Super Yulong will have a much-needed drop in class for his second start of 2021, which comes in a handicap at about seven furlongs at Sale Racecourse in Australia on Sunday.
Last year, Super Yulong was fourth in the Taj Rossi Series Final Stakes at Flemington and third and second in two tough handicaps in November and December. He lost those races by a combined 1 3/4 lengths.
When he sets the pace, The Astrologist is dangerous in Australian sprints. Without an early lead, The Astrologist is not as effective.
The Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at six furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Saturday may develop in favor of The Astrologist, who tries to build on a two-race winning streak. The Astrologist appears to be the pacesetter in a field of 12.
The $118,100 Bletchingly Stakes is part of a nine-race program that begins at 10:05 p.m. Eastern, or 7:05 p.m. Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Last Saturday, Sierra Sue finished fourth in a lucrative one-mile handicap at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, the first time this year the 4-year-old filly had not raced in a group-level or listed stakes in six starts in 2021.
The drop in class nearly worked. Sierra Sue closed from last to miss by 1 3/4 lengths. Sierra Sue gets another chance in a lesser race in Friday’s $73,500 Mildura Cup, a handicap at seven furlongs at Mildura Racecourse, west of Adelaide.
A trio of 3-year-olds who have not raced in several months are expected to dominate the betting in a five-furlong handicap at Cranbourne Racecourse on Thursday.
Yulong Phelps, who was 8-5 in early betting Tuesday, has not started since a comprehensive win in his debut in a maiden race at 4 3/4 furlongs at Swan Hill Racecourse last October. Trained by Danny O’Brien, Yulong Phelps was always near the front in that short race and pulled clear by 3 1/4 lengths, a solid margin.
A longer race and a slight improvement in turf conditions may help Peekays Legacy win for the third time in four starts in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday.
The 6-year-old Australian gelding Mad as Zariz is the sort of veteran that has adapted to racing on a variety of surfaces at many venues.
The flexibility may serve Mad as Zariz well when he starts in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Narromine Racecourse, located northwest of Sydney, on Monday. The seven-race program was scheduled to be run at Wellington Racecourse, but was transferred to nearby Narromine because of wet conditions at Wellington. Mad as Zariz will start at Narromine for the first time in his 29th start.
Six weeks after a record 16-length win in the Group 1 English Oaks, Snowfall won Saturday’s Group 1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh by only 8 1/2 lengths. No matter the margin, Snowfall’s impressive win on Saturday left her at the fore of the future-book market for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October.
Toulon Brook needed a drop in class to stop a 12-race losing streak in Australia, ending the drought with a one-length win in a one-mile handicap at Dubbo Racecourse on June 27.
Toulon Brook, trained by Kody Nestor, has won 5 of 25 starts in his career, specializing in races at 6 1/2 furlongs and a mile. The specialty of running in races at those distances should be to Toulon Brook’s favor in Sunday’s Narrandera Cup at a mile at Narrendera Racecourse in New South Wales.
Anything other than a comfortable win by Snowfall in Saturday’s Group 1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh would be a surprising result.
On Thursday, Snowfall was an overwhelming favorite at 2-7 with bookmakers to remain unbeaten this year, having won the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at 1 5/16 miles by 3 3/4 lengths at 14-1 from the front at York Racecourse in England on May 12, and the Group 1 English Oaks at 1 1/2 miles by a record 16 lengths at odds of 11-2 at Epsom Racecourse on June 4.
