Lionel Cohen’s one-time Golden Rose favourite Aeronautical is nominated to resume racing at Canterbury this Friday, the gun three-year-old among the early entries for the 2012 Canterbury Classic.
Aeronautical has been nominated to resume racing in the 2012 Canterbury Classic this Friday
This year the $100,000 Listed Canterbury BMW Classic (1100m) attracted 10 nominations led by Encosta De Lago gelding Aeronautical.
One of the spruik youngsters last season in Sydney, Aeronautical stormed into Golden Rose calculations with their smart three and a half length win in the Listed Rosebud (1200m) at Randwick in early August.
They eventually went on to finish five and a half lengths away sixth, failing to beat home any other runners in the Group 1 Golden Rose won by Manawanui.
Last start Aeronautical again finished dead last when fifth, but only one and a half lengths away, to Foxwedge in the Group 3 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m).
Cohen again has big goals for his stable star, Aeronuatical showing they were ready to get back to the track with a solid barrier trial win over 900 metres at Rosehill last Friday.
Following their resuming run this Friday, the next-up target for Aeronuatical is likely to be the $175,000 Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on February 18.
Meanwhile Warwick Farm horseman Gary Portelli has two Canterbury Classic entries this year with his Octagonal six-year-old Eight Bills and Gold Trail who hasn’t been seen since their sixth to Zaratone in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill back in mid-August.
Eight Bills, on the other hand, comes off a game fourth to Rain Affair in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1100m) at Warwick Farm on January 2.
Joe Pride, who prepares Carrington Stakes winner Rain Affair, is also set to embark on a double-pronged Canterbury Classic assault with his duo News Alert, winner of the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm last-start on December 17, and Country Reel mare Phenomenal Lass.
Carrington Stakes’ runner-up Jest Crewsin’ from the Muswellbrook stables of Jan Bowen is also among the Carrington Stakes nominations.
The other major 2012 Canterbury Classic nominee is then the Tracey Bartley-trained Sniper’s Bullet, the gallant old Queenslander racing for the first time since July.
It has been an age between drinks for the Bite The Bullet eight-year-old, Sniper’s Bullet not having won a race since they took out the Group 1 Railway Stakes – Kingston Town Classic double back in the summer of 2009.
Bookmark us here at Races.com.au to view the 2012 Canterbury Classic final field and betting preview later in the week.
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2012 Canterbury BMW Classic Nominations
Canterbury 13/01/2012
| # | Horse | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AERONAUTICAL | Lionel Cohen | 80 |
| 2 | EIGHT BILLS | Gary Portelli | 89 |
| 3 | GOLD TRAIL | Gary Portelli | 100 |
| 4 | JEST CREWSIN’ | Jan Bowen | 93 |
| 5 | MRS ONASSIS | Gerald Ryan | 81 |
| 6 | NEWS ALERT | Joseph Pride | 105 |
| 7 | PHENOMENAL LASS | Joseph Pride | 90 |
| 8 | SNIPER’S BULLET | Tracey Bartley | 103 |
| 9 | STRATFORD | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 81 |
| 10 | UNANIMOUSLY | Matthew Dale | 87 |
