Paul Lally:
R1 9-1-11-10
R2 2-3-8-9
R3 2-3-6-5
R4 2-10-7-1
R5 8-1-9-2
R6 1-5-6-10
R7 3-1-6-10
R8 4-12-11-7
R9 4-2-1-11
Best Bet R3 N2 Island Shine
Longshot R8 N4 Stanley Park
Play Race3 QQP 2-3-6
Tom Wood:
R1: 10-8-1-11
R2: 5-2-1-6
R3: 12-2-5-6
R4: 2-10-7-11
R5: 1-9-8-7
R6: 5-1-3-8
R7: 7-5-6-1
R8: 11-12-2-6
R9: 2-1-10-4
Narrow losses in two recent races will make the 3-year-old Oakfield Arrow favored in a handicap for fillies and mares at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse in Australia on Thursday, but a 4-year-old, Smart Success also brings attractive recent credentials to the field of 10.
Oakfield Arrow was second in a six-furlong handicap for fillies and mares at Newcastle on May 1, losing by a nose. On May 14, Oakfield Arrow was fifth, by a half-length, in a handicap against males at 6 1/2 furlongs, closing from ninth in a field of 14.
Separated by nine months, Bermadez won his first two starts in Australia with diverse styles last August and on May 12.
A 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Bermadez led throughout a maiden race at 6 1/4 furlongs at Geelong Racecourse in August. In his return on May 12 at Pakenham, Bermadez closed from last of 11 to win a seven-furlong handicap by a short neck as the odds-on favorite.
Paul Lally:
R1: 1-8-2-6
R2: 6-2-4-10
R3: 6-2-7-1
R4: 3-2-5-11
R5: 1-3-2-12
R6: 4-7-12-1
R7: 9-11-8-10
R8: 11-8-10-12
R9: 3-1-11-7
R10: 8-1-13-14
Best Bet: R2 N6 Peach Blossoms
Longshot R8 N11 Fighting Star
Best Play R2 QQP 2-4-6
Andrew Le Jeune:
R1: 8-1-6-3
R2: 1-10-4-6
R3: 6-2-3-4
R4: 3-2-8-6
R5: 1-2-8-11
R6: 4-6-2-5
R7: 6-11-9-4
R8: 4-8-10-12
R9: 3-1-7-11
The seven-furlong Arrowfield Country Cup at Scone Racecourse in Australia on May 14 was a little too tough for Highly Desired and Total Recall, who finished third and fifth in a field of 14, beaten a length and 3 1/2 lengths.
Those two are on the same schedule this month, reappearing as the two principal runners in Sunday’s Gunnedah Showcase Cup at a mile at Gunnedah Racecourse. They face familiar rivals. Of the 14 runners in the main body of the Gunnedah Showcase Cup, five others had their last start in the Country Cup at Scone.
Efforia has not faced a serious test in two starts in Japan this year, the leading reason the colt is an odds-on favorite for Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse.
Unbeaten in four starts, Efforia won the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown – the 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles – by three lengths over Titleholder at Nakayama Racecourse on April 18. Efforia won his stakes debut in a Grade 3 race at 1 1/8 miles by 2 1/2 lengths over Victipharus at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 14.
