Australia: Splendiferous takes on winners at Newcastle

Splendiferous has had a few starts and stops to her career in Australia in the last 13 months, but there are encouraging signs in the last month that conditions are improving for the filly.

Splendiferous won her fifth career start in a maiden race at Newcastle Racecourse on March 31, her first start since September, and is back at Newcastle on Thursday for her debut against winners in a seven-furlong handicap for fillies and mares.

Trained by the partnership of Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, Splendiferous is part of a field of 13 in the sixth of eight races on a program that begins at 10:40 p.m. Eastern, or 7:40 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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Last year, Splendiferous was winless in four starts. She was seventh in a maiden race in March and was fifth twice and then 12th in three races in quick succession in September. Splendiferous did not race again until the recent win at Newcastle at six furlongs in which she raced near the pace and won by a little less than two lengths.

The win gives Splendiferous a good standing in this race against notable rivals such as Sophomore and Amy’s Shadow.

Sophomore, a winner of 2 of 10 starts, was third in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs against males at Hawkesbury Racecourse on April 5 in her first start since November. Winless in four races, Sophomore has won 2 of 3 career starts at Newcastle, including a one-mile handicap in October, her most recent win.

Amy’s Shadow, a winner of 4 of 13 starts, is taking a drop in class, having finished fourth and fifth in tougher qualifying races in late February and late March for a restricted handicap for horses trained in the countryside of the state of New South Wales. The final was held earlier this month.

Amy’s Shadow, who runs from off the pace, is winless in four starts since a one-mile handicap at Royal Randwick racecourse last October. A repeat of that performance would likely be good enough to win this race.