Australia: Wailua favored in Tuesday handicap
The 4-year-old gelding Wailua lived up to expectations with a win in his debut in a maiden race at 7 1/2 furlongs on the synthetic track at Ballarat Racecourse in Australia on Aug. 16.
Wailua was favored, and closed from fifth in a field of nine to win by a short head. The victory was so well regarded that Wailua is favored to win his debut against winners and his first race on turf in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Wangaratta Racecourse on Tuesday.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Wailua is part of a highly competitive field of 11 in the sixth race on a nine-race program that begins at 11 p.m. Eastern, or 8 p.m. Pacific, on Monday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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Bred in New Zealand, Wailua’s biggest threat may come from stablemate Zoffany Street, a maiden-race winner in his second start at a mile at Swan Hill Racecourse on Aug. 22. Similar to Wailua, Zoffany Street races from off the pace.
This distance will suit Dancing Duck, a 5-year-old mare who has won 3 of 33 starts. Dancing Duck won a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Bendigo Racecourse on Sept. 3, ending a four-race losing streak since a win in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Wangaratta in June.
The 6-year-old mare Super Quick Love has similar credentials. She won consecutive handicaps against a lower class of runners at 1 1/4 miles at Mildura on July 24 and on Aug. 9 before a recent second by a short head against a tougher field in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Aug. 25.
This is a slight drop in class for Super Quick Love as well as for Slipintothis, a 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding who has won two of his last five starts. Slipintothis finished third in a handicap at about 1 1/16 miles at Sale Racecourse on Aug. 22, closing from ninth of 10 to be closest at the finish.