Sydney’s world-famous Royal Randwick hosts one of Australian sport’s biggest events on Saturday with the running of four renowned Gr1 races at The Star Championships Day 1.
The Gr1 A$3 million The Star Doncaster Mile, Gr1 A$2 million Bentley Australian Derby, Gr1 A$2.5 million Furphy TJ Smith Stakes and Gr1 A$1 million Inglis Sires’ feature on a 10-race card which has attracted 171 entries.
On a day which includes world-class racing and a special concert after the last race by Australian indie pop sensation Sheppard in the Theatre Of The Horse, Saturday also marks the first major carnival day of operation for the public’s new $47 million WINX Stand.
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager Racing and Wagering James Ross said Saturday at Royal Randwick was one of world racing’s most prestigious days.
“Saturday’s program is the first week of the Grand Finals of Australian racing and it is pleasing to see a world-class line up of horses, trainers and jockeys from across Australia and New Zealand,’’ Mr Ross said.
“The Star Doncaster Mile is a time-honoured event and this year has nine individual Gr1 winners and a field which has collectively won more than A$34 million in prizemoney.
“On a day of many highlights, the Furphy TJ Smith Stakes promises to be a classic, with the world’s highest rated sprinter Nature Strip aiming to win three consecutive, against his great rival Eduardo and the new cult hero in Shelby Sixtysix.’’
On a day of a host of racing highlights, the four Group 1 races include:
- A 20-horse field in A$3 million The Star Doncaster Mile including last year’s winner and topweight Cascadian, reigning Golden Eagle winner I’m Thunderstruck and multiple Gr1 winning three-year-old Converge , trained By Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and as Gai aims for a record eighth win in the race;
- A capacity 18-horse field in the A$2 million Bentley Australian Derby headed in TAB markets by Victorian Derby winner Hitotsu as he looks to be the first since Mahogany (1994) to win both derbies and give trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and jockey John Allen back- to-back Bentley Australian Derby victories;
- The two highest-rated sprinters in the world in Nature Strip (Chris Waller and James McDonald) and Eduardo (Joe Pride and Nash Rawiller) in the A$2.5 million Furphy TJ Smith Stakes, along with the people’s horse Shelby Sixtysix (Danny Williams and Tommy Berry) already strongly supported in the betting.
- Longines Golden Slipper winner Fireburn for trainer Gary Portelli and jockey Brenton Avdulla in the A$1 million Inglis Sires’ as the filly tries to win a second leg of the two-year-old triple crown and be the first since Pierro (2012) to win the Slipper/Sires double.
Saturday includes the Gr2 Schweppes Chairman’s Quality and a field of 20 runners over the 2600m as a final major pathway race to the Gr1 A$2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup.
The bumper card also includes the eighth running of the A$500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final as 16 runners from NSW country trainers and jockeys all over the State compete on one of Royal Randwick’s most prestigious days.
GallopTv are covering races 4-10, which means there are 4 Gr1’s, a Gr2 and a Gr3 to enjoy.
