Inver Park a fair price in Sunshine Coast Cup

In his last two starts at seven furlongs at Sunshine Coast Racecourse in Australia, the 7-year-old gelding Inver Park has unleashed a rally that led to wins in mid-November and late December.

For his 2025 debut, Inver Park will be an attractive price to win his first stakes in Australia in Friday’s $100,500 Sunshine Coast Cup at seven furlongs against 14 rivals.

A winner of 7 of 29 starts, the British-bred Inver Park is best known for winning the 29-runner Buckingham Palace Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Ascot in England in June 2022.

Inver Park was transferred to Australia, and to trainer Kris Lees, in 2023, and has won 2 of 11 starts since then. He has been in the best form of his Australian career in recent months.

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In the Sunshine Coast Cup, run under handicap conditions, Inver Park will carry 127.8 pounds, slightly less than topweight Sinawann at 132.

Sinawann, who ended a 21-race losing streak dating to a Group 3 victory in November 2021 with a win in a minor handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Ipswich Racecourse on Jan. 15, has drawn the outside post. At Sunshine Coast, seven-furlong races begin from a chute that joins the backstretch.

As of Thursday, Inver Park was 7-1 in early betting behind favored Party for Two (3-1), and Lost in Transit and Devastate (6-1). Inver Park is well drawn in post 4.

Party for Two, who will carry only 120 pounds, was third in the Tattersalls Classic Stakes at six furlongs at Doomben on Nov. 27, but only seventh of nine in a six-furlong handicap at Sunshine Coast on Dec. 26.

Party for Two has since finished first in a five-furlong workout from the gate, or a barrier trial, at Doomben on Jan. 16. A 4-year-old filly, Party for Two has won 4 of 17 starts, notably a $330,000 race for 3-year-olds at six furlongs bred in the state of Queensland at Gold Coast Racecourse last March.

Sunshine Coast has a 10-race program beginning at 9:13 p.m. Eastern or 6:13 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available at DRFBets.com.

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