Group 1 doubleheaders at Flemington and Randwick on Saturday; Avilius one to beat in Australian Cup

A week after finishing a fast-closing fourth in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at a mile, Avilius will race at a distance that may better suit his needs in Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

The $994,500 Australian Cup is the richest of four Group 1 races to be run in a little less than two hours in Australia on Saturday. There are two Group 1 races at Flemington and two at Royal Randwick in Sydney. Post time for the Australian Cup is 12:45 a.m. Eastern or 9:45 p.m. Pacific on Friday.

Avilius was beaten two lengths by Te Atua Shark in the Chipping Norton Stakes. Owned by Godolphin Racing, Avilius was a Group 1 winner at a mile in September and won Group 1 races at 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 miles last March following a fifth in the 2019 Australian Cup.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Avilius is part of a field of 14 that includes Regal Power, the winner of the Group 1 Railway Stakes at a mile in November.

The Flemington program includes the $828,750 Newmarket Handicap at six furlongs, which drew a field of 13. Bivouac, the winner of the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in September, and Exceedance, who was third in the Golden Rose and won the Group 1 Coolmore Stakes at Flemington in November, are the top contenders.

At Randwick, Shadow Hero, who won the Group 1 Champion Stakes in October, and Castelvecchio, second against older horses in the Group 1 Cox Plate in October, are the top choices in early betting for the $663,000 Randwick Guineas for 3-year-olds at a mile. The race lost its future-book favorite earlier this week when the Group 1 winner Super Seth was scratched because of illness.

In the $332,000 Canterbury Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs, Standout is expected to live up to his name against six rivals. Standout has won 4 of 5 starts, including the Group 2 Expressway Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Feb. 1.

Post time for the Canterbury Stakes is 11:05 p.m. Eastern on Friday, the first of the four Group 1 stakes.