Experience at an extended distance may help the Australian mare Kikkapow record an upset in a handicap at 1 5/8 miles at Gosford Racecourse near Sydney on Thursday.
Kikkapow is the only runner in a field of eight that has raced at 1 5/8 miles, finishing second twice in handicaps at that distance at Gosford. Last June, Kikkapow was beaten a half-length in a race at that distance.
Paul Lally:
R1 3-2-6-7
R2 4-6-1-12
R3 6-3-9-12
R4 1-9-2-4
R5 8-7-2-3
R6 10-2-1-4
R7 4-3-1-7
R8 1-5-4-11
R9 12-1-7-6
Best Bet R1 N3 Stoltz
Longshot R5 N8 Go For Tea
Play R1 QQP 2-3-6
Mark McNamara:
R1: 2.3.7.5
R2: 1.6.3.4
R3: 3.6.9.12
R4: 8.9.1.2
R5: 7.9.2.1
R6: 8.10.11.3
R7: 4.3.1.2
R8: 5.1.10.4
R9: 7.1.5.12
Best Bet R5 N7 Bulletproof
Longshot R8 N5 Gift of Lifeline
Play R5 FCT 7.9
It’s not easy stringing together wins in Hong Kong, where the handicapping system functions fluidly creating well-matched races. One avenue to repeat success is a lightly raced horse who wins well at one handicap level while carrying a high weight, and then can move up one class and have his burden reduced. Rewarding Together is just such a horse.
The early double at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday will offer clues regarding some of that country’s 2-year-old to follow in the next several weeks.
The first two races are $142,200 Blue Diamond Preview races at five furlongs, one for colts and geldings and one for fillies, which are designed as preps for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at six furlongs at Caulfield on Feb. 26. Another set of prep races will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs on Feb. 12.
Golden Sixty finally took silver, his Hong Kong winning streak snapped at 16 with a second-place finish to Waikuku on Sunday in the Group 1, $1.54 million Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Twenty-eight months and 2 1/2 Hong Kong racing seasons passed since Golden Sixty didn’t win a start, but, left in an impossible position too far behind a very good horse, Waikuku, who had tracked a moderate pace, Golden Sixty’s furious rally fell three-quarters of a length short.
A five-month break from July to mid-December has contributed to a career revival for Squiggles, a 3-year-old Australian filly who starts in a six-furlong handicap at Bathurst Racecourse on Tuesday.
Trained by Mark Newnham, Squiggles has won twice since returning to action – a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Bathurst on Dec. 20, and a six-furlong handicap at Nowra on Jan. 9. She closed from fourth in a field of 10 to beat maidens and led throughout the race at Nowra. The flexible tactics could make Squiggles even more dangerous in this field.
For a gelding from a high-profile stable, Maple Gold was overlooked at 30-1 when he won his debut in a maiden race at Muswellbrook Racecourse in Australia on Jan. 4.
The victory has led trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to enter Maple Gold in a one-mile handicap at Goulburn Racecourse on Monday against runners with multiple wins.
Despite the lack of experience, Maple Gold is well regarded in a field of 10. As of early betting on Saturday, Maple Gold was the 2-1 favorite, a slight choice over three-time winner Post Free (3-1) and the four-time winner Hemmerle (9-2).
Nick Child:
R1 2-12-11-4
R2 9-8-3-7
R3 2-1-3-8
R4 5-4-2-7
R5 1-6-7-3
R6 6-8-1-10
R7 1-2-6-3
R8 4-1-2-10
R9 13-3-1-4
R10 13-6-12-1
BEST BET: R2 N9 SETANTA
LONGSHOT: R10 N13 STAR BRITE
PLAY R4: Q/QP 2-4-5
Tom Wood:
R1: 12-14-7-2
R2: 5-8-9-4
R3: 1-2-8-4
R4: 3-4-5-2
R5: 6-1-7-9
R6: 1-8-10-6
R7: 1-3-2-6
R8: 4-2-1-8
R9: 4-1-13-11
R10: 14-1-6-13
There’s a sliver of a chance that were the Stewards Cup a handicap, if Golden Sixty had to give his rivals, say, 20 pounds, he might maybe, possibly be beatable.
But the Group 1, $1.54 million Stewards Cup is weight-for-age, all horses carrying 126 pounds, and it’s extremely difficult to imagine Golden Sixty not winning his 17th race in a row Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.
