Australia: Six furlongs should suit Sir Kerm in Monday handicap
The last time Sir Kerm raced he flew through the final furlong of a handicap at 4 1/2 furlongs to finish second at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia last October.
The abbreviated sprint was too short for Sir Kerm to display his best. A six-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange on Monday evening is a more suitable distance for the 4-year-old gelding’s first start of 2023.
Trained by Jason Deamer, Sir Kerm is part of a field of 10 in the third race on an eight-race program that begins at 10:10 p.m. Eastern, or 7:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Sir Kerm has had four starts, winning his debut in a six-furlong maiden race at Newcastle last September. In three subsequent starts, Sir Kerm’s best result was the second at Newcastle in October.
In all of his races, Sir Kerm has closed from off the pace.
At Kembla Grange, Sir Kerm is likely to be the second betting choice. On Sunday morning, Sir Kerm was 3-1 in early betting, a slightly higher price than Stars and Bars at 2-1.
Stars and Bars won a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs restricted to colts and geldings at Newcastle on May 4 in his seventh start, racing near the front throughout.
The win was the third start of 2023 for Stars and Bars. He has been more effective racing near the lead in his last two starts than he was as a closer earlier in his career.
The lightly raced filly Selfless Act will have her 3-year-old debut on Monday evening. She won her most recent race, and third start of her career, in a six-furlong maiden race at Newcastle last December, racing near the front throughout.
Jockey Ashley Morgan was aboard for that win and rides Selfless Act again at Kembla Grange.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.