Australia: Undefeated Dirt on Harry going long in Tuesday handicap

The undefeated gelding Dirt on Harry will start in the longest race of his career in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Geelong Racecourse near Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday.

His chances will be enhanced if the race has a few scratches. There will be a maximum of 14 runners and Dirt on Harry has drawn the outside. Races at 1 1/16 miles at Geelong start from a chute on the first turn before the field joins the backstretch, a layout comparable to a race at the same distance on the inner turf course at Belmont Park.

Trained by Archie Alexander, Dirt on Harry won a seven-furlong maiden race at Terang Racecourse on Feb. 22 and a one-mile handicap at Pakenham Racecourse on March 18, closing from off the pace in both races.

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Dirt on Harry’s main rivals at Geelong are the 3-year-old fillies Derive and Maid of Iron, who have raced against tougher competition.

Derive won a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Sandown Racecourse in her seventh start on Feb. 17 and has since finished second and seventh in handicaps at Sandown and Caulfield. Derive was beaten a little more than 3 1/4 lengths against a tougher field at Caulfield on April 3 after racing near the front in a field of eight.

Maid of Iron won her debut at Geelong last November, and has started twice this year – finishing fourth at 6 1/2 furlongs against males at Sandown on March 17 and third in a one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies there on March 31. Steinem, who won the March 31 race, returned to finish fourth at 3-5 in the Group 3 Auraria Stakes at Morphettville Racecourse on Saturday.

Geelong has a nine-race program that begins at 11 p.m. Eastern, or 8 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.