Logically, Big Parade seems like a poor bet in the Group 2 Missile Stakes at six furlongs at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia on Friday evening.

Big Parade, the 8-5 favorite in early betting on Thursday, has not raced since a third by slightly less than two lengths in a Group 3 sprint stakes in April 2022. Big Parade is part of a solid field of 11 in the $196,200 Missile Stakes, the first graded stakes at Sydney tracks since the new season Australian began on Tuesday.

King of the Castle could only finish a close second in a lucrative one-mile handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, last Saturday, but the experience gained by the 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding could be beneficial later this year.

On Thursday evening, King of the Castle starts in the Coffs Harbour Cup at a mile at Coffs Harbour Racecourse. The first two finishers in the Coffs Harbour Cup earn preliminary invitations to the $1.27 million Big Dance Stakes at a mile at Randwick in November.

They might as well have handed out paddles Wednesday at Goodwood Racecourse in England, but that did not stop Paddington from winning his fourth Group 1 in a row. Racing over a rain-soaked course, Paddington brushed aside an early bid from the multiple Group 1-winning filly Inspiral and still had enough in his tank to hold clear a late run from French raider Facteur Cheval in the Sussex Stakes.

Allhallowtide was second by a neck in his first start in more than three months on July 20, a prep race that should serve the gelding well in a one-mile handicap at Wyong Racecourse in Australia on Wednesday evening.

Allhallowtide is part of a field of 12 and figures to be a factor from slightly off the pace. Allhallowtide won a maiden race at a mile in his third career start in March at Kembla Grange Racecourse and was later sixth in a handicap in April before the brief rest.

A poor start and a troubled stretch run led to a third-place finish by a little more than a length for the gelding Bat Out of Hell in Australia July 8.

A new rider, a longer distance, and a better post will make Bat Out Of Hell a strong favorite to end a seven-race losing streak in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney Tuesday evening.

Lady Tulessa, who starts in a handicap for fillies and mares at Taree Racecourse in Australia on Monday evening, has an odd record in sprint races through her career.

In 26 starts, Lady Tulessa has won four times – at a half-mile, at 4 1/2 furlongs and twice at 5 1/2 furlongs. She is winless in seven starts at five furlongs, the race distance Monday evening.

This has been a season of narrow losses in Australia for Nic’s Hero, who starts in a one-mile handicap at Corowa Racecourse on Sunday evening.

Winless in 16 starts since March 2022, Nic’s Hero was beaten a head when third in a six-furlong handicap at Nowra in May, and was second by a nose in a seven-furlong handicap at Narrandera Racecourse in his last start July 16.

A move to a mile may help Nic’s Hero, who will start at the distance at Corowa for the first time in his 31st start. A four-time winner, Nic’s Hero tends to run from off the pace.

A retreat to a familiar countryside track in Australia may end a 10-race losing streak for the 5-year-old gelding Ceasefire on Saturday evening.

Ceasefire will start as a heavy favorite in the minor Bengalla Cup at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook, a course the runner knows well. Ceasefire, by Panzer Division, has won 4 of 19 starts in his career, and 3 of 6 races at Muswellbrook.