Australia: Woodford Cup first race at home track for Mr Cancun

The Woodford Cup at Warrnambool Racecourse on Friday in southwest Australia will be a racing homecoming for Mr Cancun.

Mr Cancun is based at Warrnambool with trainer Lindsey Smith, but has not raced at the track in 13 starts, since a win in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles in January 2020. The Woodford Cup is also run at 1 1/16 miles, a shorter distance than Mr Cancun’s recent starts.

A winner of 4 of 17 starts, Mr Cancun won a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Nov. 17, closing from last in a field of seven. On Dec. 11, Mr Cancun was second, beaten a head, in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, closing from last of 16.

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Mr Cancun will start from the rail in a field of 11 in the Woodford Cup, and will be ridden by Declan Bates, who was aboard the 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding most recently for a sixth-place finish in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Geelong Racecourse on Oct. 20. Mr Cancun raced in traffic in the stretch of that race.

The Woodford Cup is the seventh of eight races on a program at Warrnambool that begins at 10:10 p.m. Eastern or 7:10 p.m. Pacific on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Mr Cancun has solid form as does Aurora’s Symphony, Kings Full and Spanish Snitzel.

Aurora’s Symphony has not raced since closing well for third, beaten slightly less than a length, in the Ararat Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Ararat Racecourse on Nov. 7. Aurora’s Symphony won three consecutive races in February, including a handicap at 1 1/4miles at Warrnambool at the start of the streak, but is winless in his last six starts.

Kings Full was third in the Horsham Cup at 1 5/16 miles on Oct. 17 in his latest start, and is winless in 15 races since April 2020. A winner of 4 of 31 starts, King Full has been second or third in 14 races in his career, suggesting he could run along for a placing.

Spanish Snitzel was second by 2 1/2 lengths in a one-mile handicap as the 2-1 favorite at Moonee Valley on Dec. 17 and has won twice at a mile in his 20-race career. This is a tougher group that his last start, but Spanish Snitzel is capable of winning.