Australia: Wren's Day returns from layoff in County Championship Qualifier

More than 10 months have passed since the Kentucky-bred gelding Wren’s Day finished second by a head in the $155,060 Tamworth Cup at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia last April.

The narrow setback was the latest in a span of six consecutive top-two finishes for Wren’s Day since June 2020. The 8-year-old Wren’s Day has an excellent chance to continue the streak when he returns from the lengthy layoff for a start in the $110,500 County Championship Qualifier at Tamworth on Sunday.

Trained by Cody Morgan, Wren’s Day is part of a full field of 14 at Tamworth. The first two finishers earn berths in the $368,350 series final at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on April 2. The series is restricted to trainers based in the state of New South Wales, but away from Sydney.

Wren’s Day has had a fascinating career, winning 4 of 19 starts. He was second in the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp Racecourse in France in early 2018 when trained by Andre Fabre for Godolphin Racing.

By Medaglia d’Oro, Wren’s Day has been based with trainer Cody Morgan at Tamworth since the start of 2021. Wren’s Day ran four times for Morgan last year, winning once.

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Wren’s Day tends to run as a closer and will be ridden for the first time in a race by Dylan Gibbons. Gibbons has been aboard Wren’s Day in barrier trials, or schooling races from the gate, at times in the last 14 months.

The race favorite in the Tamworth qualifier will be Banju, who is unbeaten in two starts in lucrative handicaps this year for trainer Lyle Chandler. Banju won a seven-furlong handicap on the Kensington course at Randwick on Jan. 1, and a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Jan. 15. Banju stalked the pace at Randwick and led throughout at Rosehill Gardens.

Morgan also starts Anethole, who was second by a nose in a six-furlong handicap at Randwick on Feb. 5 in his lone start this year.

Tamworth has an eight-race program beginning at 8:55 p.m. Eastern or 5:55 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.