Kiwi mares Lizzie L’Amour and Bonneval have had mixed fortunes at the barrier draw for the Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.

Bonneval. above, is resuming in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Steve Hart.

Both mares are trained by the Cambridge partnership of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman with New Zealand Group 1 winner Lizzie L’Amour drawing barrier three while Australian Oaks winner Bonneval will start from out wider at gate eight in the eleven horse field.

Co-trainer Murray Baker is leaning towards Lizzie L’Amour as the better chance of the two for the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes and the Zabeel mare will be having her first run back since winning the Group 1 NZ$200,000 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on March 16.

“She’s a Group One winner at weight-for-age, a good staying mare that goes well fresh and she’s trialled excellently,” Baker AAP.

“She’s the sharpest of the two at a mile but both will benefit from the run I would think.”

Bonneval will also be resuming following her win in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 8 which followed on from her win in the Group 1 NZ$300,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham in New Zealand on March 18.

Damien Oliver has been booked to ride Lizzie L’Amour while Damian Lane takes the mount Bonneval.

The winner of the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes is exempt from the ballot for the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 28 but Baker said that both his mares would be following a different Spring Carnival path and head to the Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield the week before.

Baker took Lizzie L’Amour and Bonneval to The Valley on Tuesday morning for a gallop to get a feel of the tight turning circuit and he said that both mares handled it well.

“They both seemed to stride out well at the finish,” Baker said.

“The wet winter has been hard on the horses and I’m pleased to be over here on some good tracks.”

Victoria’s premier trainer Darren Weir will have two runners in the Dat’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes with Mark Zahra to ride Star Exhibit who drew barrier seven and Articus with Craig Williams in the saddle from barrier two.

The powerful Lindsay Park Team will has two representatives in Jacquinot Bay and He’s Our Rokkii.

He’s Our Rokkii has drawn the rails and will be ridden again by Dwayne Dunn who was aboard for the five year old’s first up fourth to Hartnell in the Group 2 $200,000 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 19 while Regan Bayliss sticks with Jacquinot Bay from barrier nine.

Final Field for the 2017 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m)