Australia: Twice On Sunday takes needed class drop in handicap at Hawkesbury

A significant class drop could not come at a better time for Twice On Sunday, the 5-year-old Australian mare who starts in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Hawkesbury Racecourse near Sydney on Wednesday evening across American time zones.

Twice On Sunday is winless in her last 13 starts since December, but three of those races since mid-September were against higher classes of handicap runners than she will face at Hawkesbury.

Trained by Bjorn Baker, Twice On Sunday has won 3 of 24 starts. She was a good second in a one-mile handicap at Newcastle Racecourse on Sept. 24, but arguably overmatched against tougher rivals when sixth of seven in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm on Oct. 12.

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The race at Hawkesbury is against an easier group and at a new distance for Twice On Sunday, who has never raced beyond 1 3/16 miles. Twice On Sunday should adapt to the longer trip. In February, Twice On Sunday was beaten a nose at 1 3/16 miles in a handicap at Canterbury Park.

At Hawkesbury, Twice On Sunday is part of a field of nine in the fifth race on an eight-race program that begins at 10:15 p.m. Eastern or 7:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The race is a slightly easier task for the New Zealand mare Travelling Kate, who was fourth against a better group in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm on Oct. 3 in her second start following a five-month layoff.

Travelling Kate won consecutive starts in a nine-day span at Newcastle in late April in handicaps at about 1 1/8 miles and will start at 1 1/4 miles for the first time at Hawkesbury.

The distance should not be an issue for Onemore Sapphire, who was second in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Tamworth in April.

Onemore Sapphire won a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Port Macquarie Racecourse in September, but was only ninth of 12 as a longshot against a tough group of runners in the one-mile Coonamble Cup at Dubbo Racecourse on Oct. 12.

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