Australia: Tancred Stakes has look of breakthrough race for Spanish Mission

Spanish Mission, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred, made quite a splash in Australia with a third-place finish in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse last November in his first start in the country.

The problem is Spanish Mission is now four races into his Australia career and has yet to win. Most recently, Spanish Mission was third behind Duais and Think It Over in the Group 1 Australian Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington on March 12.

Saturday, Spanish Mission has those two horses as his principal rivals in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney. Spanish Mission was the 3-1 second choice in early betting as of Thursday, behind Duais (2-1) but a shorter price than Think It Over at 7-2.

Trained by Peter Moody since the Melbourne Cup, Spanish Mission was fourth in the Group 2 Sandown Classic at 1 1/2 miles last November and third in the Group 3 Clyon Cup at Caulfield on Feb. 12 in his first start this year.

In the Australian Cup, Spanish Mission took the lead but could not sustain the advantage and was beaten 2 3/4 lengths. Spanish Mission tends to run from off the pace, tactics jockey James McDonald may utilize in the $1.12 million Tancred Stakes.

Spanish Mission is well suited to this distance. He won the Jockey Club Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park in September 2019 when trained by David Simcock of England. Spanish Mission later won three stakes at longer distances when trained in England by Andrew Balding.

Duais, a 4-year-old filly, won her second Group 1 in the Australian Cup, and first against males. Trained by Edward Cummings, Duais tends to run from off the pace.

Think It Over beat 2021-2022 Australian Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant when they were first and seventh in the Grade 2 Apollo Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick on Feb. 12, Think It Over’s most recent win. Think It Over was the 2-1 favorite in the Australian Cup and was beaten two lengths.

The Tancred is the first of two Group 1 races on a 10-race program at Rosehill Gardens that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. Pacific on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The undefeated Gypsy Goddess will start at the highest level for the first time in the $375,450 Vinery Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Gypsy Goddess has won five races since her debut in mid-October, including the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at 1 5/16 miles at Eagle Farm Racecourse in December.

Gypsy Goddess must beat Hinged, who won the Group 1 Surround Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Randwick on Feb. 26, but was third against older fillies and mares in the Group 1 Coolmore Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs on March 12, beaten slightly less than two lengths.