After a win in the Grade 1 Champions Cup on dirt at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan last December, Chuwa Wizard spent the early months of 2021 on the road in other parts of Asia.
Chuwa Wizard was ninth in the $20 million Saudi Cup at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February, and a more encouraging second to the American-trained Mystic Guide in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates in March.
Mankayan was less than a length from earning a berth in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in Australia in late October.
Mankayan was beaten three-quarters of a length by Great House in the Group 3 Hotham Handicap on Oct. 30 at Flemington, a race that provided the winner with an automatic berth to the Melbourne Cup.
Three days later, Great House finished 13th of 23 in the Melbourne Cup. Mankayan won a handicap at about 1 9/16 miles at Cranbourne Racecourse at 4-5 on Nov. 13, a consolation of sorts.
Ready to Humble has not raced in Australia since a win in the Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai Racecourse on Nov. 12, although that was not the intended plan for November.
Ready to Humble was scratched from the Wodonga Cup on Nov. 26 in favor of Friday’s Mudgee Cup at a mile at Mudgee Racecourse. Ready to Humble was an early favorite for the Wodonga Cup. He is likely to have a similar role in a competitive running of the Mudgee Cup.
Grey Whisper nearly pulled an upset at 150-1 when she finished fifth in her debut at Wangaratta Racecourse in Australia in June. Showing inexperience, Grey Whisper raced erratically early in the race at 6 1/2 furlongs and was checked in the stretch. She was beaten slightly less than 1 1/2 lengths.
Grey Whisper won her second start at Wangaratta in a maiden race at about six furlongs on Nov. 16, but this time was the 5-2 favorite. She will be a slightly higher price in her debut against winners in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Wangaratta on Thursday.
Paul Lally:
R1 7-3-5-4
R2 3-4-5-1
R3 7-2-1-5
R4 3-7-8-2
R5 1-9-3-8
R6 9-5-1-4
R7 8-6-4-1
R8 1-6-3-11
R9 4-5-11-1
Best Bet R3 N7 Smart Idea
Longshot R8 N1 Xiang Bai QI
Play R8 QQP 1-3-6
Andrew Le Jeune:
R1: 6-4-7-3
R2: 3-9-1-6
R3: 5-1-2-12
R4: 5-4-2-8
R5: 8-2-3-1
R6: 9-5-1-7
R7: 1-8-6-4
R8: 3-6-5-1
R9: 3-2-5-4
Best: R9 N3 Family Folks
Each/way: R3 N5 Master Aqua
Play: R3 Q/QP 1-2-5
Take a straw poll of Hong Kong racing people and John Size probably would come up as the best trainer on the circuit. Calculating, measured, and patient, Size, an Australian export, for years has churned out a steady stream of winners, and after a sluggish start to the 2021-22 Hong Kong season his stable is rolling again.
Last December, Ballistic Boy won the Doomben Mile Stakes at Doomben Racecourse in Australia as the 6-5 favorite for his second stakes win.
Ballistic Boy was beaten in his first six appearances at Doomben Racecourse prior to the Doomben Mile, but has taken a fancy to the course in the last year. In August and September, Ballistic Boy won consecutive starts at Doomben in lucrative handicaps, leading to a start in Wednesday’s $92,650 Tattersall’s Recognition Stakes at 6 3/4 furlongs at the same track.
Contrail, Japan’s champion 3-year-old male of 2020, reversed a three-race losing streak with a two-length win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup, his final start before retirement to stud.
Contrail ($3.90 in American pools) closed from the middle of the field of 18 to take the lead in the final sixteenth and win comfortably over 8-1 Authority. Shahryar, who won the Grade 1 Japanese Derby in May, finished third at 5-1.
Broome and Japan, who were second and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6, finished 11th and eighth for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
