This Saturday Flemington Racecourse will host the last of the four exciting Melbourne Cup Carnival race days with Emirates Stakes Day to feature four Group races including the 2011 Matriarch Stakes for the older mares.
Scheduled to run as Flemington Race 7 at 3:45pm (local time) on Saturday, the $300,000 Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) has attracted a capacity final field of 16 starters plus four emergencies.
Cox Plate failure Avienus will seek a Melbourne Cup Carnival win in the Matriarch Stakes
Top-rated runner in the 2011 Matriarch Stakes field is the Mark Webb-trained Avienus who is due to jump from barrier 15, moving into 12 if the emergencies don’t gain a start.
Six-year-old Reset mare Avienus enjoyed two good runs at Caulfield including her close second to Descarado in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) earlier in the spring, but was disappointing when finishing 10 lengths away 13th in the Cox Plate last-start.
Other classy mares that have drawn wide for their Matriarch Stakes bid on Saturday include equal top-weight Femina Fashion (barrier 18) visiting from Queensland, Darren Margo’s last-start Group 3 Cox Plate Day winner Ocean Challenger (barrier 17) and the Chris Waller-trained Flying Spur six-year-old Vintedge (barrier 20).
Other notable mares engaged for the 2011 Matriarch Stakes include Guy Walter’s Group 1 Myer Classic fourth placegetter Skyerush, local Flemington based hope Influential Miss, Savabeel four-year-old Placement and the Michael Moroney-trained in-form Redoute’s Choice five-year-old Platinum Passion.
It is a bumper day’s racing scheduled for Flemington on Saturday, the action headlined by two Group 1 features with the Emirates Stakes where classy New Zealanders Jimmy Choux and Wall Street come off second and fourth placings in the Cox Plate, and the Patinack Farm Classic where superstar mare Black Caviar looks to extend her unbeaten run to 16.
For all the best Emirates Stakes Day odds and betting options make sure you check out Luxbet who are offering Best Tote Exotics + 5% Bonuses on every race at Flemington on Saturday!
2011 Matriarch Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Wgt. | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 855X009220 | AVIENUS | Mark Webb | Brad Rawiller | 15 | 56.5kg | 105 |
| 2 | 691940X424 | FEMINA FASHION | Trevor Whittington | Brenton Avdulla | 18 | 56.5kg | 95 |
| 3 | 2239X84601 | OCEAN CHALLENGER | Darren Magro | Dean Holland | 17 | 55.5kg | 100 |
| 4 | 53358X0532 | VINTEDGE | Chris Waller | - | 20 | 55kg | 91 |
| 5 | 62633X2314 | SKYERUSH | Guy Walter | Hugh Bowman | 11 | 55kg | 100 |
| 6 | 874355X963 | INFLUENTIAL MISS | Pat Carey | Mark Zahra | 12 | 55kg | 85 |
| 7 | 609X177343 | PLACEMENT (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Dwayne Dunn | 7 | 54kg | 78 |
| 8 | 1141322225 | DANCE WITH HER | David Brideoake & David Feek | Ben Melham | 1 | 54kg | 92 |
| 9 | 22392X5014 | PLATINUM PASSION | Michael Moroney | Kerrin McEvoy | 9 | 54kg | 97 |
| 10 | 111213X017 | TEARDROP ROCK | Gai Waterhouse | Craig Newitt | 13 | 54kg | 86 |
| 11 | 223X821310 | LALLA ROOKH | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | Ms Clare Lindop | 8 | 54kg | 89 |
| 12 | 340135X400 | STOLE (NZ) | Brian Jenkins | Chris Munce | 10 | 54kg | 82 |
| 13 | 051310X305 | OUR ELLA BELLE (NZ) | S. Ramsay & J. Ritchie | Steven King | 3 | 54kg | 89 |
| 14 | 62X74X5141 | KY’S THE LIMIT (NZ) | Leon Corstens | - | 6 | 54kg | 84 |
| 15 | 479126X151 | SEAN BAILE MOR | Todd Balfour | Jake Noonan (a) | 2 | 54kg | 82 |
| 16 | 522X625125 | COLD STEEL REIN | Leon Corstens | Stephen Baster | 19 | 54kg | 77 |
| 17e | 5590X02116 | KASANE | Pat Carey | - | 14 | 54kg | 68 |
| 18e | 113X392274 | MODEL TO NITE (NZ) | Nigel Blackiston | Michael Walker | 16 | 54kg | 74 |
| 19e | 116X058X01 | SHEZATEN (NZ) | John Sadler | Danny Nikolic | 5 | 54kg | 70 |
| 20e | X149614493 | SASSY BAY | Chris Clavarino | - | 4 | 54kg | 68 |
