Since late June, Major Artie has finished seventh twice and third once in lucrative handicaps on high-profile Saturday programs around Sydney, Australia.
Major Artie, trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, gets some class relief with a start in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick in Sydney on Wednesday. The race is not as valuable as some of Major Artie’s recent starts.
Apologetic ended a four-race losing streak with a come-from-behind victory as the favorite in a six-furlong handicap at tiny Warracknabeal Racecourse on July 18.
Apologetic’s closing style could lead to another win on Monday in a seven-furlong handicap at Echuca Racecourse. Apologetic is part of a field of 12 in a race that should be run with a pace for him to pursue.
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Norway, an Irish-bred gelding by Galileo, has had a diverse career on two continents. In 2019, Norway was eighth in the Group 1 English Derby and third in the Group 1 Irish Derby when trained by Aidan O’Brien.
Since early 2020, Norway has been based in Australia with several leading trainers. He was winless in his first 11 starts before winning his debut over hurdles in a maiden race at Warrnambool Racecourse on July 4.
Lady Bowthorpe, a vastly troubled fourth last out in the Falmouth Stakes last out, validated her connections’ confidence she’d stay a mile and a quarter by notching the first Group 1 victory of her career in the Nassau Stakes on Friday at Goodwood.
It was also a first Group 1 for jockey Kieran Shoemark, who gave Lady Bowthorpe a fine, second-over trip in the Nassau.
Beau Rossa went from a win in the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes at Morphettville Racecourse in Australia on May 1 to a 10th-place finish in a field of 11 in the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at six furlongs at the same venue on May 15.
The Group 1 sprint was too tough for Beau Rossa, who is back against a reasonable level of competition in Saturday’s $73,940 Lightning Stakes at 5 1/4 furlongs at Morphettville.
Alcohol Free outfinished heavily favored Poetic Flare and won the Group 1 Sussex Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths on Wednesday at Goodwood Racecourse in England.
Alcohol Free, a 3-year-old filly getting 11 pounds from older male rivals and three pounds from 3-year-old Poetic Flare, appears to relish testing course conditions and got them Wednesday.
There was less than a half-length between Great Diviner and Zoist in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on the infield Parks course at Morphettville Racecourse in Australia on July 17. Another close finish is possible when the pair meet again in a seven-furlong handicap at the same venue on Friday.
Great Diviner took the lead in the final furlong of the July 17 race and held off Zoist, who raced wide throughout. Zoist could have an advantage in the rematch.
Audarya’s shine might’ve lost a little bit of its gloss when Love finished a soundly beaten third Saturday in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but Audarya still looks strong Thursday at Goodwood in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes.
With just two races of experience, the 3-year-old Agrum is already a top weight in everyday handicaps so common in Australian racing.
Thursday at Wyong Racecourse, Agrum and the longshot Gidgee Guy will both carry 131 pounds. The 3-year-old filly Ready to Soar was assigned top weight of 133 pounds, but the presence of apprentice jockey Ellen Hennessy reduces the assignment to 126.7 pounds.
The Sussex Stakes annually marks the conjoining of top older milers and rising 3-year-olds, but that will not be the case in Wednesday’s renewal of the Goodwood fixture.
Poetic Flare, the 3-year-old with plenty of flare to his game, is set to start in the one-mile Sussex but top older miler Palace Pier, unbeaten in three starts this season and an imperious winner of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, was ruled out of the Sussex several days ago after blood tests suggested he was not at his best.
