Australia: True Marvel and jockey Kathy O'Hara team up again in handicap at Warwick Farm
True Marvel has found a valuable partner in Australian jockey Kathy O’Hara.
Since March, True Marvel has won 3 of 6 starts, with O’Hara aboard for all three wins. The tandem were 3 for 3 until True Marvel finished fourth in a competitive handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse on July 4 with O’Hara aboard.
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True Marvel, a 4-year-old French-bred gelding, and O’Hara are reunited in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney on Wednesday. Conditions look to be in True Marvel’s favor. He has won at distances ranging from 1 5/16 miles to 1 5/8 miles in recent starts, has the versatility to race as a stalker or closer, and will carry 125.6 pounds, slightly below topweighted Lady Highly at 130 pounds.
The handicap will have a maximum field of 12 and is the fifth race on a seven-race program that begins at 10:50 p.m. Eastern, or 7:50 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Trained by Matthew Smith, who is based at Warwick Farm, True Marvel has won 3 of 13 starts. He has raced only in Australia since his career began last July.
True Marvel is expected to be favored. Eugenio (124.5 pounds) and Misty Summer (123) have attractive recent performances that place them among the leading hopefuls.
Eugenio was fifth in the same race as True Marvel at Randwick on July 4 and won his two previous starts in handicaps at about 1 5/16 miles on June 12 and 1 7/16 miles on June 20. A 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Eugenio is threat from off the pace.
Misty Summer, a 4-year-old Australian-bred mare, has won two of her last three starts with both wins at Gosford Park at 1 5/16 miles on May 28 and June 30. In between those wins, Misty Summer was fifth in a higher-class handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Warwick Farm.
Misty Summer, who tends to run near the front, races in a slightly easier handicap class this time.