Australia: Show Me Mercy eyes first stakes win in Magic Millions Rogue Plate

The Australian gelding Show Me Mercy ran out of ground when he rallied from sixth to finish third by a neck in the Gold Edition Stakes at six furlongs at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane on Dec. 16.

The loss was only the second time that Show Me Mercy has been beaten in five starts and confirmed his position as a formidable sprinter.

Show Me Mercy has an excellent chance for his first stakes win in the Group 3 Magic Millions Rogue Plate for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at 6 3/4 furlongs at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane on Friday evening.

As of early betting on Thursday, Show Me Mercy was the 7-5 favorite in a field of 10. Chrysaor, a Group 2 stakes winner at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in October, was the 5-2 second choice over the improving Zouphoria at 4-1.

Show Me Mercy will start in the longest race of his career in the $204,900 Rogue Plate. In the Gold Edition Stakes, Show Me Mercy was farther back than in most of his brief career and still closed well.

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Chrysaor, who tends to race as a stalker, recorded a 25-1 upset in the $639,200 Callander-Presell Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on Oct. 28, winning for the third time in his 10th start.

Zouphoria, a filly, has improved rapidly this month. She won a lucrative maiden race in her fourth career start at seven furlongs on the infield Kensington course at Randwick on Dec. 1 and followed with a victory in a seven-furlong handicap at Randwick on Dec. 16.

Zouphoria is quick enough to lead, but also effective as a stalker as she showed on Dec. 16. She will be the filly to catch in the Rogue Plate.

Doomben has a 10-race program beginning at 9:13 p.m. Eastern, or 6:13 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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