Fasika will have to break like a rocket in Missile Stakes

The Australian Group 1 sprinter Kolding starts for the first time since April in Saturday’s Group 2 Missile Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Australia.

Despite his accomplishments earlier this year of winning the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs, Kolding will not be favored in the Missile Stakes. The 6-year-old mare Fasika, the winner of the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at six furlongs in April, dominated early betting as of Thursday as the 8-5 favorite. Kolding was 4-1, a slight choice over the outstanding sprinter Viridine at 9-2.

Race tactics may work in favor of Kolding or Viridine. Fasika drew the rail, which will force jockey Brenton Avdulla to urge the mare to a prominent position in the opening furlongs. Avdulla knows Fasika well, having ridden her in her last six starts.

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Viridine, a closer, drew post 3, while Kolding starts from the outside in a field of seven. Kolding, a winner of 11 of 30 starts, is versatile and can race near the front or from off the pace.

Fasika, a winner of 5 of 14 starts, has not raced since a fourth-place finish in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane on May 1. Vega One, second in the Victory, won the Group 1 Smith Cup at 6 1/2 furlongs at Eagle Farm on May 29.

Trained by Joseph Pride, Fasika set the pace in the Victory Stakes and was beaten a little more than a length.

Kolding, a 6-year-old gelding, has won seven stakes in his career, including the $5.1 million Golden Eagle Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs for 4-year-olds at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney in November 2019. Kolding has won at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles and has won 2 of 5 career starts at six furlongs.

The Missile Stakes is the first Group 2 race of the Australian season, which began on Sept. 1. The Missile Stakes is part of a 10-race program that begins at 9:15 p.m., Eastern, or 6:15 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.