Australia: Saunter Boy sharp for defense of Australian Hurdle

Saunter Boy is perfect in hurdle races in Australia this year as he nears his richest start of the season in Sunday’s $105,200 Australian Hurdle at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne.

The 9-year-old gelding, a winner of 7 of 10 starts over obstacles, won the 2021 Australian Hurdle by 10 lengths, the most convincing win of his jump racing career.

Saunter Boy was fourth and fifth in flat races in March and April before winning the M.J. Bourke Hurdle at Pakenham Racecourse on April 18 and the Galleywood Hurdle at the prestigious Warrnambool meeting on May 4. Those races were at two miles, while the Australian Hurdle is run at 2 7/16 miles.

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Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Saunter Boy was understandably the 5-4 favorite in early betting for the Australian Hurdle, which drew a field of nine. The race is run under handicap conditions. Saunter Boy, the mount of regular rider Steve Pateman, will carry top weight of 156.5 pounds, while the other eight runners will carry minimum weight of 143.3 pounds.

Out and Dreaming, second in the Bourke and third in the Galleywood, was the 5-2 second choice as of Friday along with Brungle Bertie, who was third in a two-mile novice hurdle at Warrnambool on May 5.

Saunter Boy is likely to take his customary stalking position in the Australian Hurdle, the fifth of nine races on a program that begins at 9:30 p.m. Eastern or 6:30 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The first race on the program is the $105,200 Australian Steeplechase at 2 7/16 miles, which drew a field of six.

Elvison, winner of the Two Rivers Steeplechase at 2 3/8 miles at Casterton Racecourse last Sunday, makes a quick turnaround for his first start at Sandown. Elvison has won 4 of 14 starts over obstacles, and was the 2-1 second choice in early betting as of Friday behind Britannicus, who was a game second by a head to Vanguard in the Brierly Chase at about 2 1/8 miles at Warrnambool Racecourse on May 3.

Vanguard is not part of the Australian Steeplechase field after sustaining a fall early in the Grand Annual Chase at Warrnambool on May 5.

The Australian Steeplechase field does include the 8-year-old gelding Bit of a Lad, who was fifth in the Brierly Chase earlier this month and won the 2020 Australian Steeplechase. Bit of a Lad is winless in his last eight starts and was 8-1 as of Friday.