Australia: Wolf Moon going long in Ipswich handicap

The 3-year-old gelding Wolf Moon is most comfortable when allowed to rumble along on the lead on Australian racetracks.

The style has led to three wins at distances ranging from six furlongs to a mile and a third in his stakes debut in the Daybreak Lover Stakes at seven furlongs at Eagle Farm Racecourse on April 21.

On Monday, Wolf Moon will start in the longest race of his career in a handicap at about 1 1/16 miles at Ipswich Racecourse, near Brisbane.

Trained by Billy Healey, Wolf Moon will race without blinkers for the first time in his sixth start. James Orman, who was aboard Wolf Moon for a win in a handicap at a mile at Sunshine Coast Racecourse in February and for the Daybreak Lover, has the mount.

Wolf Moon could face early pressure from the 6-year-old mare Okanagan Miss, who has shown speed in recent starts, but has not been a factor in deep stretch. Okanagan Miss has won 11 of 58 starts, but is winless in 10 starts since September. The span of losses includes a nose defeat in a handicap at about 1 1/16 miles at Ipswich last October in which Okanagan Miss set the pace and was caught late.

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Warset and Valley of Dreams are familiar rivals who would benefit from a potential speed duel.

Warset closed from sixth of 12 to win a one-mile handicap at Sunshine Coast on April 18, ending a four-race losing streak. This will be Warset’s debut at Ipswich in his 26th start. The 6-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding has won four times.

Valley of Dreams typically runs from a stalking position. A 4-year-old filly, Valley of Dreams won a maiden race at about 1 1/16 miles at Ipswich last September in her fourth start and has had four subsequent starts, including a second to Warset by three-quarters of a length on April 18.

Ipswich has a nine-race program beginning at 9:32 p.m. Eastern, or 6:32 p.m. Pacific, on Sunday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.