Horse Racing

Danleigh is seeking back-to-back wins in the George Ryder Stakes on Saturday

An elite nine-race programme will bring Rosehill Racecourse to life for Golden Slipper Day 2011 this Saturday, one of the five Group 1 showdowns on the card being the $400,000 Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m).

The 2011 George Ryder Stakes final field features 15 weight-for-age stars including last year’s champion Danleigh.

One of three acceptors for top Sydney trainer Chris Waller, reigning George Ryder Stakes winner Danleigh is back to defend his title.

The Mujahid seven-year-old is coming off a gritty last-start win in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 5 and will jump from barrier eight with Hugh Bowman aboard on Saturday.

The horses that ran two-three behind Danleigh in last year’s winning George Ryder Stakes Trifecta are also engaged for this year’s edition with Dao Dao drawn well in gate four and King Mufhasa in barrier nine.

Fellow seven-year-old Dao Dao was runner-up in the Emirates Stakes last spring and has enjoyed two promising first-up runs this season when third to More Joyous in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 26 and then running a close second beaten less than half a length by Whobegotyou in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 12.

Along with Danleigh Waller will also be represented by Triple Elegance (barrier five) and Rangirangdoo who came up trumps with the inside running from barrier one.

Improving Mossman four-year-old Triple Elegance is seeking their third win on the trot most recently having taken out the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) but must carry six kilograms more on Saturday than the 53kg they had for the Liverpool win.

Last year’s Doncaster Mile winner Rangirangdoo resumed after a lengthy 11 month, injury-enforced spell in the Group 2 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 19 where the six-year-old ran a credible fourth to More Joyous.

As well as Danleigh and Triple Elegance, there are four other last-start winners in this year’s George Ryder Stakes field:

• Bold Glance (Norm Hilton) – Quality Queensland galloper won a 1200m sprint at the Gold Coast on March 19 earning a shot at Group glory here
• Keepin’ The Dream (Jim & Greg Lee) – Suffered a blow drawing the far outside barrier 15, the six-year-old having won the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket Handicap (1400m) on March 17
• Ilovethiscity (Grahame Begg) – Magic Albert colt has won back-to-back Group races including the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 12, one of the main chances despite barrier 11 draw
• Aloha (Mick Price) – Classy Encosta De Lago mare enjoyed a brilliant 2 ½ length victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) on March 19

Of the field, Aloha is likely to start as one of the top fancies in the George Ryder Stakes betting.

Her emphatic Coolmore Classic victory was at the same track and distance as Saturday and was also the mare’s fifth consecutive victory.

The 2011 The Daily Telegraph George Ryder Stakes is scheduled to run as Rosehill Race 6 at 3:10pm (AEDST) on Saturday, one event before the day’s showpiece, the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m).

2011 George Ryder Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw