Australia: Trial race winner Autumn Ballet well bet in Group 3 Black Opal Stakes

The powerful training partnership of Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse have two leading contenders in the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Canberra Racecourse in Australia on Saturday evening, a team led by the unraced filly Autumn Ballet.

Autumn Ballet won a training race at about 4 1/2 furlongs from the gate at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse by more than 7 1/2 lengths on Feb. 27, finishing the last three furlongs in 34.22 seconds.

The trial race success has propelled Autumn Ballet to the role of 9-5 favorite in a field of 14 in the $131,700 Black Opal Stakes at six furlongs despite her lack of race experience. Her chances will be greatly helped if another first-time starter, Tiz Invincible, fails to draw into the race from the also-eligible list.

Autumn Ballet, by the Redoute’s Choice stallion The Autumn Sun, was purchased for approximately $248,000 last April as a yearling. She drew post 7 in the Black Opal Stakes and is likely to be near the front early, judging from her running style in the recent trial race.

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The Bott-Waterhouse team also start the well-regarded colt The Years, who won his second start in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Kembla Grange Racecourse in his second start on Feb. 23. The Years led throughout the recent win.

Of the 14 runners in the main body of the race, there are five winners, five maidens who have started, and four first-time starters.

Tiz Invincible won a training race at about five furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Feb. 27 by three-quarters of a length, finishing the last three furlongs in 35.07 seconds.

The Bott-Waterhouse pair have overshadowed the normally well-backed combination of trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald. They are teaming with the second-time starter Cap Ferrat, who finished fifth by a length after a slow start in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Warwick Farm Racecourse on March 1.

In early betting, Cap Ferrat was an intriguing 20-1.

Canberra has a nine-race program beginning at 9:05 p.m. Eastern or 6:05 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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