Horse Racing

Racing New South Wales have released the nominations for a number of this year’s Sydney Spring Carnival features including those for the highly-anticipated 2011 Epsom Handicap, to run at Royal Randwick on October 1.

Sydney Premiership winning trainer Chris Waller has nine 2011 Epsom Handicap nominees

The $500,000 Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) has attracted 121 nominations for 2011, a large rise from the 87 horses entered at nomination stage for last year’s Epsom.

It is a star-studded list of entries for the Epsom Handicap 2011, with one of the largest number of nominees being from the Sydney stables of Chris Waller.

Leading Waller’s nine-nominee contingent is Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner My Kingdom Of Fife, but Waller has hinted that his star import is an unlikely acceptor with the Melbourne Spring Carnival riches calling.

“My Kingdom Of Fife will resume in the Chelmsford Stakes and then we will decide whether he goes straight to Melbourne for the spring or has another run or two here,” Waller explained.

The $175,000 Group 2 Chelsmford Stakes (1600m) runs at Randwick on September 3.

Waller, then, holds high hopes of preparing the 2011 Epsom Handicap winner with the likes of Dansili four-year-old Foreteller and Redoute’s Choice stallion Altius.

Foreteller and Altius have also been entered for the $400,000 Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m), also to run on Epsom Handicap Day, but Waller hopes for the Epsom with the pair.

“I believe both horses are best suited to the Epsom Handicap,” Waller said.

“We are going to head towards that race but if either horse happens to become a bit one-paced later in their campaigns, we still have the option of The Metropolitan.”

Also among Waller’s Epsom Handicap brigade is Red Tracer, the ultra-consistent Dane Shadow mare resuming as a four-year-old with a brilliant first-up win in the Listed Toy Show Quality (1300m) at Warwick Farm last Saturday.

“She’s a gun,” Waller said of the now triple stakes winning Red Tracer.

“She has pulled up well after her Warwick Farm win and we well give her the chance to work towards an Epsom start.”

Caulfield trainer Mick Price has entered a pair of Group one champions with his Coolmore Classic winning mare Aloha and the always-genuine Heart Of Dreams.

Heart Of Dreams is set to resume racing at Caulfield this Saturday in the Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m) along with other Epsom Handicap-bound hopefuls including Linton, Luen Yat Forever and Red Colossus.

Exciting three-year-olds heading towards the 2011 Epsom Handicap field include John Thompson’s filly Pane In The Glass who won the Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at her new season debut last Saturday and Stradbroke Handicap winner Sincero.

Other notable Group One winning horses headlining the Epsom Handicap nominations 2011 include Peter Moody’s Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva, reigning Crown Oaks champion Brazilian Pulse who only beat home one other runner when resuming in the Cockram Stakes on August 13, and the Grahame Begg-trained duo of Secret Admirer and Ilovethiscity.

Meanwhile the Joe Pride-trained Choisir mare Sacred Choice has also been nominated, the now six-year-old vying to become the first horse in history to win the Doncaster Mile – Epsom Handicap double.

Sacred Choice ran a close third to last year’s Espom Handicap winner Captain Sonador before going on to claim the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day at her next start.

Also looking to improve on their Epsom Handicap result from 2010 is runner-up Trusting.

Other Epsom Super Saturday features also drew strong numbers with early entries released for the 2011 The Metropolitan with 118 entered and the Spring Champion Stakes 2011 that attracted 82 three-year-olds.

For the best odds on all the Sydney Spring Carnival features, including the opening Group 1 race of the season the 2011 Golden Rose, visit Luxbet and open your account with Australia’s favourite bookie.

New to join Luxbet? Make sure you quote the exclusive promo code BONUSBET when you sign up and deposit to get up to $400 as a bonus bet!

2011 Epsom Handicap Nominations