The 2015 Doncaster Mile field has been released and two-time winner Sacred Falls will have the chance to record an historic third straight victory in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Sacred Falls will have the chance to record an historic third straight victory in the 2015 Doncaster Mile. Photo by: Steve Hart
Sacred Falls will carry the top weight of 58 kilograms in the Doncaster Mile and will head into the $3.5 million third-up after finishing fifth in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on March 7 and the 12th in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
The O’Reilly entire has won his previous two Doncaster Miles on a rain-affected track and any rain in Sydney during the week will enhance the chances of the Chris Waller-trained galloper.
Waller has won four of the last seven editions of the Doncaster Mile and he has also included Royal Descent, Moriarty and Kermadec in the acceptances for the Group 1 event.
Royal Descent finished second in the Doncaster Mile last year, but she has failed to fire this preparation after finishing in the second half of the field in both the Canterbury Stakes and the George Ryder Stakes.
Waller rates Kermadec as his best chance in the Doncaster Mile, but the talented three-year-old will need at least one horse to be scratched in order to earn a start.
Another trainer with multiple runners in the 2015 Doncaster Mile field is Gai Waterhouse, who has included Cosmic Endeavour, Diamond Drille and Pornichet in the final field.
Cosmic Endeavour will be stepping up to 1600 metres for the first time in her racing career and there is a question mark over her ability to run out a strong mile following her lackluster effort in the George Ryder Stakes, while Diamond Drille returned to a semblance of her best form with a close third in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14.
Pornichet is the only Waterhouse-trained runner that is taking winning form into the Doncaster Mile after he stepped-up to 2000 metres with a comfortable victory in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday.
The Doncaster Mile will have an international presence for the second year in a row after Japanese galloper World Ace and Real Impact were both included in the acceptances for the time-honored race.
Real Impact stamped himself as a genuine Doncaster Mile contender with a tough victory in the George Ryder Stakes, while World Ace was well-backed in the lead-up to the race, but finished a disappointing 11th.
Both horses are a chance to improve on the feats of Japanese mare Hana’s Goal, who finished sixth behind Sacred Falls in the Doncaster Mile last year.
One of the most interesting runners in the 2015 Doncaster Mile field is talented three-year-old Hallowed Crown, who will be taking on older horses for the first time in his racing career.
Hallowed Crown started his autumn campaign with impressive victories in both the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 21 and he took out the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Royal Randwick on March 7 before he finished a credible third in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
The other three-year-old that has been included in the Doncaster Mile field is Godolphin galloper Sweynesse, but , like Kermadec will need a horse to be scratched in order to gain a start.
Two talented mares that will be taking winning form into the Doncaster Mile field are Suavito and Plucky Belle.
Suavito started her autumn campaign with an upset win over Dissident in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 28 and she went on to win the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 14, while Plucky Belle upset First Seal to take out the Coolmore Classic.
The 2015 Doncaster Mile field is rounded out by triple Group 1 winner Happy Trails, the Team Hawkes-trained duo of Leebaz and Ninth Legion, Kiwi galloper Puccini, Crystal Mile winner Hooked, Godolphin import It’s Somewhat, Joe Pride-trained Arabian Gold and Villiers Stakes winner Rudy, while Aomen and Malavio are the other emergencies.
