Atomic Force is favourite to win the Sebring Stakes on Golden Slipper Day 2011
Bringing the top-notch racing action of Golden Slipper Day to a close this Saturday April 2 will be Rosehill Race 9, the $125,000 Group 3 Sebring Stakes (1100m).
A choice field of 12 gallopers have been accepted for the 2011 Sebring Stakes with the Darren Smith-trained Atomic Force the early favourite to win.
Drawn just worse than midfield in barrier seven, Danehill Dancer five-year-old Atomic Force comes into Saturday’s race on the back of two successive victories, most recently taking out the Listed Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) here on March 19 by 1 ¾ lengths over Winter King.
Atomic Force is the only last-start winner in this year’s Sebring Stakes and is due to be ridden by Tim Clark, the jockey aboard for the gelding’s last two wins.
Other horses backing up from a run in the Maurice McCarten Stakes are Dorf Command (3rd), Latin News (4th), News Alert (5th), Swift Alliance (7th), Cardinal Virtue (8th), Star Of Octagonal (11th) and Tromso (13th).
The Clarry Conners-trained Commands mare Dorf Command is likely to bring some stiff competition in the Tulloch Stakes having drawn ideally with barrier two and to be ridden by Victoria’s reigning Scobie Breasley Medallist Glen Boss.
One exciting Tulloch Stakes’ contender not having come via the Maurice McCarten is Ravna Gora, the Canberra galloper having run third at their two most recent starts back home and a live chance on Saturday with an advantageous barrier four draw.
The 2011 Sebring Stakes is scheduled as the final Golden Slipper Day event at 5:30pm (AEDST).
Headlining the all black-type programme is of course the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m), the world’s richest race for two-year-olds set to run as Rosehill Race 7 at 4:05pm (AEDST).
2011 Sebring Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWIFT ALLIANCE | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 1 | 60 | 109 |
| 2 | NEWS ALERT | Con Karakatsanis | Jim Cassidy | 9 | 57 | 103 |
| 3 | ATOMIC FORCE | Darren Smith | Tim Clark | 7 | 54.5 | 98 |
| 4 | PRINCE BRAEMAN | Paul Perry | Tommy Berry | 5 | 53.5 | 96 |
| 5 | DORF COMMAND | Clarry Conners | Glen Boss | 2 | 53 | 96 |
| 6 | LATIN NEWS | Bart Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 6 | 53 | 95 |
| 7 | CARDINAL VIRTUE | David Payne | Josh Adams (a) | 12 | 53 | 93 |
| 8 | TROMSO | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | 11 | 53 | 93 |
| 9 | MADIBAGOLD | David Payne | Nathan Berry (a) | 8 | 53 | 92 |
| 10 | STAR OF OCTAGONAL | Todd Howlett | Corey Brown | 3 | 53 | 92 |
| 11 | NIGHTOFTHEGENERAL | Ross Simpson & Tracey Barnes | Brenton Avdulla | 10 | 53 | 88 |
| 12 | RAVNA GORA | Mick Miladinovic | Kathy O’Hara | 4 | 53 | 74 |
