Australia: Youngblood finds his niche in marathons

Youngblood went from being a multi-race maiden to a multiple winner when he was tried in marathon races for the first time last month in Australia.

Winless in his first six starts at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, Youngblood has won two of his last three starts in races at 1 3/8 miles, displaying the ability to gallop along near the front and maintain that advantage.

Youngblood, a 3-year-old Australian-bred gelding, will have another chance in his new specialty when he starts in a handicap at about 1 3/8 miles at Ipswich Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.

Youngblood will carry top weight of 131.5 pounds in a field of 11, an assignment reduced by four pounds because of the presence of apprentice jockey Alex Patis. Trained by Tony Gollan, Youngblood won a handicap at about 1 3/8 miles on July 18 at Toomwoomba carrying 131 pounds as the 6-5 favorite, a weight assignment slightly less than topweight Mr Misunderstood who carried 132 pounds and finished sixth of eight.

Patis, who won with 4 of 15 mounts from July 16 through Saturday, was aboard Youngblood on July 18 and retains the mount.

On June 12, Youngblood won a maiden race at about 1 3/8 miles in his first start at the distance at Gold Coast Racecourse at odds of 2-5. On June 26, Youngblood was third at 4-5 in a handicap at the distance at Gold Coast in his first start against winners.

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The 4-year-old mare Santarene was fourth in the June 26 race and was later third and fourth in similar distance races. Santarene is part of Thursday’s race. While she is winless in six starts at the distance, Santarene is capable of another placing.

The race is a reduction in distance for Paris Crystal, a 5-year-old mare who was fourth in a race at about two miles as the even-money favorite July 12 at Grafton. She was second in front of Santarene in a handicap at about 1 3/8 miles on July 3 at Ipswich, losing by a half-length as the 7-5 favorite.

The distance handicap is the third race on an eight-race program at Ipswich that begins at 10:20 p.m. Eastern, or 7:20 p.m. Pacific, on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.