Australia: Vieste tries to go back to back, at a much shorter price

Less than two weeks after she won for the first time in her career in her second start, the Australian 3-year-old filly Vieste has a longshot’s chance to win a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Wednesday evening.

Vieste just will not be as high of a price as she was last time.

Facing winners will not be a major challenge for Vieste, who won a handicap against winners at about 1 1/8 miles at Newcastle on Sept. 30, closing from seventh in a field of nine to win by a nose at 60-1.

Vieste will be around 7-1 at Kembla Grange in a field of 11. Trained by Benjamin Smith, who is based at Kembla Grange, Vieste finished ninth of 10 in her debut in a seven-furlong maiden race for fillies and mares at Newcastle on Sept. 15.

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A 3-year-old Southern Hemisphere filly, Vieste will be ridden by Brock Ryan, who was aboard for the filly’s first start. Robyn Freeman rode Vieste at Newcastle, but is booked on the Smith-trained Mah Ali in Wednesday evening’s handicap at 1 1/4 miles.

Mah Ali, a maiden race winner at 7 1/2 furlongs at Newcastle in her fourth start on Sept. 30, was 9-1 in early betting on Tuesday.

The role of favorite will go to Whetu, who was 2-1 on Tuesday. Whetu has won two of his last three starts since late August in handicaps at 1 1/4 miles and 1 5/16 miles.

Whetu will carry topweight of 130 pounds, compared to 123 for Vieste and 122.3 for Mah Ali.

The race is a much-needed class drop for Verbek, who is winless in his last 19 starts since May 2022. Verbek set the pace in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Sept. 30 before fading to finish sixth by two lengths.

This is a weaker field than what Verbek faced that day.

Kembla Grange has an eight-race program beginning at 10:15 p.m. Eastern or 7:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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