Horse Racing

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou will look to retain their stranglehold over the Cox Plate 2011 betting markets this spring with an incredible third successive win in the $300,000 Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley this Saturday.
Nominations for the 2011 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes, the second race of the season offering a ballot exemption for the $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), attracted 18 weight-for-age hopefuls lead by dual defending winner, Street Cry six-year-old Whobegotyou.

Whobegotyou will vie for a record-equalling third straight Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes win this weekend

A winner of 10 of their 28 starts for over $3.2 million in prize money to date, Whobegotyou resumed for the season with a gutsy victory over one-time Caulfield Cup favourite Lights Of Heaven in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 13.

This Saturday they return to track to defend their title in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes, Whobegotyou saluting in the race 12 months ago in a big two length victory over the now-retired Typhoon Tracy before finishing third to So You Think in both the Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) and Cox Plate last spring.

The most genuine weight-for-age horse currently racing in Australia, Whobegoyou also took out the 2009 edition of the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, and if they win this weekend they become just the second horse in history to win a consecutive hat-trick along with Shorengro (1968-70).

Whobegotyou showed Kavanagh they were on track for a big run again this year when they impressed with a third place finish in an 1100 metre heat at Werribee last Friday.

“The jump out was just what he needed and he finished it off very strongly under a hold,” Kavanagh said.

“He is in terrific order.

“It has cleaned him up nicely.”

In the latest Cox Plate odds at Luxbet, Whobegotyou is the firm $7.50 favourite, the only contender at single-figure odds to win.

Whobegotyou could be given the chance to defeat a talented Peter Moody-trained mare in the Dato for a second successive year, and for second time this season, after Moody nominated his former Kiwi galloper King’s Rose for Saturday’s showdown.

Redoute’s Choice four-year-old King’s Rose, a Group 1 champion in New Zealand, made a brilliant Australian race debut on August 27 with a gritty final-stride victory over Heart Of Dreams in the Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m).

Nominated for all the spring majors including the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, King’s Rose is also nominated for the $200,000 Group 2 WH Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday, which is the race Moody is leaning towards for acceptance.

“They are both Group 2, the same distance and she gets to meet the girls, albeit the prize money is a bit less,’ Moody said.

If King’s Rose defects from the Dato, Moody is still likely to be represented by his former Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva who is out to bounce back after running a disappointing 11^th to his stablemate in the Memise.

Other noteworthy Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes entries include AJC Oaks winner Absolutely, spring Cups hopeful Alcopop and the Lloyd William’s owned Group 1 performer Linton.

See below for the complete list of nominees and bookmark this site to view the final field for all of Saturday’s major races, released on Wednesday.

Ready to place your spring carnival bets at the best odds? Open a new account with Australia’s most exciting bookie Luxbet and by quoting the codeword BONUSBET you will get your first deposit back as a bonus bet valued up to $400!

2011 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes Nominations

?