Mr Tabasco was in need of a start when he finished fourth by slightly more than a half-length in a five-furlong handicap at Coffs Harbour Racecourse in Australia on Dec. 1.
Mr Tabasco had not raced since mid-July, and closed from fifth in a field of 10. The recent start will serve Mr Tabasco well when he appears in another five-furlong handicap at Coffs Harbour on Wednesday evening across American time zones.
The filly with the best chance in the Group 3 Belle of the Turf Stakes at Gosford Racecourse in Australia may be stuck in the barns when the race is run on Tuesday evening across American time zones.
Ausbred Flirt was on the also-eligible list for the one-mile race as of Monday morning, needing one defection from the main body of 14 to earn a berth in the field.
Early betting on Monday indicated that Ausbred Flirt will be favored if she draws into the field. She was the 3-1 favorite over Elle Te Ama (5-1) and Nothinsweetaboutme (6-1).
Equinox finished second in his first two starts in Grade 1 races in Japan in the spring. Against older horses, Equinox has been unbeatable.
On Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse, Equinox ($4.90) won Japan’s richest race in the $6.5 million Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles. The win secured Equinox’s status as the champion 3-year-old male of 2022, and the likely title of Japan’s Horse of the Year.
Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Equinox closed from ninth in a field of 16 to take the lead in early stretch.
Two weeks after he stormed clear to win his first start by five lengths, The Novelist will have his stakes debut in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Doomben Racecourse in Australia on Friday evening across American time zones.
The key to winning the six-furlong race for The Novelist is to hold off a threat from the equally promising Miss Coota, a filly unbeaten in two starts.
Doomben has a nine-race program that begins at 9:03 p.m. Eastern or 6:03 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Five races into his career, the 3-year-old colt Equinox is already a fan favorite in Japan.
Second in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby in May, Equinox won his first start against older horses in the Grade 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 30.
Those results left Equinox among the top selections in a fan ballot for Sunday’s Grade 1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse. The field is partially determined by a poll with the rest determined by earnings. Run at 1 9/16 miles, the $6.5 million Arima Kinen will have a maximum field of 16.
For a fifth-place finisher, Freedom Square ran very well in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Canterbury Racecourse in Australia on Dec. 9. Freedom Square was five wide through the stretch and finished with interest to lose by only three-quarters of a length.
The relatively narrow loss could lead to a better performance in the Coonabarabran Cup at a mile at Coonabarabran Racecourse on Thursday evening.
A stalker, Freedom Square should have a pace to follow in a field of 12 and has been assigned minimum weight of 119 pounds, far less than topweight High Court at 136.6.
Nearly four months after he beat maidens in his fourth start, Par Five runs in a six-furlong handicap at Gosford Racecourse in Australia on Wednesday evening across American time zones that looks ideal for his stalking style.
Par Five, who was favored at 2-1 in early betting on Tuesday, closed from third in a field of 13 to win a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs by slightly less than two lengths at Scone Racecourse on Aug. 23.
The booking of big-race rider James McDonald is certain to draw attention to the gelding Unrelenting in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm in Australia on Tuesday evening across American time zones.
Unrelenting, a winner of 2 of 14 starts, is winless in eight starts since June 2021. This is the first time that McDonald has ridden Unrelenting, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Gary Portelli.
