A top-class field of 13 middle-distance gallopers are set to take to the Moonee Valley track on Cox Plate Day this Saturday to contest the $200,000 Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m).
The 2010 Patinack Farm Crystal Mile features a wide-open field with horses likely to be at the top of the Luxbet markets including Poor Judge, Snow Alert and Firebolt.
Queensland galloper Poor Judge, trained in Toowoomba by Norm Hilton, has been in brilliant form this season winning two mile handicaps in Brisbane before travelling to Melbourne and finishing a gallant third to More Joyous in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap.
Poor Judge jumped from barrier 15 in the Toorak and so their wide gate 11 draw for the Crystal Mile should be no trouble.
The Chris Waller-trained Snow Alert is ideally drawn in barrier two for Saturday, another early favourite coming off consistent form.
Five-year-old Red Ransom gelding Snow Alert ran second in both the Wyong Cup and Newcastle Cup last month and dropping down to just 55.5kg on Saturday has serious claims.
Kiwi galloper Firebolt is another runner that can finish in the money despite their 11th place finish in the Epsom Handicap last start.
A good galloper that emphatically took out the Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on September 9, the Roger James-trained Firebolt is set to jump from barrier eight with Danny Nikolic in the mount.
Peter Snowden’s Redoute’s Choice five-year-old Drumbeats is seeking to return to form after a failed last start in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap where they finished 12th .
Before that, Drumbeats was third in the Theo Marks Stakes and then won the Bill Ritchie Handicap, however out wide in barrier 13 and set to carry a hefty 56.5kg they will start at long odds at Luxbet.
Other noteworthy milers in the Crystal Mile on Saturday include the Gai Waterhouse-trained Rock Kingdom, Mark Kavanagh’s Sound Journey and John Thompson’s four-year-old gelding Gathering down in the weights and well positioned in barrier five.
The 2010 Patinack Farm Crystal Mile is scheduled as Race 4 on the Moonee Valley race-card for Saturday and is due to jump at 2:40pm (AEDST).
Betting markets are due to open at Luxbet shortly, so make sure you get in on the action and sign up with this premier bookmaker and be rewarded with their $400 Free Bet Offer in time for Cox Plate Day!
2010 Crystal Mile Field, Barrier Draw & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Handicapper Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROCK KINGDOM | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 12 | 57.5 | 106 |
| 2 | DRUMBEATS | Peter Snowden | Corey Brown | 13 | 56.5 | 104 |
| 3 | GOLD SALUTE | Mark Riley | Mark Pegus | 6 | 56.5 | 103 |
| 4 | LA ROCKET | Dale Sutton | Stephen Baster | 7 | 56.5 | 104 |
| 5 | POOR JUDGE | Norm Hilton | Darren Gauci | 11 | 56.5 | 103 |
| 6 | SOUND JOURNEY | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 9 | 56.5 | 103 |
| 7 | CONQUERING | Charlie Goggin | Blake Shinn | 10 | 56 | 102 |
| 8 | ROCKPECKER | Ken Fythe | Craig Williams | 1 | 55.5 | 101 |
| 9 | SNOW ALERT | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 55.5 | 100 |
| 10 | THE SPORTSMAN (NZ) | Russell Cameron | Nicholas Hall | 4 | 55.5 | 100 |
| 11 | GATHERING | John P Thompson | Craig Newitt | 5 | 55 | 99 |
| 12 | FIREBOLT (NZ) | Roger James | Danny Nikolic | 8 | 54 | 97 |
| 13 | TRADER | Anthony Cummings | Michael Walker | 3 | 53 | 89 |
