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Australia: Unbeaten Kiwi Aegon To Star In Sydney Racing Carnival

Sydney's “Autumn Carnival” of racing is in full swing, with Randwick playing host to seven Group races this Friday night. Two events are at the elite Group 1 level, and an undefeated 3-year-old from New Zealand will be the focus of attention in the $1,000,000 Randwick Guineas. The Randwick card is available for livestream on the new Sky Racing World App and will be broadcast live on TVG (First Post: 8:40pm ET / 5:40pm PT).

The sporting rivalry between Australia and New Zealand has played out on many a rugby field, cricket pitch, and racetrack. Before the globalization of racing, Australia's lucrative purses were susceptible to plundering only by horses from across the Tasman Sea. Trainer Murray Baker, the most successful “Kiwi” raider of all time, has captured more than 20 G1 races in four Australian states. His 2017 Australian Derby winner, Jon Snow, was named for a character in Game of Thrones, whose real name was revealed in the Season 5 finale to be “Aegon.” Now, the Baker-trained Aegon is proving a revelation on the racetrack: after winning his first four starts on home soil, he took Sydney by storm two weeks ago when dominating the G2 Hobartville Stakes.

Jockey Hugh Bowman has endured a topsy-turvy time since the record-setting glory of Winx's career, but has latched onto another potential superstar in Aegon. After the gelding's dazzling Aussie debut, Bowman admitted to being “ultra-impressed … he's got the world at his feet.”

While Murray Baker is remaining in New Zealand due to coronavirus restrictions, his son, Bjorn, is fortuitously located in Sydney, having blossomed into a successful trainer in his own right. Bjorn began his career in partnership with his father and, since relocating to Australia, is ideally placed to provide a launching pad for Murray's charges.

“I'm addicted to Australian racing,” said the elder Baker. “I love the thrill of taking a horse over there and winning one of their big races. I get withdrawal symptoms when I can't find one to take over.”

Aegon, 6-5, dominates wagering for the one-mile Randwick Guineas, the seventh of nine races on Friday night's card.

Second choice at 6-1 is Peltzer, who disappointed as favorite in the Hobartville but has one glaring stat in his favor: a perfect five-for-five record at Royal Randwick. Ironically, Peltzer is trained at Rosehill, scene of the Hobartville, yet is zero-for-four in races at his “home” track. While Peltzer can be expected to put his best hoof forward returning to Randwick, it is doubtful that the best effort of any Australian 3-year-old is sufficient to alter Aegon's upward trajectory – or, if Aegon were to quote another character from Game of Thrones, “A lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of a sheep.”

Friday night's other G1 feature is Race 8, the Canterbury Stakes, a $500,000 weight-for-age sprint at six and a half furlongs. Wagering is deservedly headed by Bivouac (2-1), last seen in Sydney when finishing second in the world's richest turf race, The Everest. Bivouac subsequently won a G1 sprint in Melbourne; the Canterbury Stakes will be his second race this campaign – as was the case in The Everest.

The supporting card includes two juvenile races (the second and third) that warrant close scrutiny as key preps for the March 19 Golden Slipper. In particular, the clash of undefeated colts Profiteer and Stay Inside in Race 2 is a sumptuous prospect – both youngsters are held in extremely high regard and share favoritism at 9-5.

Long established as the world's richest race for 2-year-olds, the Golden Slipper is just one of numerous highlights as Sydney's Autumn Carnival unfolds. In fact, G1 racing will be on tap each of the next seven weeks as anticipation builds towards “The Championships,” a two-day extravaganza in April with purses totaling $21 million.

The Randwick card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 8:40 p.m. ET / 5:40 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Eagle Farm, Gold Coast and Hawkesbury. All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael's vast U.S. experience includes: race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

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Belgarion Favored in South Africa’s Cape Town Met

Belgarion, victor last year of the famous Vodacom Durban July, is the bookies' favourite at 22-10 to win the race that is so deeply lodged in the South African public's consciousness, the iconic “Met.” This 1 ¼ mile event with a proud history will be staged at Kenilworth on Saturday morning at 10:10 a.m. EST, together with other prestigious Group 1 contests. The five furlong Cape Flying Championships (WFA) for specialist speed merchants, and the Majorca Stakes (WFA) which has attracted a cast of fine fillies and mares over one mile.

Live stream all the action on the new Sky Racing World App or watch and wager with your preferred ADW.

Belgarion forms part of a three-pronged attack trained by dominant local conditioner, Justin Snaith — dual Durban July winner Do It Again and 2017 Winter Series star, African Night Sky are stable companions — and seems teed up for a peak performance. He was hugely impressive when defeating re-opposing Rainbow Bridge and Cirillo in the Green Point Stakes in mid-December, then hardly shamed when clocking in third at odds on in a falsely paced, L'Ormarins Queen's Plate. The Cape Town Met distance suits this proven winner better, he has competed with distinction against top-class rivals already and as a lightly campaigned 5-year-old can move forward towards another peak showing at only his twelfth start.

Queen Supreme looms a threat as she has repeatedly dismissed the best of her female contemporaries whilst also badly scaring outstanding colts like overseas-bound stable mate, Hawwaam. Mike de Kock's runner was a stylish winner of the G1 Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth three weeks ago and with further improvement expected, this Irish bred mare potentially has the natural ability to menace Belgarion.

Eric Sands presents two principal contenders, Rainbow Bridge (close second to One World in the 2020 Met) and Golden Ducat, who share the same prolific producing dam, Halfway to Heaven. They fought out a humdinger in the Champions Stakes in August 2019 to showcase their merits, though both finished a couple of lengths off Belgarion in the July. Rainbow Bridge is now significantly better off at the weight turnaround with the favourite however, whilst Golden Ducat is a tough scrapper bound to have progressed since the Durban winter season, so they should be accorded proper respect.

The sole 3-year-old filly, Princess Calla is interesting. There was honour in defeat 2.3 lengths off Queen Supreme in the Paddock Stakes in only her fifth career try and she finished the same distance behind arguably the best of the 3-year-old crop, Captain's Ransom, in the Fillies Guineas. That is strong form to put on her CV. Adam Marcus saddles her, and she'll be carrying just 113 pounds. The mercurial services of excellent jock Grant van Niekerk are an added bonus.

Do It Again has drawn a blank since his July heroics in 2019, the same year he was only just run out of it in the Met by perennial rival, Rainbow Bridge. The 6-year-old may not have won for 574 days, yet cannot be written off as he usually runs big second up after a break and there was much to like about his brisk finish from the back in the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate. The occasionally grumpy veteran now gets cheek pieces to enhance his concentration.

Silver Operator is trained by Vaughan Marshall who has won this race three times in the past with La Fabulous, Hill Fifty Four and One World. He saddles long shot Silver Operator, who clashed with Belgarion earlier in their respective careers and was only beaten three quarters of a length, admittedly when receiving 13 pounds in weight. It might be that the market is mistakenly underestimating him as a seemingly forlorn 50-1 outsider, given that he's stepping up in trip for the first time, which should be fine based on his pedigree (by Silvano). Silver Operator also has scope to develop having only raced eight times.

Cirillo is another trying a longer route. Sean Tarry's entry was only lumbered in deep stretch in the Green Point over one mile and suffered a similarly narrow reverse to Golden Ducat and Rainbow Bridge in the Champions at Greyville in August over 1 1/16 mile. On that basis it would be foolish to dismiss this 33-1 long shot as a no-hoper, especially if the early fractions are not too testing and he can employ optimal stalk and pounce tactics on a dry surface.

African Night Sky suffered an excruciating beat when stopped dead in his tracks on the rail in the Premiers. But for that traffic melee, he probably would have swept past Golden Ducat. Dedicated horseman Snaith is trying to work miracles in bringing this 7-year-old back from serious injury, towards the tremendous form he displayed when winning the Winter Series of 2017. The ante post market is somewhat leery of his prospects however and pegs African Night Sky as a 20-1 chance which translates into a mere 5% chance of winning.

Running Brave is a front running invader from Joburg that will be a significant pace factor. A bargain R30,000 buy who has earned close to R2 million in stakes, she will again run her heart out but could be found wanting when it counts. 100-1 rank outsider Sovereign Spirit makes up the 11 runner field – he's finished well adrift of Belgarion and Golden Ducat without obvious excuses, and seems unlikely to trouble the judge.

Though the Met is deeply contentious with plausible cases made for many in the field, the Majorca Stakes (G1) appears clear-cut. It pits up-and-coming star, Captains Ransom (firm even money favourite in early trade) vs defending champ, Clouds Unfold, quoted at 22-10.

They clashed in the Diana Stakes in October 2020 with Captains Ransom actually out-finishing the mare, which is a rare achievement in itself given that Clouds Unfold's swift turn of foot has propelled her to nine stirring victories against the best sprinter/milers in the business. There is unlikely to be much between them this time either, but the youngster, who can sit handy from a low draw then quicken up dramatically, is preferred.

Chat Ching is about four lengths inferior to the selection on exposed form, so is unlikely to win yet can clunk up for a place. Pace forcing, Silvano's Pride, and Brett Crawford's representatives, Pretty Young Thing and Sing Out Loud are others that might reasonably be used underneath in trifecta and quartet plays.

The Cape Flying Championship (G1) is dastardly difficult to decipher. It's a very powerful line-up of brilliant sprinters all rated within a few ticks of each other – whoever is in the sharpest physical condition on the day and gets the right split-second breaks will prevail.

Compiling a contender short list with any confidence is an awkward task given how clustered they are on ability ratings: Run Fox Run, Celtic Sea, Rio Querari, Kasimir, Russet Air, Erik the Red and Vernichey could, perhaps, be the ones to fight it out.

6-1 shot Run Fox Run and 5-2 ante post favourite Celtic Sea have engaged in spirited G1 sprint duels before and have proven credentials at the higher echelons over the short cuts; upwardly mobile, Rio Querari has been mighty impressive this Cape Summer; add fellow Snaith trained runners, Erik The Red (Merchants victor) and experienced champion sprinter, Kasimir as formidable foes with excellent winning records; Russet Air won the Flying Champs in 2020 with a surging closing sectional and is 7/1 to repeat, whilst well-travelled, Vernichey may be 20/1 yet is respected as a low weight representing the three year- old fillies crop. These seven thoroughbreds have between them won 48 races, including multiple G1 and G2 Stakes'. A fascinating, quality showdown!

You can live stream Cape Town Met Day at Kenilworth on your mobile device through the Sky Racing World Streaming App on iOS or Android. South African racing fans can also watch live via desktop at skyracingworld.com, and watch and wager with all major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager.

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Sky Racing World Launches Free Live Streaming Mobile App

Sky Racing World, the Louisville, Ky.-based distributor of International horseracing (Thoroughbred) content and subsidiary of Australian wagering operator Tabcorp, has announced the launch of its new smartphone App. Available today on the Apple and Google Play stores, the Sky Racing World Streaming App will make live viewing of International horse racing easier and more accessible than ever before for North American handicappers.

Featuring extensive coverage of live horse racing meets and live harness racing coverage, the new mobile App will provide enthusiasts of the sport with an unparalleled mobile experience that is completely free. With a few quick clicks, iPhone, iPad and Android users can download the Sky Racing World Streaming App and instantly gain access to a variety of International horse racing content, all at their fingertips.

The App boasts live horse racing for meets in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Korea and Japan, as well as live harness racing coverage in Australia. In addition, the Sky Racing World smartphone app also includes a link to free past performances, race forms and programs on the Sky Racing World website.

Horse racing is one of the few sports that has continued despite the ongoing global pandemic, albeit, without spectators in some jurisdictions. With its new mobile app for iOS and Android, Sky Racing World looks to fill the void of not being able to attend meets in person by bringing the thrilling action from global tracks to horse racing fans, wherever they go.

David Haslett, President and CEO at Sky Racing World, said: “Demand for digital racing content has accelerated since the start of the global pandemic, so it became clear that a single-minded App to stream and watch International racing would fill a prominent need in the market. We are excited to show our customers how committed we are to continuing to deliver world-class racing from a variety of markets.”

Races are available to live stream on their mobile devices through the Sky Racing World Streaming App on iOS and for the first time on Android devices. Fans can also watch live via desktop at skyracingworld.com, and watch and wager with all major ADW platforms.

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Australia: Undefeated Tapit Gelding Love Tap Favored In Friday’s Spring Champion Stakes

An undefeated son of American super-sire Tapit, for whom owners have just rejected a multi-million dollar offer, is favorite for this Friday night's Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. The Group 1 contest, at 1 1/4 miles for newly-turned 3-year-olds, spearheads a program that will be the subject of a lucrative new wager: a Pick-7 with a $10,000 guaranteed pool. The Pick-7 will operate on one Australian card each night, with a 100% carryover if not hit. Given the full fields that make the Aussie product so appealing, a 20-cent minimum will allow for more combinations and flexibility when framing tickets.

While the new Pick 7 wager promises a lucrative reward, there are no prizes for guessing the color of Love Tap, who has been stamped by his record-setting sire and traces back on his dam's side to another famous American gray, Holy Bull, just to guarantee the coat color. A multi-million dollar offer is never to be sneezed at – especially for a gelding – but Love Tap's ownership group explained that they “didn't buy the horse as an investment strategy; rather as a lifestyle choice and are living the dream.”

Love Tap (3-1) has risen rapidly through the ranks, convincingly winning the traditional prep race to the Spring Champion Stakes at just his fourth start. However, this intriguing renewal of the Spring Champion includes horses arriving by decidedly unconventional paths. Only two fillies have won the race in its 48 runnings, but they happen to have been in the past four years and Montefilia (3-1) is hoping to capitalize on this recent trend. A mere one week after an upset score in a Group 1 for 3-year-old fillies, Montefilia is not only taking on her male counterparts but has joined Love Tap atop the market after drawing a friendlier post position (1 versus 14).

Another difficult formline to assess is that of Cherry Tortoni (6-1), a Melbourne-based gelding who was redirected to Sydney this weekend because of more favorable weather conditions. The late pivot is appropriate from a breeding standpoint, as Cherry Tortoni's dam is a ½-sister to one of Australia's grandest stayers, Tie The Knot, who counted the 1997 Spring Champion Stakes among his 13 Group One wins.

The Spring Champion Stakes is the 7^th of nine races at Royal Randwick and the new Pick 7 wager spans races 3-9 at Randwick this Friday night. Here are some attractively priced horses to consider including in your Pick 7:

Race 3 #6 Oakfield Missile (50-1) – Won her only two starts last campaign on firm tracks, including off a similar layoff at this distance. Has a “trial” win coming into this race, mirroring her build-up to the last score off a layoff. Has a blowout chance.

Race 4 #8 She's Ideel (5-1) – Drawn awkwardly but ready to peak. Won at this track and distance in corresponding start (4^th race) of previous campaign. This is the same distance as the Spring Champion Stakes, a race her sire won in 2012.

Race 5 #6 Acrophobic (11-1) – A work in progress, but has shown glimpses of potential. His accomplished Randwick-based trainer has experimented with different riding tactics and now applies a tongue tie. It's encouraging that top jockey James McDonald sticks.

Race 6 #3 Dawn Passage (5-1) – Excellent record when fresh and looks primed after some good recent “trials” (training races).

Race 7 #8 Albarado (30-1) – American racing fans still reveling in Swiss Skydiver's thrilling Preakness triumph – and who loved the decisive mid-race move by the filly's rider – might feel inclined to include this longshot! Robby's equine namesake does have a 2^nd-place finish behind the aforementioned Cherry Tortoni, and his sire won the Spring Champion in 2004.

Race 8 #3 Asiago (9/1) and #13 Nudge (11-1) – The two female jockeys in this race, Rachel King and Kathy O'Hara, can take a hand in the finish: #3 Asiago was unlucky last start behind #5 All Saints' Eve, whom she had previously defeated (in one of two G3 wins that Asiago boasts at this distance on firm tracks – the same conditions as this race). Asiago is drawn better and is longer odds. Leading trainer Chris Waller adds blinkers to #13 Nudge.

Race 9 #10 Hulk (9-1) – Poor win percentage, but did get his picture taken last start after being plagued by a series of “heavy” tracks. Had some noteworthy minor placings as a maiden, including in a Listed race at Randwick this time last year. Has excellent connections in his corner.

The Pick 7 wager is available via all major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, AmWager, and BetAmerica. The Randwick card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 10:10pm ET / 7:10pm PT) alongside cards from Doomben, Kembla Grange and Gold Coast. All races will also be live-streamed in HD with past performances available for free at skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms.

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

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