Australia Day: won a handicap chase at Taunton back in May

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

Spain: Australia Day will once again fly the flag for Paul Webber at San Sebastian in northern Spain in pursuit of one of Europe’s richest Listed prizes, the €68,000 Copa de Oro (5.30).

The versatile ten-year-old missed out on the prize 12 months ago when Darryll Holland was forced to contend with tack problems after exiting the stalls awkwardly on his way to third place. Australia Day then won a conditions race at the track three weeks later under jockey Oscar Urbina.

“He’s a difficult horse to place these days and as a front-runner there’s no hiding what he’s going to do,” said Webber. “The handicapper has got his measure on the Flat and over hurdles in Britain and there’s no steeplechase for him right-handed until November, so we thought we might as well have a go at something he can do.

“It’s a fantastic prize that a ten-year-old can have a reasonable crack at. Like last year he’s been camping with Jean-Claude Rouget in Pau, so we’ll see what he can do.”

Australia Day might not get an uncontested lead over the tightly turning mile and a half, with Celtic Rock, who is  chasing a seven-timer, another who likes to force matters.

The Copa de Oro is the latest leg on the Defi du Galop, a series which takes in races in Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Italy, as well as many of the bigger regional racecourses in France.

Chantilly’s most recognisable Spaniard, Arc-winning trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias, sends Esles in search of a hat-trick after victories at Longchamp and Compiegne.

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