Australia: Weight edge may be key for Angelic Ruler in Charleson Classic

The five-pound spread between Angelic Ruler and Flirtini may play a role in Friday’s $62,300 Marjorie Charleson Classic for fillies and mares at six furlongs at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Australia.

Flirtini, who will carry top weight of 132 pounds, and Angelic Ruler, at 127 pounds, will have their first starts of 2020 on Friday after campaigns in group stakes in 2019.

Flirtini won consecutive Group 3 races for sprinters last November and has not raced since a sixth-place finish in the Group 3 A.J. Scahill Stakes at Ascot in December. A winner of 5 of 15 starts, Flirtini has won 3 of 10 starts at Ascot where trainer Simon Miller is based. Miller’s stable has been in good form in recent weeks, winning with 11 of his last 50 runners.

Flirtini was second in a five-furlong trial race on March 31 in preparation for the Charleson Classic.

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Angelic Ruler, trained by Daniel and Ben Pearce, has won 6 of 15 starts, but is winless in her last seven races since February 2018. During that span, Angelic Ruler was second or third in six group races before finishing 11th of 16 in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at the Melbourne Cup meeting at Flemington Racecourse last November.

Angelic Ruler won a five-furlong trial race on March 20. Both Flirtini and Angelic Ruler are closers. Angelic Ruler’s lower weight assignment should be a benefit, even though Flirtini has prominent recent wins.

They will both be in pursuit of the Miller-trained Flower of War, who is likely to set the pace. Flower of War, who will carry 127 pounds, has won 8 of 13 starts against lesser competition. She was a minor stakes winner at six furlongs on Feb. 15 at Ascot.

The Charleson Classic drew a field of eight and is the sixth race on an Ascot program that begins at 1:20 a.m., Eastern, or 10:20 p.m., Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available at DRFBets.com.

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