Australia; Sammiballerina back at home, looking to find consistency
Sammiballerina won for the second time in her career in a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook Racecourse in Australia on April 10, showing her customary late run.
After comprehensive losses in two high-profile handicaps at Rosehill Gardens and Scone in late April and mid-May, Sammiballerina is back at her home course of Muswellbrook for a handicap at 7 1/4 furlongs on Saturday evening.
Sammiballerina, a 3-year-old Australian-bred filly, is trained at Muswellbrook by Tim McIntosh and will be ridden on Saturday evening by Christian Reith, who was aboard for the April 10 win.
Sammiballerina is part of a field of 12 and was 5-1 in early betting on Friday behind Titration at 8-5.
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Titration is a 5-year-old gelding who has won 2 of 22 starts, but is winless in 18 starts since October 2021. Titration has been close in recent races, finishing second or third in his last three starts in handicaps at distances ranging from 5 1/2 furlongs to about 6 1/2 furlongs.
Titration was third by a length at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook on May 21 as the 11-10 favorite in a field of 9. He closed from seven to be nearest the front at the finish.
The distance should be a good fit for the 3-year-old filly Charlotting, a two-time winner at a mile in her eight-race career. Charlotting has finished second in her last two starts – a one-mile handicap at Parkes on May 14, and a seven-furlong handicap at Bathurst on May 25 in which she closed to miss by slightly less than a half-length.
In her two wins, she stalked the pace against maidens and led throughout a first-level handicap.
Charlotting was also 5-1 in early betting on Saturday.
Muswellbrook has a seven-race program beginning at 10:40 p.m. Eastern or 7:40 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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