The Sledgehammer can knock down Narromine Cup

The three-race winning streak compiled by The Sledgehammer in Australia in the last six weeks has occurred at tiny racetracks such as Warren, Dubbo, and Forbes.

The next stop is Sunday at Narromine, northwest of Sydney, for the Narromine Cup at a mile on turf.

While those four venues in the New South Wales countryside are not well known to most racing followers, there is universal appeal in the way The Sledgehammer has performed of late.

The Sledgehammer needed 17 races to beat maidens, finally doing so for trainer Daniel Bowen last December. After finishing last of 12 for Bowen in a handicap on Jan. 12 at Coffs Harbour – yet another New South Wales venue -- The Sledgehammer was given a rest in the early months of this year and transferred to trainer Michael Mulholland.

The Sledgehammer is unbeaten for Mulholland, who has won with five of his last 20 starters since mid-June. The Sledgehammer accounts for three of those wins and was Mulholland’s most recent runner – in the Forbes Cup at a mile on Aug. 3.

The Sledgehammer, who will be ridden on Sunday by regular rider Kath Bell-Pitomac, tends to run from off the pace. Bell-Pitomac is an apprentice jockey, which gives The Sledgehammer a break in the weights. The 6-year-old Australian-bred gelding will carry 126.7 pounds, about five pounds fewer than starting topweight Herzegovina.

The Narromine Cup drew a field of 13. The Sledgehammer is a closer and will be in pursuit of expected early leader Any Blinkin’ Day, a 9-year-old gelding who won a seven-furlong handicap at Dubbo on July 17.

Any Blinkin’ Day has won 10 of 63 starts, but was eighth in a seven-furlong handicap at Dubbo on Aug. 9 in his latest run.

Hamogany should be well placed. He tends to run as a stalker and could have first run on The Sledgehammer. Hamogany, who will carry 121 pounds, is winless in five starts since a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Canberra in February.

The Narromine Cup is part of a nine-race program that begins at 9:55 p.m. Eastern, or 6:55 p.m. Pacific, on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.