Australia: You Are King at proper level in handicap at Nowra Racecourse

A trip to a big city track was too tough for the Australian gelding You Are King earlier this year.

After finishing in the top three in five starts in December and January at smaller venues, You Are King was 10th of 12 in a lucrative handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Feb. 11, one of the country’s leading tracks.

Two months later, You Are King is back at a countryside track, and very much in contention, in a seven-furlong handicap at Nowra Racecourse on Saturday evening.

A winner of 2 of 11 starts, You Are King was the co-favorite at 5-2 in early betting on Friday with Mittata, also a 5-year-old gelding.

You Are King has never raced at Nowra. He won as recently as late December, in a one-mile handicap at Canberra.

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You Are King, who will be ridden by Nick Heywood, may have first jump on Mittata, the mount of Shaun Guymer. You Are King tends to run near the front, and is quick enough to set the pace, while Mittata is a closer.

Mittata has won 2 of 19 starts, and is winless in four starts since a seven-furlong handicap against 13 rivals at Sapphire Coast on Nov. 28. Mittata has finished second in his last two starts, a seven-furlong handicap at Nowra on March 5 and a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Goulburn on March 17.

In both losses, Mittata closed from off the pace. He was beaten a head at Nowra, but was no match for London Gal at Goulburn, losing by 4 1/2 lengths to the pacesetter.

You Are King and Mittata are part of a field of eight.

Belleistic Kids, the winner of a seven-furlong handicap at Canberra on March 13, but eighth of nine in the Albury Guineas at seven furlongs 11 days later at Albury, can be a factor from slightly off the pace.

Nowra has a seven-race program beginning at 11:20 p.m. Eastern or 8:20 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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