Horse Racing

The excitement surrounding the approaching Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival went up a gear on Tuesday with Racing NSW releasing the 2012 Doncaster Mile Handicap nominations.

Reigning champ Sacred Choice will be back to defend her title in the 2012 Doncaster Mile this autumn

One of the richest races held during the autumn, the $2 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile Handicap (1600m) is set to run at Royal Randwick on Saturday April 21 and has this year attracted 197 nominees.

Among the early Doncaster Mile 2012 entries is defending champion Sacred Choice, Joe Pride’s classy Choisir mare last seen finishing second to Hurtle Myrtle in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Pride has a total of four Doncaster Mile hopefuls entered for the feature this year, the other most notable of which is his last-start Listed Carrington Stakes winning Commands four-year-old Rain Affair.

Held as part of the three-day Australian Turf Club (ATC) Autumn Carnival, which kicks off with Australian Derby Day on April 14 and culminates with the always-popular Sydney Cup Day on April 28, the 2012 Doncaster Mile nominations boast a depth of contenders like never before.

A plethora of Group 1 heroes, 31 to be exact, feature in the Doncaster entries from all of the big stables around Australia.

Seventeen of these Group 1 winners have also done so at elite level over the mile, and to narrow it down further, seven have won a Group 1 over 1600 metres at Randwick.

The Doncaster hopefuls also come from further abroad with New Zealand champ He’s Remarkable who was denied the Railway Stakes win at Ascot in November when regulated to second behind Luckygray upon protest despite being first over the line.

Some of the more notable 2012 Doncaster Mile nominations, and these are just the tip of a very large and impressive iceberg, include:

• Atlantic Jewel (Mark Kavanagh) – Superstar Fastnet Rock filly won the Thousand Guineas at just her fourth career start before her blistering seven length romp in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m), injured in that run but progressing well
• Benfica (Peter Snowden) – Last-start winner of the Group 1 TJ Smith at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, the ‘forgotten’ horse in the Snowden stable and tipped to fly the flag with superstar stablemates Sepoy and Helmet bound for new careers in the northern hemisphere
• Descarado (Gai Waterhouse) – Multiple elite level winner from Waterhouse’s stable, took out the Caulfield Cup in 2010 and was back to their best last spring with a solid Caulfield Stakes victory
• Manawanui (Ron Leemon) – Group 1 Golden Rose hero that went on to finish a brave neck away second to Helmet in the Caulfield Guineas, last seen finishing sixth to Sangster in the Victoria Derby when stretched to the 2500m, prime over the mile which they will be kept to in the autumn before maybe coming back for the 2012 Cox Plate in the spring
• More Joyous (Gai Waterhouse) – Ageing glamour mare always popular with the punters, has racked up an incredible five elite level titles over her career to date, was outclassed in the Myer Classic last start but could come back
• Glass Harmonium (Michael Moroney) – One of the spruik imports from last year, won the Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day over 2000m before being found out over the two miles of the Melbourne Cup when beating home just one other runner in the world’s richest handicap
• Playing God (Neville Parnham) – Perth-based champion that adds even more interest to the Doncaster entries, a regular interstate player with plenty of racing experience in Melbourne, yet to see Sydney but enjoyed their second Kingston Town Classic win in as many years last time out at Ascot
• Rangirangdoo (Chris Waller) – Sentimental favourite from Waller’s Rosehill operation, the veteran seven-year-old that despite a hefty list of injury-marred setbacks continues to fight on, won the 2010 Doncaster Mile before spending a year on the sidelines, had everyone in tears with an emotional Group 1 George Ryder Stakes success at Rosehill last April but hasn’t raced since
• Secret Admirer (Grahame Begg) – One of the most imposing mares getting around, won the Flight Stakes at Randwick as a three-year-old in 2010, became a dual Group 1 winner with their upset Epsom success last spring and was far from disgraced with a close third to Albert The Fat in the Emirates Stakes last-start

“There is no questioning the depth of quality in the noms we have taken,” ATC General Manager Racing and Wagering Colin Tuck said.

“The entries include winners and placegetters from all of the feature 1600 metre races run throughout Australia in the past year.”

One horse that has secured a ballot free ride into the 2012 Doncaster Mile field is Group 2 Inglis Villers Stakes (1600m) winner at Warwick Farm on December 17 Monton.

There are a number of other upcoming autumn races offering a Doncaster Mile ballot exemption to the winner, they are the:

• $350,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) – Warwick Farm, March 10
• $125,000 Group 3 Liverpool City Council Cup (1300m) – Warwick Farm, March 10
• $500,000 Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) – Randwick, March 17
• $600,000 Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) – Rosehill, March 24
• $400,000 Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) – Rosehill, April 7
• $125,000 Group 3 Royal Parma Stakes (1600m) – Formerly the Doncaster Prelude – Randwick, April 14

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the best Doncaster Mile Handicap field and betting updates over the coming weeks.

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2012 Doncaster Mile Handicap Nominations

Randwick – 21/04/2012