Horse Racing

Recently crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year Black Caviar headlines the list of 44 sprinters making up the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic nominations, early entries for the Melbourne Cup Carnival feature released by Racing Victoria this afternoon.

Black Caviar will aim to become a dual Patinack Farm Classic winner this November

Peter Moody’s undefeated sprint queen Black Caviar has officially been nominated to defend her title in the $1 million Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 5, after her brilliant four length victory in the Emirates Stakes Day showdown last spring.

Black Caviar is set to resume racing in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on October 8, in which a second straight win will see her equal Phar Lap’s 14-consecutive race wins record.

Despite having the likely Patinack Farm Classic winner in Black Caviar, premier Victorian horseman Moody has paid the nomination fee for eight of the champion’s stablemates.

Joining Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm Classic 2011 nominations for Moody are Beckon, Curtana, Doubtful Jack, Golden Archer, Huegill, Mid Summer Music, Panipique and Kulgrinda.

Of the talented contingent Exceed And Excel mare Kulgrinda is the most notable, the four-year-old one of the top fancies to beat Snowden’s star colt Sepoy in the $500,000 Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 30.

Sepoy is the other big-name Patinack Farm Classic nominee this year, the Darley-owned Blue Diamond Stakes – Golden Slipper winner unbeaten this season with back-to-back wins.

There are plenty of other brave and talented horses among the Patinack Farm entries this year but only one international entry in the Saeed Bin Surror-trained Delegator, this being despite Racing Victoria’s much-spruiked Global Sprint Challenge bonus.

Other Noteworthy 2011 Patinack Farm Classic Nominations include:

• Smart Missile (Anthony Cummings): Boom three-year-old colt just beaten in the Golden Rose, before which they were undefeated, engaged to race at Caulfield in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes this Saturday

• Crystal Lilly (Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra): One of last season’s most consistent sprinters, the 2010 Golden Slipper winning daughter of Stratum has faced Black Caviar four times at elite level including two game second place finishes. Resumed for the season with an eye-catching second beaten in the final stride by Buffering in the Group 3 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 10

• Buffering (Robert Heathcote): Last-start McEwen Stakes winner, Brisbane raider Buffering is being tipped for a big spring where he will be given the chance to face off again with Black Caviar having run third to her and Hay List in the BTC Cup at Doomben during the winter

• Ilovethiscity (Grahame Begg): Surprise nominee as this horse is being prepared for the 2011 Cox Plate over 2040 metres, Randwick Guineas winner in the autumn ran an excellent second to Sincero in the George Main Stakes (1500m) last Saturday but can’t see them being accepted for the 1200 metres

Nominations for two of the other Melbourne Cup Carnival elite levels were also taken today with the $1 million Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) attracting 69 fillies while the classic three-year-olds’ race of the season, the $1.5 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) drew 83 early entries.

First declarations for the Patinack Farm Classic will be taken on Tuesday October 18, but futures betting on the race is due to open shortly at Australia’s favourite bookmaker Luxbet.

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2011 Patinack Farm Classic Nominations