Australia: Versatile Grebeni makes stakes debut

Unbeaten in three starts since mid-May, Grebeni will have his stakes debut in the Group 3 Winx Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old milers at Sunshine Coast Racecourse near Brisbane on Friday evening, a class test for the improving gelding.

A winner of 4 of 9 starts, Grebeni has won handicaps at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles in the current winning streak, including two lucrative races at 1 1/8 miles at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney on June 3 and June 17.

Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Grebeni will be tested in the $198,600 Winx Stakes. He drew the outside post in a field of 18. Ryan Maloney will ride Grebeni for the first time, and is likely to have his mount forward in the opening furlongs. Grebeni has won as a pacesetter and a stalker in his recent victories.

Grebeni was 3-1 in early betting on Thursday, the second choice in the big field behind Soothsayer at 5-2. Crafty Eagle was third on the list at an attractive 7-1.

The Winx Stakes is part of a nine-race program that begins at 10:18 p.m. Eastern or 7:18 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Soothsayer, a winner of 5 of 14 starts, is well-suited to a mile, having won two of four starts at the distance. Trained by Lee Freedman, Soothsayer was third in the Group 3 Gunsynd Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile at Eagle Farm on June 10, losing by a neck in his fourth consecutive loss.

Soothsayer won his final three starts of 2022, including the City to Surf Plate at a mile in December.

Crafty Eagle had a troubled trip when fifth in a seven-furlong handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse on June 10. After a slow start, he raced in traffic midway through the race, eventually getting within 1 1/2 lengths of the front at the finish as the 3-2 favorite.

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