Australia: Three last-out winners meet in Ararat Gold Cup

Keats, Hunboshi, and King’s Charisma were all recent winners in Australia, and are the three leading choices in a field of 11 in the Ararat Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday evening across American time zones at Ararat Racecourse in Australia.

Even though Keats will carry top weight of 130 pounds, the veteran gelding was 6-5 in early betting to win for the fourth time in his last six starts.

Trained by Gavin Bedggood, Keats runs near the front, a style that led to a win by 3 1/4 lengths in the Peninsula Cup at a mile at Mornington Racecourse on Oct. 30. Keats won at 1 1/4 miles in a handicap at Moonee Valley on Sept. 30, drawing clear by 3 1/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite.

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Between those wins, Keats finished second by 1 3/4 lengths in a lucrative handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington Racecourse on Oct. 12.

Hunboshi and King’s Charisma will be tracking Keats. They get a significant break in the weights, with assignments of 121 pounds.

Hunboshi won for the ninth time in her 51st start in a lucrative handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles at Moonee Valley on Oct. 21 after tracking the early pace. The win ended a three-race losing streak since a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Cranbourne Racecourse in July.

Trained by Luke Oliver, Hunboshi has won four times at 1 1/4 miles.

King’s Charisma ended a 13-race losing streak with a neck win as the 4-1 favorite in the Horsham Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Horsham Racecourse on Oct. 16, the gelding’s first win since arriving from England in the winter of 2020-2021.

King’s Charisma is trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who won the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday with Gold Trip.

Ararat has an eight-race program beginning at 10:30 p.m. Eastern or 7:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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