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.
Nashwa rediscovered her better form again July 14 winning the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket just in time to make a serious bid to win the Nassau Stakes for the second year in a row. But to do so, she’ll have to beat the sensational 3-year-old filly Blue Rose Cen while conceding eight pounds in the Group 1 Nassau on Thursday at Goodwood Racecourse.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien in 2000 won the St. James’s Palace Stakes, the Eclipse Stakes, and the Sussex Stakes with the 3-year-old colt Giant’s Causeway. He starts odds-on favorite Paddington trying to pull the same triple in the Group 1 Sussex on Wednesday at Goodwood Racecourse in England.
Giant’s Causeway is the only recent winner of all three Group 1 stakes, the St. James’s Palace an age-restricted mile at Royal Ascot, the Eclipse a 1 1/4-mile contest open to older horses, and the Sussex another mile, this also open to older horses and run over Goodwood’s quirky, turning course.
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.
The Kentucky-bred gelding Mutamanni is off to a fine start to his career in Australia, winning two of his first four appearances since late May.
A close fourth in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney July 8, Mutamanni will start favored in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Randwick on Friday evening, seeking his first win at the prestigious venue.
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday at Ascot is England’s best race this year, perhaps in several years. It’s deep, with seven of the 11 entrants having a legitimate claim to contention, and it’s competitive, with Auguste Rodin the tepid 7-2 general favorite in antepost wagering Thursday.
A new distance may end a six-race losing streak in Australia for Yirrkala, who will start at seven furlongs in a handicap at Tamworth Racecourse on Thursday evening.
Yirrkala has raced primarily at five furlongs in her seven-race career, winning her debut at that distance last November. In her last two starts, Yirrkala has been second in six-furlong races, losing by 1 1/4 lengths at Scone June 30, and by slightly less than a half-length at Tamworth July 7.
C’mon Mate had a rude introduction to racing against winners when he finished fourth in a six-furlong handicap at Wyong Racecourse in Australia on July 15.
C’mon Mate broke slowly and raced in tight quarters in the stretch before finishing slightly less than three lengths behind the winner.
The loss should serve as a learning experience for C’mon Mate’s seven-furlong debut in a first-condition handicap at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Wednesday evening, his seventh career start.
