Australia: Shenandoah faces winners for first time in handicap at Moruya Racecourse

The 3-year-old gelding Shenandoah ended the Australian summer in February with a front-running win in a maiden race in his second start. Nearly five months later, in the midst of the Southern Hemisphere winter, Shenandoah will have his first start against winners in a five-furlong handicap at Moruya Racecourse on Monday.

Shenandoah will carry top weight of 131 pounds and is likely to take a position near the front of the field of 11. In his maiden race win at six furlongs at Canberra Racecourse in February, Shenandoah was always near the front and won by a length at 2-1.

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Brodie Loy rode Shenandoah in that race and has the mount on Monday. Loy has had a good start to July, winning with 3 of 12 mounts through Saturday.

Shenandoah, trained by Keith Dryden, does not face a particularly deep field. Cases can be made for the 3-year-old filly Boom and Zoom, and the 10-year-old gelding Byblos Boy.

Boom and Zoom won her 11th start in a six-furlong maiden race on March 27 and was second in a handicap at about seven furlongs at Moruya on April 12, her most recent start. Boom and Zoom set the pace that day, but raced from off the pace in her previous starts.

Shaun Guymer was aboard for Boom and Zoom’s March win and has the mount on Monday. Boom and Zoom will carry 127.8 pounds.

Byblos Boy, a winner of 6 of 45 starts, won a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Nowra Racecourse on July 3 to end a six-race losing streak. Byblos Boy, who will carry 126.7 pounds, tends to run near the front. He starts from the outside post, which should give jockey Jordan Mallyon options for a stalking trip.

First post time at Moruya on an otherwise quiet day of racing in Australia is 10:45 p.m. Eastern, or 7:45 p.m. Pacific, on Sunday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.