Australia: Sierra Sue will have to catch More Than Exceed in Mildura Cup

Last Saturday, Sierra Sue finished fourth in a lucrative one-mile handicap at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, the first time this year the 4-year-old filly had not raced in a group-level or listed stakes in six starts in 2021.

The drop in class nearly worked. Sierra Sue closed from last to miss by 1 3/4 lengths. Sierra Sue gets another chance in a lesser race in Friday’s $73,500 Mildura Cup, a handicap at seven furlongs at Mildura Racecourse, west of Adelaide.

Sierra Sue, trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, has won 5 of 14 starts, highlighted by a victory in the Group 2 Kingston Stakes at seven furlongs at Flemington last October. Earlier this year, Sierra Sue’s best result in a group-level stakes was a sixth-place finish by 2 1/4 lengths as a 40-1 outsider in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Eagle Farm Racecourse on June 12.

The Mildura Cup drew a field of 10. Sierra Sue will be favored. Street Tough and More Than Exceed have recent form good enough to challenge Sierra Sue.

Street Tough is taking a slight jump in class following two close second-place finishes in six-furlong handicaps at Murray Bridge Racecourse on June 19 and July 3. In both races, Street Tough was well-backed and was beaten less than a half-length after contesting the pace or racing from a stalking position.

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More Than Exceed won the 2020 Mildura Cup when the race was transferred to Swan Hill Racecourse last July because of coronavirus restrictions in place at the time in the Australian state of Victoria.

A 5-year-old gelding, More Than Exceed was 10th of 11 in the Group 3 Spring Stakes at Morphettville Racecourse last August in his final start of 2020. More Than Exceed has had one start this year, finishing a promising fourth by a length in a six-furlong handicap at Swan Hill on June 11.

More Than Exceed is quick enough to lead and could have an advantage over Sierra Sue.

The eight-race program at Mildura begins at 10:30 p.m. Eastern, or 7:30 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.