Australia: Steely gets some class relief in Canberra Mile

Recent starts in stakes were too difficult for Steely, the 5-year-old Australian gelding who takes a drop in class for a start in Friday’s $108,600 Canberra Mile at Canberra Racecourse.

The Canberra Mile is a handicap that is a level below a listed stakes and should be a good fit for Steely, a winner of 8 of 22 starts.

Trained by the partnership of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Steely was 13th of 16 in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Dec. 11, and seventh of 13 in the Carrington Stakes at seven furlongs there Jan. 22.

Steely won a one-mile handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Nov. 20 in his second start after a four-month layoff, an indication he can be competitive in a field of 14 in the Canberra Mile.

Canberra has a nine-race program that begins at 9 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing

Steely tends to run from off the pace and is well drawn for that style of racing in post 8. Adrian Layt has the mount.

Steely was 5-1 in early betting Wednesday behind 2-1 favorite Lackeen, who is owned by Godolphin and trained by James Cummings. A winner of 3 of 16 starts, Lackeen won a one-mile handicap at Randwick on Jan. 22 and was second by a half-length in a one-mile handicap at that venue as the 5-2 favorite on Feb. 5. Of Lackeen’s three wins, two have been at a mile.

This will be the third start in February for the interesting outsider Silent Agenda, who is facing tougher rivals than in his recent races. Silent Agenda won a one-mile handicap at Randwick on Feb. 12 at 14-1 after an ideal trip in which he stalked the pace before taking the lead in the final furlong.

Tyler Schiller rode Silent Agenda, but will miss the mount at Canberra when he rides an evening meeting later in the day at Canterbury Park. Silent Agenda will be ridden by Alysha Collett, an in-demand jockey who won with 5 of 50 mounts from Jan. 29 through Tuesday. Collett will ride Silent Agenda for the first time at Canberra in the gelding’s 43rd start.