It is a wide-open edition of the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) in Sydney on Saturday following the early withdrawal of the Chris Waller-trained favourite Zougotcha.
Annavisto is narrow favourite to win Sydney’s 2023 Coolmore Classic this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Waller’s Flight Stakes winning filly from the spring was originally the best fancied of the final acceptors for the Coolmore Classic field, but the team has opted to keep her to her own age with a run in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) on the same card instead.
With both Zougotcha (14) and the Ben & JD Hayes-trained Excelida (18), racing in the Group 3 Matron Stakes at Flemington on the same day, early scratchings the field is down to 16 starters.
Heading updated Coolmore Classic odds at $5.50 for Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr is the widely-drawn Annavisto out in barrier 16 (into 15) with Nash Rawiller to ride.
Annavisto returned off a lengthy spell to successfully defend her Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes trophy fresh at Flemington last month ahead of her return to Group 1 racing in Sydney on Saturday.
She was good winning the Frances Tressady for a second time by 3.5 lengths on February 18 with 58kg, and the five-year-old daughter of Reliable Man should appreciate coming back to 56kg in the Coolmore.
Sitting top of the Coolmore Classic weights with 57kg is the Chris Waller-trained Hinged racing third-up from gate 12 with James McDonald booked for the ride.
It has been a while between drinks for Waller’s now four-year-old Worthy Cause mare whose latest victory was in last year’s Group 1 Surround Stakes in the mud.
Hinged has enjoyed a subsequent five top four runs in Group 1 grade including her second to Lighthouse in the Coolmore Classic results 12 months ago.
At her latest she was sixth to Anamoe in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and looks right up to this returning to her own kind here.
Equal with Hinged in the Coolmore Classic odds on $7.50 is the Kerry Parker-trained Hope In Your Heart who looks great value jumping from barrier nine with Tim Clark in the saddle.
The four-year-old daughter of Dundeel was excellent last time in stringing together a host of wins before running a brave fourth only 1.26 lengths off I Wish I Win at 40/1 in the $10 million The Golden Eagle.
I Wish I Win is one of the top elects in Flemington’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) this weekend with those form lines holding strong.
Hope In Your Heart was runner-up in The Gong after the Eagle and then returned for a good win fresh in the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m).
Krone (2021) recently completed the Guy Walter Stakes – Coolmore Classic double, and the price on Hope In Your Heart to be the next looks attractive.
Following closely at $8 is the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Ruthless Dame ($8) with the Tavistock filly having just her firth start here on the back of a very close second in the Group 1 Surround Stakes blanket finish on February 25.
Rounding out the mares under $10 for the win are Waller’s market mover Espiona ($13 into $8.50) who was last seen winning the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes in Melbourne and 2021 Thousand Guineas winner Yearning also firming in from $15 to $9.50 to break the length winning drought.
The Coolmore Classic 2023 is set to run as Race 8 at 4:40pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s 10-race Rosehill card.
