Australia: Yardstick returns, gets some class relief at Gosford

Yardstick, the 4-year-old Australian gelding, has been ambitiously campaigned at times in his career, running poorly in a Group 1 race last year and finishing seventh in the South Pacific Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in April.

Yardstick has not raced since he finished fifth of 10 in a six-furlong handicap at Randwick in July that included several runners with multiple wins.

For his comeback, Yardstick has been given an easier assignment – a six-furlong handicap for nonwinners of two races at Gosford Racecourse on Thursday.

Yardstick, trained by Jason Deamer, should handle the layoff. He won his career debut in July 2020, and in February was a game third in his first start since a last-place finish in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes in September 2020.

At Gosford, Yardstick is part of a field of nine in the second race on a seven-race program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern, or 6:15 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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Yardstick is quick enough to lead and is likely to take a forward position from post 2 under Tyler Schiller, who has the mount for the first time. In advance of his comeback, Yardstick was third and second in two training races from the gate, or barrier trials, in the last five weeks.

The Gosford field will be the debut against winners of the well-regraded filly Midori Beauty, who won her only start in a six-furlong maiden race at Gosford in October. Trained by Bjorn Baker, Midori Beauty has finished sixth and second in two barrier trials since early November.

In her maiden race win, Midori Beauty closed from last of 10 to win by a nose. She will be favored in this field.

Similar to Yardstick, Moon Reader is taking a slight drop in class, having finished fourth by about 2 1/4 lengths in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs on the infield Kensington course at Randwick in his debut against winners Dec. 3.

Moon Reader won a six-furlong maiden race at Gosford on Nov. 20 in his only start at the track.