Nominations for the 2011 Australia Stakes, the opening Group race of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival, were released today with 13 sprinters heading towards the Group 2 feature set to run at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Friday January 28, 2011.

The $200,000 Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) is the headline event at Moonee Valley’s twilight race night next Friday, the first weight-for-age showdown of the autumn racing season in Victoria.

The Australia Stakes is an excellent early autumn feature for horses heading towards other weight-for-age showdowns including the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 12 and the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) on February 19 at Flemington.

Last year super sprinter Black Caviar took out the 2010 Australia Stakes and this year her stablemate is leading the Australia Stakes nominations with Peter Moody’s reigning Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy the top-rated entry.

A five time Group 1 winning mare, Typhoon Tracy is resuming racing after finishing second in the Group 1 Myer Classic at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day last year.

Moody has also nominated his promising Not A Single Doubt four-year-old Doubtful Jack for the Australia Stakes.

Other top-rated entries likely to be at the top of the Australia Stakes odds when they open at Luxbet include:

• Mick Price’s dual Group 1 winning Show A Heart gelding Heart Of Dreams
• Tony Noonan’s Testa Rossa mare Ortensia who placed third to Black Caviar in the Patinack Classic at Flemington back in November
• The Danny O’Brien-trained six-year-old Vigor

Also among the early Australia Stakes entries are Western Australian galloper Scenic Shot, Rick Worthington’s classy galloper Whitefriars and Mark Kavanagh’s lightly-race Fastnet Rock four-year-old Undeniably.

The first big race of the season, the Australia Stakes is the perfect event to enjoy a bet on and kick start your winnings this Autumn Carnival.

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2011 Australia Stakes Nominations