Breeders' Cup winner Bulletin makes first start in Australia

Bulletin, the winner of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs, will have his first start in nearly seven months in a tough handicap at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.

It’s a difficult race for his first start in that country.

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Bulletin was a well-beaten second in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf at Churchill Downs last June in his final start in the United States. A 5-year-old horse by City Zip, Bulletin was transferred to top Australian trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse to resume his career.

In advance of Saturday’s race, Bulletin finished second in two training races, or barrier trials, in December. Bulletin was scratched from a handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Jan. 7 in favor of Saturday’s race, which has drawn an accomplished field.

Bulletin’s Australian debut is likely to be overshadowed by the presence of The Bopper, who has won three of four starts. The Bopper won his stakes debut in the listed Brian Crowley Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs at Randwick on Oct. 24, his most recent start.

Under the handicap conditions of Saturday’s race, run at 5 1/2 furlongs, The Bopper will carry 120 pounds, compared to 129 for Bulletin. Academy, the winner of two handicaps at Rosehill Gardens and Randwick in August and September, will carry topweight of 130 pounds.

In early betting on Thursday, The Bopper was 3-1, while Bulletin was 12-1.

Tailleur, one of three fillies and mares in the field of seven, was 2-1. Trained by James Cummings, Tailleur has won 4 of 6 starts and finished second in her other two races. She was second as the 9-10 favorite by 2 1/4 lengths in a six-furlong handicap at Randwick on Dec. 12.

Bulletin has won 3 of 9 starts and earned $705,255. He won his first three starts, all in stakes, but is winless in his last six races, including a third in the Better Talk Now Stakes at a mile on turf at Saratoga in 2019 when trained by Todd Pletcher.

Bulletin had two starts for trainer Steve Asmussen in 2020 before he was sent to Australia.

Bulletin starts in the second of nine races at Rosehill Gardens. First post time is 8:55 p.m., Eastern, or 5:55 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Viewing and wagering is available through DRFBets.com.