Australia: Ruban Bleu wins infrequently but may be sitting on a good one

An 8-year-old who has not won since April, Ruban Bleu can end a five-race losing streak in the Cootamundra Cup at a mile at tiny Cootamundra Racecourse in Australia on Saturday evening.

Ruban Bleu, a winner of 6 of 56 starts, has had a few encouraging results in recent races despite the losses. A gelding, Ruban Bleu was second by a length in the minor Forbes Cup at a mile on Aug. 6, and fourth by three lengths after racing in traffic on the turn of a seven-furlong handicap at Canberra on Sept. 15.

Those results have made Ruban Bleu the early favorite at 5-2 in a field of 12 in the Cootamundra Cup.

Cootamundra has an eight-race program beginning at 10 p.m. Eastern or 7 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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The venue is located just north of the country’s capital city of Canberra, and has drawn runners from several stables based in Canberra and nearby towns in New South Wales.

Ruban Bleu is trained by Matthew Dale, who is based in Goulburn, not far from Canberra and Cootamundra. A closer, Ruban Bleu will be ridden by apprentice jockey Olivia Chambers, who won with 6 of 50 mounts from Aug. 5 through Friday.

With Chambers aboard, Ruban Bleu’s weight assignment in the Cootamundra Cup has been reduced from 133 pounds to a more reasonable 129.

Invincible Dash is stuck with the role of highweight at 133 pounds in an effort to end a six-race losing streak that includes a sixth in the Forbes Cup.

The 9-year-old gelding Napoleon Solo will join Ruban Bleu at the back of the field, and is a threat if he can avoid a bad trip.

Winless in four starts since a handicap at seven furlongs at Kembla Grange in July, Napoleon Solo was seventh by slightly less than two lengths in a seven-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Sept. 14, racing in traffic until the final sixteenth.

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