford Park on Dec. 29, setting the pace before fading to lose by 2 1/4 lengths.

A return to a sprint in a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse on Tuesday looks to be a better placing for the relatively unexposed colt.

Trained by Annabel Neashem, Rejoiced is part of a field of 10 in the fourth race of a seven-race program that begins at 9:50 p.m. Eastern, or 6:50 p.m. Pacific on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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The race is restricted to males.

Rejoiced set the pace on Dec. 29, but is not reliant on that style. In his two sprint wins, Rejoiced closed from off the pace in his debut and won from a stalking position in his second start.

Rejoiced was 4-1 in early betting as of Sunday morning, and could attract support at Wyong because of the presence of the high-profile jockey Tommy Berry, who replaces apprentice Ellen Hennessy.

While Rejoiced has raced three times, this will be the 27th start for the 6-year-old gelding Buzz, who ended a four-race losing streak with a front-running win in a seven-furlong handicap at Hawkesbury Racecourse on Dec. 16 in his most recent start.

Buzz is likely to be a slight favorite at Wyong over Acoustix, a 6-year-old gelding who has won 6 of 31 starts. Acoustix also tends to run near the front, utilizing that style to win a seven-furlong handicap at Lismore Racecourse on Dec. 17 for his first win in a span of 11 races since April 2020.