Saltcoats, Tajanis vie for favoritism in Australia Day Cup

A week after they delivered promising performances in separate races at the same venue, Saltcoats and Tajanis lead a field of nine in Sunday’s $126,200 Australia Day Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney.

As of Friday, both Saltcoats and Tajanis were 2-1 in early betting, with Tajanis more likely to claim the role of favorite by post time.

The Australia Day Cup is run as a handicap and there is a significant difference in the weight assignments for the two leading contenders. Saltcoats will carry top weight of 130 pounds, while Tajanis has an assignment of 116.8, which equals the lowest weight in the field.

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Saltcoats, a 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, had a two-race winning streak end with a troubled third in the January Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Jan. 18.

Saltcoats raced in traffic in the stretch and could not catch eventual winner Osipenko once clear. Jockey Tommy Berry, who rode Saltcoats to a win in a minor handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse last month, regains the mount.

The Australia Day Cup will be the first start at 1 1/2 miles for Saltcoats, who has won 3 of 12 starts.

Tajanis, who began his career in Britain, won for the second time in his last four starts with a commanding victory in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Jan. 18. Tajanis was third early in that race before pulling clear to win by 5 1/2 lengths, his third win in 15 starts.

Tajanis was ridden by James McDonald, a perennial leader among Australian riders in prize money. Remarkably, McDonald does not have a mount in the Australian Day Cup, but is riding the program at Warwick Farm. Zac Lloyd has the mount on Tajanis in the Australian Day Cup. McDonald typically rides mounts with weights of 121 or more.

The Australia Day Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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