Nature Strip rallied for a comfortable win in Saturday’s Group 2 The Shorts Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, his first start in his home country since an emphatic win in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in June.
Nature Strip closed from a tracking position to win The Shorts Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs by a little more than 1 1/4 lengths over Overpass, who closed from off the pace.
Tom Wood:
R1: 1-6-5-7
R2: 5-13-3-12
R3: 1-2-6-3
R4: 10-8-3-1
R5: 11-1-7-9
R6: 6-4-8-1
R7: 3-5-1-9
R8: 10-1-11-4
R9: 11-2-6-9
R10: 1-6-2-3
BEST: R9 N11 ATOMIC FORCE (WIN)
NEXT BEST: R7 N3 BUNDLE OF CHARM
VALUE: R2 N5 LOTUS FAVORITES (EW)
PLAY: R6 QQP 4,6,8
Paul Lally:
R1: 1-5-6-3
R2: 3-12-1-13
R3: 7-2-6-1
R4:8-5-11-3
R5: 1-6-7-9
R6: 4-6-1-2
R7: 3-2-5-1
R8: 3-5-1-10
Four races into his career, Major Beel has shown steady in improvement in Australia, enough to be considered for the Group 1 Victorian Derby at Flemington Racecourse on Oct. 29.
To get to that $1.34 million race, Major Beel needs a strong effort in the Victorian Derby Preview at 1 1/8 miles at Flemington on Saturday evening across American time zones.
Major Beel was favored in a field of 13 as of Friday, a reflection of his recent form, which includes a maiden race win in July and a second and third in handicaps against 3-year-olds in August and earlier this month.
He was Australia’s Horse of the Year for the 2019-20 season and one of the stars at Royal Ascot in England in June.
The remarkable 8-year-old Nature Strip is arguably the world’s finest sprinter, and is back in Australia for a late-season campaign that starts in the Group 2 The Shorts Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday evening across American time zones.
Mankayan has compiled a fine record of three wins in four starts this year racing in handicaps at major tracks in Melbourne, Australia.
That form has made him the favorite for his first start in a group race since October, the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup at 1 9/16 miles at Newcastle Racecourse on Thursday.
The $168,200 Newcastle Gold Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 11 p.m. Eastern or 8 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Beaten in hurdle races in their last starts, Laughing Grizzley and Stan the Caddy return to flat racing in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Geelong Racecourse outside of Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday evening across American time zones.
Both have recent races that indicate they can win on the flat in a field of 10.
Laughing Grizzley, the favorite at 7-2 in early betting on Tuesday, was third by 2 1/4 lengths in a handicap at 1 9/16 miles at Cranbourne Racecourse on July 7, and third in a maiden hurdle at 2 1/8 miles in his debut over obstacles later in July.
Considering his pedigree and where he started his career, there were high expectations for Father’s Day. He is finally fulfilling them.
Father’s Day won a maiden race in his sixth start on Aug. 26 and made a rapid turnaround to win a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Hawkesbury Racecourse on Sept. 3.
Father’s Day is back in a handicap at about 1 5/16 miles at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney on Tuesday, his third start in less than three weeks.
Father’s Day was the 5-2 favorite in early betting on Monday morning over Just a Jedi at 3-1.
The three trial races on Sunday at Longchamp for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe probably will have little impact on the Arc, while in Ireland, Highfield Princess continued her run of sprint success, a 2-year-old filly’s star rose, and Kyprios maintained his position as Europe’s top stayer.
In France, the 5-year-old gelding Iresine, getting the soft ground he prefers, closed from the rear of the field and scored a sharp win in the Group 2 Prix Foy. But geldings cannot run in the Arc, so Iresine obviously will not be participating in the Oct. 2 fixture.
