Introvert may be a favorite to oppose in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Port Macquarie Racecourse in Australia on Thursday evening.
Introvert will start at the distance for the first time in his 13th start after mixed recent performances. Introvert won consecutive races at about 1 3/16 miles at Ballina Racecourse earlier this year – a maiden race on March 30 and a first-condition handicap on April 13 – but was only sixth of 10 in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Grafton Racecourse on April 30.
In his 30-race career in Australia, Reliable Dude has raced at distances ranging from six furlongs in his debut in 2020 to 1 1/4 miles in more recent starts.
A 5-year-old New Zealand-bred, Reliable Dude has won at seven furlongs and a mile and has run well at 1 1/4 miles, including a nose loss at the distance at Hawkesbury Racecourse in March.
Reliable Dude is back at Hawkesbury for the longest race of his career at 1 5/16 miles on Wednesday evening.
A first start at a mile may lead to a second career win for Lyrical Gangster in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday evening.
From the powerful Chris Waller stable, Lyrical Gangster won his debut in a maiden race at 6 1/4 furlongs at Newcastle on April 22 and followed with a third-place finish in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Kembla Grange on May 6.
Marhaba Ya Sanafi and Blue Rose Cen provided the long and short of it on Guineas Day on Sunday at Longchamp.
After Marhaba Ya Sanafi had scored a 26-1 upset in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Blue Rose Cen came through as the odds-on favorite in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches for 3-year-old fillies.
Blue Roce Cen provided a first classic race win for trainer Christopher Head and jockey Aurelien Lemaitre. Head is the son of former jockey and trainer Freddie Head, nephew of retired trainer Criquette Head-Maarek, and grandson of the late, great trainer Alec Head.
Songline is not a consistent mare, but at her best she is capable of winning top-level races.
Songline was 10th in the Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia in February, her first start of the year. Her second start was a win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.
The win gave Songline a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
Beginning in November, October Revolution had a rough start to his career in Australia, losing his first nine starts through March.
April was much kinder, with consecutive wins that have boosted the gelding’s career, leading to a potential third straight victory in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie Racecourse on the Australian east coast on Monday evening.
Burling, the Southern Hemisphere 2-year-old, won his debut with a bold rally from off the pace at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia on April 23. His second start can best be described as unconventional.
Burling is the lone 2-year-old starting against older horses in a six-furlong handicap at Tamworth on Sunday evening. The timing of the race is similar to a North American-bred juvenile racing against older horses in mid-November.
Course condition played a major role in the 2000 and 1000 Guineas last weekend in England and is likely to do so again Sunday in France. The Longchamp course was rated heavy on Friday and with rain forecast to continue through the weekend in Paris, that is not likely to change much ahead of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the 2000 Guineas, and the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the 1000 Guineas.
Testing ground should not be an issue for the most accomplished horse in either race, the filly Blue Rose Cen, who seems sure to be favored in the 1000 Guineas.
Sodashi and Stars on Earth, the champion 3-year-old fillies of Japan the last two years, will meet for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile for older fillies and mares at Tokyo Racecourse, a race with potential Breeders’ Cup implications.
The winner of the $1.86 million Victoria Mile will receive a fees-paid berth to the $2 million BC Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
