Australia: Tavidance eyes first stakes win in Sale Cup
Prep race completed, Tavidance has an excellent chance to win the first stakes of his career in his fifth appearance in such a race in Sunday’s $149,100 Sale Cup at Sale Racecourse in Australia.
A 6-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Tavidance finished fourth by a little more than 1 1/4 lengths in the Headquarters Stakes at seven furlongs at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Oct. 2. The 5-1 co-favorite in that field, Tavidance closed from 11th in a field of 12.
Jockey Craig Newitt rode Tavidance in the Headquarters Stakes and retains the mount in the Sale Cup, which is run at a mile.
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Tavidance has won 5 of 14 starts, a light record for a 6-year-old. Tavidance was second in the Kilmore Cup Stakes at a mile at Kilmore Racecourse last November and followed two weeks later with a win in a handicap at a mile at Pakenham.
The recent loss in the Headquarters Stakes was Tavidance’s second start of 2021. The gelding was seventh of eight in a seven-furlong handicap at Bendigo Racecourse in late March.
Embolism, a 4-year-old gelding who has won 2 of 10 starts, is expected to be favored in the Sale Cup and has a similar career record as Tavidance. Embolism is winless in six stakes, including a fifth in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at a mile at Caulfield Racecourse on Oct. 9.
Last February, Embolism was fourth, beaten slightly less than a length, at 80-1 in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at a mile at Flemington. The loss in the Toorak Handicap was Embolism’s second start following a five-month layoff.
Riddle Me That, third in the Weekend Hussler Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield on Oct. 9, and Milton Park, third in the Bet With Mates Cup at a mile at Ballarat on Oct. 10, each is capable of an upset. Milton Park is likely to race near the front, while Riddle Me That is a closer.
The Sale Cup is the seventh race on a nine-race program that begins at 9:40 p.m. Eastern, or 6:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.