Australia: Zoffany's Lad gets distance test in Orange Gold Cup Showcase

Since he resumed racing in January after a four-month break, Zoffany’s Lad has won once and finished second four times in a span of five starts, losing by margins ranging from a head to 1 1/4 lengths.

A winner of 7 of 25 starts, Zoffany’s Lad is effective at distances ranging from about a mile to 1 1/4 miles. His stamina will be tested in Friday’s Orange Gold Cup Showcase at 1 5/16 miles at Towac Park outside of Orange, Australia.

Zoffany’s Lad will share top weight of 134 pounds with the New Zealand-bred Shock Alert under the handicap conditions of the Orange Gold Cup, which will have a maximum of 14 runners.

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The Orange Gold Cup is the sixth of eight races at Towac Park, which begins at 10:50 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, or 7:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Zoffany’s Lad, trained by Joseph Ible, tends to run near the front. He will be ridden for the first time by Brodie Loy.

A 5-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding, Zoffany’s Lad was Ible’s last winner, in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles on March 14 at Rosehill Gardens. Zoffany’s Lad was second by 1 1/4 lengths in the Gundagai Cup at 1 1/8 miles on April 5 while carrying top weight of 139, 18 more than race winner Monkery.

Shock Alert, trained by Bjorn Baker, is winless in five starts since a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Rosehill Gardens last September. He was sixth of 12 by 7 1/4 lengths in a handicap on April 5 at Wellington.

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The conditions should suit the improving 5-year-old Reward Seeker, who has won his last two starts in handicaps at 1 1/4 miles and about 1 1/16 miles since late February. Reward Seeker will carry 121 pounds and is a threat from a stalking position. This is the longest race of his career.

Reward Seeker is trained by Michael Mulholland and was the stable’s most recent winner on April 5. Mulholland has won with three of his last 10 runners.