Group 1 racing continues at Ascot on Saturday with the running of the Winterbottom Stakes at 1200m for the sprinters.
Top galloper Overpass headlines the nominations with Jokers Grin, Rey Magnerio, Libertad and Benedetta some of the other key names in the race.
Jamie Mott will fly in to ride Libertad for Annabel & Rob Ardhiblad, whilst popular galloper Rey Magnerio will be ridden by superstar jockey Willie Pike.
Stat filly Luana Miss is likely to run after her win in the Placid Ark Stakes.
WINTERBOTTOM STAKES 1200m, Group 1, Weight-For-Age
OVERPASS (B Baker) J Parr
JOKERS GRIN (B Miller) P Carbery
OSCAR’S FORTUNE (D Luciani)
LIBERTAD (A & R Archibald)
ROPE THEM IN (S Wolfe) S McGruddy
REPOSSESSION (C & M Gangemi)
REY MAGNERIO (R Griffiths) W Pike
SPACEWALK (G & A Williams)
BENEDETTA (C Maher)
LUANA MISS (T Andrews) S O’Donnell
At Caulfield on Saturday the Zipping Classic is the feature over the 2400m. The race is likely to involve a small field, with the Melbourne Cup runners all bar Smokin’ Romans going to the paddock or overseas.
She’s A Hustler comes here off a Matriarch 2nd and has been in good form.
Kovalica, Etna Rosso and Alenquer are some of the other key hopes.
ZIPPING CLASSIC, 2400m, Group 2, Weight-For-Age
ALENQUER (B, W & JD Hayes)
SMOKIN’ ROMANS (C Maher)
BRAYDEN STAR (T Busuttin & N Young)
ETNA ROSSO (C Waller)
KOVALICA (C Waller)
HEZASHOCKA (M Price & M Kent Jnr)
ALALCANCE (G Waterhouse & A Bott)
SHE’S A HUSTLER (G Begg) J Childs
The Caulfield card will also feature a new race – the 2000m Melbourne Classic for 3yo’s – which is seen as a platform for emerging stayers. Meanwhile the Twilight Glow, Merson Cooper, Eclipse, Testa Rossa and Doveton Stakes all provide black type opportunities at the back-end of spring.
In Sydney, the Rosehill meeting will be headlined by the Group 3 Festival Stakes over 1500m along with the Starlight Stakes and ATC Cup at Listed level.
