Australia: Tazaral on roll but faces tough cast in Rowley Mile

The 6-year-old gelding Tazaral returned from a five-month layoff to win consecutive starts in one-mile handicaps at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in July, the first time the Irish-bred has won consecutive races in his career.

The wins have led to a start for Tazaral in the $129,300 Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury Racecourse near Sydney on Wednesday, and an excellent chance for a first career stakes win.

The drawback is that another 6-year-old gelding, the New-Zealand bred Bold Mac, approaches the Rowley Mile in equally sharp form, having won his last two starts.

Bold Mac and Tazaral, along with Pretty Amazing, are the three leading contenders in the Rowley Mile, a wide-open race run under handicap conditions.

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

Tazaral, who runs from off the pace, will carry 119 pounds, far less than top weight Polly Grey at 132 pounds. Bold Mac will carry 125.6. Polly Grey and Bold Mac are two of the seven runners in the field of 14 trained by Chris Waller.

Bold Mac won consecutive starts at 1 1/8 miles in mid-July and early August at Rosehill Gardens and Randwick, closing from mid-pack in each race. Bold Mac has won three times at six furlongs and at 7 1/2 furlongs, but is winless in six starts at a mile in his 25-race career.

Pretty Amazing, trained by Waller, is unbeaten in two career starts at Hawkesbury – handicaps at a mile and 1 1/8 miles in April. Pretty Amazing, who also runs from off the pace, has been beaten in her last three starts.

A 5-year-old mare, Pretty Amazing in her last start on June 24 was third by slightly more than a half-length in the Tattersalls Gold Crown Stakes for fillies and mares at about 1 5/16 miles at Eagle Farm. Pretty Amazing raced in traffic in the field of 12 until the quarter pole before rallying to reach contention.

In the Rowley Mile, Pretty Amazing will carry 119 pounds.

Bold Mac, Pretty Amazing, and Tazaral were 9-2 co-favorites in early betting on Tuesday morning.

Hawkesbury has an eight-race program beginning at 10:40 p.m. Eastern or 7:40 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.