Australia: Rock the Dream seeks end to near-misses in Tuesday handicap

Rock the Dream had a month of close finishes in Australia in May, finishing with interest to be third in two sprint handicaps.

For her first start in June, at Armidale Racecourse on Tuesday, the theme remains the same. Rock the Dream starts in a seven-furlong handicap. But unlike in May when she started against males, Rock the Dream is part of a field of 10 fillies and mares at Armidale.

Trained by Scott Singleton, Rock the Dream was beaten 1 1/4 lengths at 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook on May 9, and by 1 1/2 lengths at seven furlongs at Inverell Racecourse on May 27.

A 4-year-old filly, Rock the Dream has won 2 of 15 starts, with the wins at 6 1/2 furlongs and seven furlongs.

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At Armidale, Rock the Dream will be ridden by apprentice jockey Jackson Searle, and is part of a field of 10 in the fifth race on an eight-race program that begins at 10:20 p.m. Eastern, or 7:20 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

For the first half-mile, Rock the Dream will be joined at the back of the field by likely favorite Cassia Lane, a 3-year-old filly who beat maidens in her fifth start at Murwillumbah in December, but is winless in four starts this year.

Cassia Lane was second by two lengths in a six-furlong handicap at Inverell on May 27, rallying from eighth in the stretch.

Those fillies will be in pursuit of Qukes, a 5-year-old New Zealand-bred mare who tends to race near the front. A winner of 3 of 30 starts, Qukes won a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Armidale last September, her most recent win. Qukes has been beaten in her last eight starts.

Qukes was a promising second in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs against fillies and mares at Armidale on May 6, but was only fifth against males in a handicap at seven furlongs at Inverell on May 20, fading from contention in the final furlong.