Australia: Zesty Belle gets weight break in Bendigo handicap

Zesty Belle had a rough patch in late July and mid-August, finishing eighth and ninth in lucrative handicaps at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.

More than six weeks later, the outlook is better for Zesty Belle, a winner of 2 of 12 races who starts in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Bendigo Racecourse on Sunday.

Zesty Belle is part of a full field of 14 and will be ridden for the first time since January by Damian Lane, the leading rider at tracks in the state of Victoria, where Caulfield and Bendigo are located.

Lane was aboard Zesty Belle for two wins last December and January in races at five and 5 1/2 furlongs.

Trained by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, Zesty Belle tends to run from off the pace. In the Bendigo race, Zesty Belle will carry 124.5 pounds, well below topweight Tatunka at 135.5 pounds.

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Litchfield County, a lightly raced 4-year-old gelding, rightfully holds the role of favorite for the race at Bendigo. A winner of 2 of 6 starts, Litchfield County was second in the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes at six furlongs at Morphettville Racecourse on May 1 in his group stakes debut and most recent start.

Litchfield County closed well to finish 1 1/2 lengths behind Beau Rossa, who has since won another stakes and was second in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield in August.

At Bendigo, Litchfield County will carry 134.4 pounds.

While Litchfield County has not raced since May, Nicolini Vito faces a tougher test in his first start since a sixth-place finish as the 3-2 favorite in the McKenzie Stakes at six furlongs at Flemington Racecourse last November.

Nicolini Vito has won 2 of 5 starts, with the wins in six-furlong races last October and November. Similar to Zesty Belle and Litchfield County, Nicolini Vito races as a closer.

Bendigo has an eight-race program beginning at 10:15 p.m. Eastern, or 7:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.