Australia: Wyong Cup looks wide open with large field

There will be 16 runners in Friday’s $147,500 Wyong Cup at 1 5/16 miles in Wyong Racecourse in Australia, a big field without a clear favorite.

As of Wednesday, Berdibek, Dashing Willoughby, Inverloch, and Laure Me In were all 6-1, the shortest prices in early betting. With all four showing top-class form in the last year, there is little surprise that early-bird bettors are reluctant to throw support behind an individual runner.

Dashing Willoughby has not raced since he finished 21st of 23 in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup, the country’s most famous race, at two miles at Flemington Racecourse last November. A good result in the Wyong Cup could move the 6-year-old gelding closer to a start in the same race on Nov. 2.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing

Berdibek won the Rowley Mile Stakes at Hawkesbury on Aug. 19, and was second in the McKell Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens in June, proof he can handle this distance. Big-race jockey Hugh Bowman takes the mount, which is certain to draw support.

Laure Me In was a minor stakes winner at a mile in May and won a lucrative handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Kembla Grange on Aug. 14.

Inverloch makes a rapid turnaround from a third-place finish in the Group 3 Premier Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Kembla Grange last Saturday, when he raced near the front throughout and was beaten a length by Harpo Marx, the 3-1 favorite. Inverloch won the Wagga Cup at 1 1/4 miles at 30-1 in May, leading throughout.

The eight-race program at Wyong begins at 10:50 p.m. Eastern, or 7:50 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. The track is located in the coastal town of the same name, north of Sydney.

Earlier on the program, Great News and More Prophets are the leading contenders in the $103,250 Mona Lisa Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 3/4 furlongs.

Great News was second by a long neck in the Group 3 Toy Show Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Aug. 21 in her first start since April. Great News closed well but missed catching Fituese, a winner of 7 of 14 starts.

More Prophets won a six-furlong handicap against males on the same Aug. 21 program at Randwick for her fourth win in 13 starts. This is her first stakes appearance since a fifth in the Group 3 Dark Jewel Stakes at seven furlongs at Scone in May.