Australia: Rematch brewing in Tasmanian Stakes

A ground-saving trip helped Indispensable record a 25-1 upset over 3-10 favorite The Inevitable in the Conquering Stakes at seven furlongs at Launceston Racecourse on the island of Tasmania in Australia on Dec. 13.

The rematch occurs in the $85,500 Tasmanian Stakes at a mile at Hobart Racecourse in Tasmania on Thursday evening.

The longer distance and the venue may favor The Inevitable, who has won four of six career starts at Hobart, including the most recent running of the Tasmanian Stakes in January.

An 8-year-old gelding, The Inevitable runs from off the pace. In the Conquering Stakes, The Inevitable rallied wide on the turn and into the stretch, but could not catch Indispensable who had a good trip on the inside under jockey Craig Newitt.

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Newitt has the mount on Indispensable on Thursday evening. The Inevitable will be ridden by his regular rider, David Pires.

The Tasmanian Stakes is the second start for The Inevitable since he was campaigned on the Australian mainland earlier this year with mixed results. While The Inevitable was second in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in September, he could not finish closer than fifth in three subsequent starts through early November before being sent back to Tasmania.

The Tasmanian Stakes drew a field of seven and is part of a 10-race program that begins at 9:38 p.m. Eastern or 6:38 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Tasmanian Stakes will be Indispensable’s first start at Hobart. A 7-year-old gelding who has won 9 of 46 starts, Indispensable is the only runner in the field without course experience, a reflection of the relative isolation of Tasmanian racing.

Hobart is familiar turf to First Accused, who was fourth in the Conquering Stakes. First Accused has won 5 of 13 career starts at Hobart, including a second to The Inevitable in the Tasmanian Stakes last January. First Accused won the six-furlong Newmarket Handicap at Launceston in November.

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