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.
The 2-year-old filly Mac ‘n’ Cheese will be favored to win for the first time in her career when she makes her third start, and stakes debut, in Saturday’s $79,536 Oaklands Plate at Morphettville Racecourse in Australia.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese was second by a neck in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs as the even-money favorite at Bendigo Racecourse on May 16, and second by a head as the 7-5 favorite in a handicap at seven furlongs at Sandown Racecourse on June 2. In both races, Mac ‘n’ Cheese closed from well off the pace to just miss.
Star of O’reilly, a 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, was 22 races into his career before he had his first start at Mackay Racecourse in northeast Australia in April.
The venue has essentially changed his career. Star of O’reilly is unbeaten in four starts at Mackay, all in sprints in minor handicaps ranging in distances from 5 1/2 furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs.
Hurricane Lane ran his record to five wins from six starts and won his second straight Group 1 race over 1 1/2 miles, following up on his Irish Derby victory with an extremely impressive six-length tally Wednesday in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
Hurricane Lane, improving race by race, now looks a major threat for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October – though it’s not even certain he’s the best 3-year-old in his barn.
Hurricane Lane, third in the Derby at Epsom and a last-out winner of the Irish Derby, is the favorite for the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris on Wednesday at Longchamp.
The 1 1/2-mile fixture for 3-year-old colts and fillies is expected to be run over good-to-soft going on Longchamp’s grand course and attracted 11 entrants.
Paul Lally:
R1 1-8-11-9
R2 8-11-7-6
R3 3-4-6-11
R4 1-3-11-4
R5 5-7-10-8
R6 8-9-7-12
R7 6-2-3-8
R8 9-1-2-8
R9 4-8-11-5
Best Bet R3 N3 Ice Legend
Longshot R8 N9 Helene Wisdom Star
Play R3 QQP 3-4-6
Tom Wood:
R1: 1-8-7-9
R2: 3-7-10-8
R3: 3-11-4-6
R4: 4-1-3-6
R5: 11-7-10-3
R6: 12-3-8-9
R7: 6-3-1-5
R8: 1-2-11-8
R9: 11-4-8-5
Flagship Glory won his last two starts in England before being purchased and sent to race in Hong Kong, and to win his second start of the Hong Kong season he’ll have to beat the sharp Beauty Fit and 10 others on Wednesday at Happy Valley.
Paul Lally:
R1: 8-10-6-1
R2: 1-2-10-14
R3: 1-4-13-5
R4: 9-10-8-1
R5: 4-5-1-12
R6: 2-11-3-10
R7: 7-10-5-2
R8: 6-3-7-1
R9: 6-10-3-5
R10: 7-2-13-1
R11: 6-2-1-14
Best Bet R8 N6 Lucky Express
Longshot R6 N2 Loyal Baby
Play R6 QQP 2-3-11
Andrew Le Jeune:
R1: 4-8-6-1
R2: 3-2-9-1
R3: 5-13-7-10
R4: 10-1-8-3
R5: 1-4-6-11
R6: 4-3-11-10
R7: 7-10-6-9
R8: 3-6-4-2
