Inglis Sires’ winner Invader is assured to start a very short priced favourite for the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday after drawing the rails in the ten horse field.
Invader, above, has the rails in the 2017 Champagne Stakes field at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Invader was a scratching from the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 18 because of a minor hoof problem but repaid the disappointed connections with a decisive win in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on April 1.
Hugh Bowman rode Invader to win the Inglis Sires’ and will be aboard the Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt again in the Group 1 for the two year olds.
The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have decided to go ahead with a start in the Champagne Stakes with their promising colt Eshtiraak who has won four of his six race starts.
Eshtiraak has drawn barrier seven and will be ridden by Damien Oliver who replaces Dwayne Dunn who was aboard the Street Cry colt for his last start win in the $100,000 Martin Collins Fibretrack Sires (1500m) at Mornington on March 25.
The James Cummings trained Whispered Secret is another youngster racing in winning form and will be chasing a hat trick as she steps up sharply in class after winning the Listed $150,000 Adina Apartment Hotels Fernhill Handicap (1600m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Glyn Schofield takes over from Jason Collett on Whispered Secret who will jump from barrier six.
The Mission showed signs of having above average ability with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 The Schweppervescence Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on March 25 before finishing sixth to Invader in the Inglis Sires.
Damian Lane takes the ride again on The Mission who has drawn barrier five.
The John Thompson trained One More Honey was also a winner two starts back in the Group 2 $200,000 Vale Edgar Britt OAM Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 25 before running ninth in the Inglis Sires’
English jockey James Doyle will be having his last day of riding in Sydney at Randwick on Saturday for the time being before returning to England and will be aboard the Matt Laurie trained Aberro (barrier 2) in the Champagne Stakes.
2017 Champagne Stakes Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4×25121 | INVADER | Peter & Paul Snowden | Hugh Bowman | 1 | 56.5kg |
| 2 | 04×23416 | THE MISSION | Paul Perry | Damian Lane | 5 | 56.5kg |
| 3 | 311161 | ESHTIRAAK | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damien Oliver | 7 | 56.5kg |
| 4 | 2×6556 | ACE HIGH | David Payne | Blake Shinn | 3 | 56.5kg |
| 5 | 2×83 | REFLECTIVITY | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 4 | 56.5kg |
| 6 | 22 | ABERRO | Matt Laurie | James Doyle | 2 | 56.5kg |
| 7 | 1519 | ONE MORE HONEY | John P Thompson | Craig Williams | 6 | 54.5kg |
| 8 | 3×411 | WHISPERED SECRET | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 8 | 54.5kg |
| 9 | 2×234 | MEMENTO | Anthony & Edward Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 10 | 54.5kg |
| 10 | 22 | NASHVILLE SKYLINE | Bryan & Daniel Guy | Brenton Avdulla | 9 | 54.5kg |
