The 2015 Doncaster Mile first acceptances have been released and 80 gallopers remain in contention to run in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on April 4.

Hallowed Crown was too strong for Shooting To Win and Sweynesse in the final stages of the 2015 Doncaster Mile. Photo by: Steve Hart

Hallowed Crown recorded his second win at the highest level of racing when he took out the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) in Sydney last weekend and after the race co-trainer James Cummings confirmed that the three-year-old would progress to the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).

The Street Sense colt defeated Sweynesse and Shooting To Win to take out the Royal Randwick Guineas and it is likely he will face the talented duo in the Doncaster Mile, while other talented three-year-olds like Amicus, First Seal, Hampton Court, Kermadec, Testashadow, Thinking Of You, Wandjina, Wawail and Winx remain in the Doncaster Mile entries.

The Japanese duo of Real Impact and World Ace have already arrived in Australia and both horses remain on track to contest both the George Ryder Stakes and the Doncaster Mile.

Real Impact will be having his first race start since he took out the Group 2 Hanshin Cup at the end of 2014, while World Ace will be returning to the races for the first time since he finished fourth behind Able Friend in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at Hong Kong on December 14.

No Japanese horse has won the Doncaster Mile, while Japanese mare Hana’s Goal finished a credible sixth in the 2014 edition of the race.

Another horse that has the chance to score a record-breaking win in the Doncaster Mile is Chris Waller-trained Sacred Falls, who will have the opportunity to become the first horse in history to win the Group 1 event three years in a row.

Sacred Falls returned to racing with a credible fifth in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on March 7 and he has been trained to peak third-up in the Doncaster Mile after running in the George Ryder Stakes.

The O’Reilly entire is joined in the Doncaster Mile first acceptances by stablemates Adelaide, Amicus, Beaten Up, Bull Point, Catkins, Diametric, Foreteller, Hawkspur, He’s Your Man, I’m Imposing, Kermadec, Moriarty, Royal Descent, Telepathic, Weary and Winx.

Another trainer that is sure to be well-represented in the Doncaster Mile is the in-form Gai Waterhouse, who has nine horses in the first acceptances for the $3 million event.

Cosmic Endeavour recorded a second win at Group level in the Canterbury Stakes on Saturday and looks to be Waterhouse’s best chance of winning the Doncaster Mile for the first time since More Joyous took out the 2012 edition of the race and the talented mare could be joined in the field by Excess Knowledge, Diamond Drille, Hampton Court, Pajarao, Pornichet, Supara and Wandjina.

Since the Doncaster Mile weights were released a fortnight ago, Godolphin import It’s Somewhat is the only horse that has received a penalty by Racing New South Wales handicappers.

It’s Somewhat made his Australian racing debut with a strong win in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Warwick Farm on February 28 and he will now carry 51.5 kilograms if he gets a start in the Doncaster Mile.

Four-time Group 1 winner Dissident, Paul Beshara-trained Happy Trails, Canterbury Stakes placegetter Criterion, talented mare Lucia Valentina, injury-plagued Fiveandahalfstar, classy sprinter Chautauqua, cult hero The Cleaner and New Zealand-trained hopeful Puccini were among the other horses included in the 2015 Doncaster Mile first acceptances.