The Woodford Cup at Warrnambool Racecourse on Friday in southwest Australia will be a racing homecoming for Mr Cancun.
Mr Cancun is based at Warrnambool with trainer Lindsey Smith, but has not raced at the track in 13 starts, since a win in a handicap at 1 1/16 miles in January 2020. The Woodford Cup is also run at 1 1/16 miles, a shorter distance than Mr Cancun’s recent starts.
Killer Ability emphasized his status as a leading prospect for the Japanese 3-year-old classics in 2022 with a victory in Tuesday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse.
Killer Ability ($23.60) closed from third in a field of 15 and was timed in stakes-record 2:00.60. The previous mark of 2:01.40 was set by Time Flyer in 2017.
Killer Ability, ridden by Takashi Yokoyama, took the lead with less than a furlong remaining and won by 1 1/2 lengths over 5-2 Justin Palace. Lagulf (25-1) finished third.
For most of 2021, Mr Joobs has been tried in races ranging in distances from 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/2 miles at smaller tracks in Australia.
For his final start of the year, and first race since August, Mr Joobs starts on Thursday in a handicap at about a mile at Werribee Racecourse, also known as Spendthrift Australia Park. Tactics could work in favor of Mr Joobs.
The Rock returns to the dirt on a rare Wednesday racing program at Sha Tin.
Wednesday racing in Hong Kong nearly always takes place at Happy Valley, but the holiday season has reshaped the regular schedule. There was racing Monday, Dec. 27, rather than the usual Sunday card at Sha Tin, and Wednesday’s all-dirt program is followed by a New Year’s Day card on Saturday. The normal pattern – Happy Valley on Wednesday, Sha Tin on Sunday – holds for the rest of January.
Much has changed for the positive since Brookspire finished eighth of 16 in the Group 1 Australian Oaks at Morphettville Racecourse in May.
Brookspire has won two of her last four starts, which leaves the 4-year-old filly in an outstanding position to win her first group stakes in Wednesday’s Group 3 Belle of the Turf Stakes at a mile at Gosford Racecourse, north of Sydney.
Paul Lally:
R1: 7-3-9-1
R2: 4-10-2-5
R3: 2-5-3-6
R4: 2-5-3-13
R5: 5-4-2-9
R6: 1-10-2-8
R7: 2-10-13-5
R8: 1-2-9-10
R9: 10-1-2-3
R10: 2-14-1-12
Best Bet: R7 N2 Beauty Champ
Longshot: R5 N5 Scotch Tycoon
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Mark McNamara:
R1: 7.1.9.4
R2: 7.4.5.10
Private Detective won a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Orange Racecourse on Dec. 14 to end a 10-race losing streak since January.
Orange may develop into a friendly venue for Private Detective, a 5-year-old gelding.
That race was Private Detective’s first start at Orange. On Tuesday, Private Detective has an excellent chance to win consecutive races for the first time in his career when he starts against a slightly tougher field than his last start in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Orange.
The 2-year-old colt Command Line has fashionable elements of Japanese and American bloodlines in his immediate family.
No wonder the undefeated colt will be favored to end his 2-year-old season with a victory in Tuesday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan.
Command Line is by the legendary Japanese stallion Deep Impact, who died in 2019. Command Line is out of Condo Commando, a Kentucky-bred mare who won three graded stakes in New York in 2014 and 2015, notably the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga in 2014.
Efforia, Japan’s top 3-year-old this year, may very well be that nation’s Horse of the Year.
On Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse, Efforia won his third Grade 1 race of the year in the $5.02 million Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles against older horses.
Sent off favored in a field of 16, Efforia closed from the middle of the field under jockey Takeshi Yokoyama to take the lead with less than a furlong remaining. Efforia won by three-quarters of a length over 20-1 Deep Bond.