Horse Racing

More Joyous leads an 18-horse field for the $2 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) after acceptances were taken for this Saturday’s feature Randwick race.

More Joyous is the 57kg topweight of the 2011 Doncaster Mile Field

Gai Waterhouse’s superstar mare More Joyous came up with gate eight in the Doncaster Mile barrier draw this morning, the four-year-old the odds-on favourite to win her sixth Group 1 race in the Doncaster on Saturday.

“More Joyous is special,” Waterhouse said.

“She is right up there with the great horses I’ve trained.

“She’s only lost one race in two years. If she isn’t a champion, she is the closest thing to it.”

The bookmakers and punters agree with More Joyous set to start the shortest-priced Doncaster Mile favourite since the mighty Sunline in 1999.

More Joyous will continue her association with champion hoop Nash Rawiller on Saturday.

Rawiller is seeking back-to-back Doncaster Mile success having ridden Rangirangdoo to victory in the race 12 months ago.

Waterhouse will also be represented by Pureness in the Doncaster on Saturday, the stablemate to the favourite to be ridden by Corey Brown from barrier 10.

“I will have two runners in the race and I think they will run one-two,” Waterhouse said.

“On what More Joyous has done, you say she would be winning, but I wouldn’t couth the other one out from upsetting her.”

Success in the famous mile showdown on Saturday will see Waterhouse equal her father Tommy Smith with seven Doncaster winners.

As expected, reigning Doncaster Mile winner Rangirangdoo was not accepted for this year’s showdown meaning More Joyous has been bumped up to the 57kg topweight of the field.

Trainer Chris Waller has instead opted to save the last-start George Ryder Stakes champion for the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) Saturday week on the closing Sydney Autumn Carnival raceday, Sydney Cup Day.

Waller will still be represented in this year’s Doncaster Mile field with Syreon, Danleigh and Triple Elegance all drawn ideally in barriers four to six respectively.

Last start winner of the Group 3 Queen’s Cup (2000m) at Rosehill Flying Spur seven-year-old Syreon, and George Ryder Stakes third placegetter Triple Elegance are two of the 51.5kg lightweights in the Doncaster field while Danleigh will carry 56.5kg.

Triple Elegance is Chris Waller's best chance at back-to-back Doncaster Mile wins

Jockey Jimmy Cassidy has been booked to ride Triple Elegance ensuring he can get down to the 51.5kg.

“He (Triple Elegance) has the right form winning the Liverpool City Cup and his run in the George Ryder was outstanding,” Cassidy said.

Other Doncaster Mile hopefuls that drew well for Saturday’s feature include triple figure roughies Keepin’ The Dream on the rails in barrier one and Happy Hippy in barrier two as well as Norm Hilton’s Toowoomba Galloper Bold Glance in gate three.

Out wider are Mick Price’s Coolmore Classic winning mare Aloha (barrier 11) coming off a close fourth to Rangirangdoo in the George Ryder and Randwick Guineas champion Ilovethiscity (barrier 17).

The horror draw for Ilovethiscity would have come as a blow for trainer Grahame Begg who said the Doncaster was the race they had aimed at all prep.

See below for the full 2011 Emirates Doncaster Mile Final Field & Barrier Draw and stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest news and updates on the race.

2011 Emirates Doncaster Mile Field, Barriers & Weights