Horse Racing

The flying Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Farson is a standout among the Alister Clark Stakes 2017 nominations taken for the Moonee Valley feature running under the lights on Friday night.

ATC Derby-bound Farson is the standout 2017 Alister Clark Stakes nomination for Moonee Valley on Friday night. Photo: Steve Hart.

On Monday Racing Victoria received a bumper 23 three-year-olds at nomination stage for this season’s $200,000 Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m).

Coming off three straight wins and out to extend that excellent autumn form is Snitzel gelding Farson who was last seen taking out the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on February 25.

Winning that race by one and three-quarter lengths bodes well for the likely Alister Clark Stakes favourite Farson who jumps up in distance this weekend.

The Vincent Li-owned Farson is bound to race in Hong Kong shortly, but if all goes well on Friday night he may head to Sydney on April 1 for a shot at the $2 million Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Royal Randwick.

“He’s in great order for Friday night and we’ll go there with some confidence as he’s racing so well,” co-trainer Bott told Racing Victoria on Monday.

“We are mindful he has been up for a while but all indications are that he’s training on really well.”

The two other placegetters in the Autumn Classic – Cliff Hanger (2^nd) and Captain Rhett (3^rd) – are also nominated for a rematch with Farson in the Alister Clark Stakes 2017.

Lee & Anthony Freedman prepare Cliff Hanger who won over the Sandown-Hillside mile before his Autumn Classic second with Joao Moreira aboard.

He is joined in the Alister Clark Stakes entries for Friday night by stablemate Blue Ocean, the Fastnet Rock filly last seen placing third at Ballarat over 1600m behind Mr Churchill.

Captain Rhett is an ultra-consistent son of Helenus prepared at Mornington by Pat Carey and comes into the Group 2 on the back of four straight placings including the third in the Autumn Classic as a $41 outsider.

Along with Farson the other last start winners in the mix include Mitchell Freedman’s Artie Schiller filly Namib, the progressive Darren Weir-trained Arctic Flow and his Tasmanian Oaks winning stablemate Parthesia.

Raise The Flag filly Parthesia saluted over 2100m in the Listed Tasmanian Oaks on February 19 so is proven over the distance and shapes-up as a livewire hope over the colts and geldings on Friday night.

The Lindsay Park stable have four nominations including their Sebring filly Miss Strathallan who comes off a fourth to Farson in the Autumn Classic.

She is joined in the mix by stablemates So Belle who is a daughter of So You Think, and Group 1 performers Seaburge and Snitzon.

Seaburge was runner-up in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last spring and also finished a brave runner-up behind the recently retired Awesome Rock at Flemington in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Snitzon caught the eye last time out at Flemington on March 4 finishing only a length away third behind Hey Doc in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at big odds of $51.

See below for the full Alister Clark Stakes 2017 nominations, the field and barriers out on Wednesday, before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to enjoy up to $500 in bonus match bets as a new depositing player when you quote the code BETBONUS (T&Cs apply / excluding NSW).

2017 Alister Clark Stakes Nominations

Moonee Valley Racecourse – 17/03/2017