This Saturday Sandown Park racecourse will host Melbourne’s final group race of the spring, the $125 000 Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m).
This year the quality handicap feature will be contested by a strong field of 16 runners.
The Peter Snowden-trained Offenders is still a top fancy as the gelding starts in his first stakes grade race despite drawing wide with barrier 14. Offenders is coming off a solid win in the Sale Cup (1600m) when paired with jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who will mount the four-year-old again on Saturday. On the minimum 53kg they stand a strong chance to bring Offenders record to five wins from 11 starts.
Bevan & Richard Laming’s Bashful Girl, due to be ridden by Craig Newitt, will start from the inside barrier while the Peter Moody-trained Markus Maximus drew gate 16.
Colin Little’s Blutigeroo with jockey Nicholas Hall aboard will carry the topweight on Saturday, 58kg, when starting from barrier 12.
Legendary trainer Lee Freedman was impressed with the weight of 54.5kg his entry Dane Julia received accepting her into contention for Saturday. Dane Julia has won Group 1 races in South Africa and New Zealand and will start from gate nine.
The Group 3 Betfair Eclipse Stakes is scheduled as race six on the card for Saturday.
Eclipse Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw:
No |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Barrier |
Weight |
Penalty |
Handicapper Rating |
| 1 | BLUTIGEROO | Colin Little | Nicholas Hall | 12 | 58 | 103 | |
| 2 | JUNGLE RULER | Peter White | Darren Gauci | 13 | 57 | 101 | |
| 3 | ULYSSES | Luke Oliver | 7 | 55 | 97 | ||
| 4 | DANE JULIA (SAF) | Lee Freedman | Dwayne Dunn | 9 | 54.5 | 100 | |
| 5 | MARKUS MAXIMUS (NZ) | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 16 | 54 | 94 | |
| 6 | PLAYWRIGHT (NZ) | Steve Richards | Steven King | 6 | 54 | 93 | |
| 7 | POISED TO WIN | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | Clare Lindop | 5 | 54 | 94 | |
| 8 | MISSION CRITICAL | Michael Moroney | Chris Symons | 8 | 53.5 | 92 | |
| 9 | DOWN UNDER BOY | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | 4 | 53 | 89 | ||
| 10 | GAME SERENA | Ron Gravett | Peter Mertens | 10 | 53 | 89 | |
| 11 | OFFENDERS | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 14 | 53 | 89 | |
| 12 | ROSE SYRAH | Tony Noonan | Danny Nikolic | 3 | 53 | 89 | |
| 13 | RHYNO CHASER | Wanda Ings | Dean Yendall | 11 | 53 | 88 | |
| 14 | BASHFUL GIRL | Bevan & Richard Laming | Craig Newitt | 1 | 53 | 87 | |
| 15 | ELMORE | Luke Oliver | 2 | 53 | 86 | ||
| 16 | SEA SKYE (USA) | Bevan & Richard Laming | Matt Pumpa | 15 | 53 | 75 |
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