Australia: Ruban Bleu needs best late kick to win handicap at Wagga Wagga
The 7-year-old gelding Ruban Bleu will be closing from off the pace in a handicap at Wagga Wagga Racecourse in Australia on Saturday and may need all seven furlongs of the race distance to reach the front.
A late-closing sprinter, Ruban Bleu is winless in three starts since a comfortable win by 2 1/2 lengths in a handicap at seven furlongs at Canberra Racecourse in December. Ruban Bleu has since finished eighth, second and third.
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The eighth-place finish was on “good” turf, which does not seem to suit the veteran as much as soft or heavy conditions. The course at Wagga Wagga is projected to be soft for the race on Saturday.
The race drew a field of 10 and is part of an eight-race program that begins at 10:45 p.m. Eastern or 7:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
The race represents a drop in class for Participator, who won a six-furlong handicap against a lower class of handicap runners at Wagga Wagga on Jan. 5, but was last of 16 against a much tougher group in a stakes trial at Albury on Feb. 25.
Participator lost all chance when he was checked in traffic in the stretch at Albury and was not persevered with when beaten. A 4-year-old gelding, Participator has won 3 of 8 starts and is unbeaten in three starts at Wagga Wagga. Participator is trained by Tim Donnelly, who is based at Wagga Wagga.
This is a class drop for the speedy Gusonic, who was seventh in the Feb. 25 race at Albury and 11th in another stakes trial at Goulburn on March 17. Gusonic tends to set the pace, and won in that style in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse last June. He has won 5 of 21 starts.
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