Australia: Shamedy must use speed in Sunshine Coast handicap

The speed that led to Shamedy winning and finishing second in his first two starts in Australia may well serve the Southern Hemisphere 2-year-old in a five-furlong handicap at Sunshine Coast on Saturday evening across American time zones.

Shamedy has set the pace in his first two starts and has drawn the outside post in a field of eight. At Sunshine Coast, five-furlong races began from a chute that joins the final turn before a stretch run of approximately a quarter-mile.

Shamedy will need a good start to avoid a wide trip as the field approaches the turn. Trained by Graeme Green, Shamedy won his debut in a maiden race at 5 1/4 furlongs at Rockhampton Racecourse on Nov. 4, and was second by a length in a handicap at six furlongs on Nov. 19. A return to five furlongs may be a better distance.

The handicap at Sunshine Coast has three first-time starters and five runners with racing experience. Shamedy and Mishani Maverick are the only winners in the field, and both will carry top weight of 127.8 pounds.

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Mishani Maverick, trained by Les Ross, was third in his debut in an allowance race at five furlongs at Eagle Farm on Oct. 8 and won a maiden race at odds of 3-10 at five furlongs on the infield synthetic track at Sunshine Coast on Oct. 23.

The field has five fillies, including Chilled who was third in her debut in a maiden race at Warwick Farm on Dec. 7, closing from fourth of seven to miss by three-quarters of a length. She has the fastest turnaround of the five runners with race experience.

The first-time starter Friendly Sizzle may merit support. Friendly Sizzle is out of Frequendly, who won her first two starts as a 2-year-old in October 2014.
Sunshine Coast has a seven-race program that begins at 9:59 p.m. Eastern, or 6:59 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The handicap for 2-year-olds is the third race on the program.