Winx has been included in the 2016 Guy Walter Stakes nominations, but the star mare is unlikely to contest the Group 2 event that will be held at Royal Randwick this weekend.
Solicit is set to contest the 2016 Guy Walter Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Trainer Chris Waller kept his options opened by nominations Winx for the Guy Walter Stakes, but the Cox Plate winner is set to run in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) this weekend and will start the race as a dominant favourite.
Waller is still set to be represented in the Guy Walter Stakes by Amicus, who made a winning start to her autumn campaign when she scored a narrow victory in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 6.
Solicit has been a consistent performer without winning since she started her 2016 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and she will have the chance to return to winning form this weekend.
The talented mare was well-backed before she made her return to the races in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 30, but she was no match for Our Boy Malachi and she chased home Winx in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on February 13.
One of the most interesting horses in the 2016 Guy Walter Stakes nominations is Tinto, who is set to return to Sydney racing for the first time since she finished second behind Happy Clapper in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on December 12.
Tinto absolutely savaged the line to returning to winning form at the Gold Coast on Boxing Day and she held-off a flying Feltre to take out the Magic Millions Trophy (1800m) at the same venue on January 9.
The Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) is always a key lead-up to the Guy Walter Stakes and Peeping and Slightly Sweet are both set to back-up from the Group 2 event this weekend.
Peeping produced a strong first-up performance and was only narrowly denied by Sultry Feeling, while Slightly Sweet produced an uncharacteristically poor performance to miss the placings after being well-backed.
Azkadellia will bring a different form line into the Guy Walter Stakes and she will make her Sydney racing debut after racing exclusively in New Zealand and Melbourne during her racing career to date.
The daughter of Shinko King savaged the line to finish third in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on October 31 and she returned to the races with a second place finish behind Tuscan Sling in the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 13.
Mahara, Zanbagh, Vergara, Adorabeel, Mossbeat and Queen Of Kariba have been included in the 2016 Guy Walter Stakes nominations.
