Flemington Racecourse will come alive this Saturday with the opening Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting, Victoria Derby Day, and as part of the action the $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) will take place.
The 2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes has attracted a final field of 13 three-year-olds with Star Witness and Pressday the two top rated entries.
The Danny O’Brien-trained Star Witness is a consistent Starcraft colt that has won three of their six career starts to date, well positioned in barrier two for the Coolmore.
Star Witness ran a gallant fourth to sprinting superstar Black Caviar last start in the Schillaci Stakes and is one of the warm favourites for Saturday.
Drawn wider in barrier eight, Chris Waller’s Pressday is sure to attract plenty of attention from the punters as the Domesday colt resumes racing for the season after a 20 week spell.
Due to be ridden by in-form hoop Nash Rawiller, Pressday enjoyed a brilliant Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign claiming three straight wins in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m),Group 2 QTC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 TJ Smith (1600m), and racing enthusiasts will eagerly await their first-up run in the Coolmore.
Robert Heathcote’s exciting Queensland galloper Buffering has also drawn ideal on Saturday, due to jump from barrier four as the Mossman gelding seeks their seventh career win from 11 starts.
Other notable runners in the Coolmore Stud Stakes this year include Peter Snowden’s Caulfield Sprint third placegetter Soul (barrier seven) who will be out to maintain their unbeaten Flemington record, and Cranbourne-based gelding General Truce (barrier nine).
Star fillies set to line-up against the boys in the Coolmore include Edward Manifold Stakes winner Sistine Angel suffering a blow with a wide barrier 11 draw and the John O’Shea-trained Solar Charged.
Coming up trumps with the inside running from gate one, due to be ridden by Corey Brown and coming off a strong last-start Group win at Caulfield, Solar Charged is a classy filly that has real claims on Saturday.
The 2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes is scheduled as Race 4 at Flemington on Saturday and betting markets on the race are due to open shortly, so stay tuned for our exclusive tips.
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2010 Coolmore Stud Stakes Field, Barrier Draw & Weights
# | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Handicapper Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | STAR WITNESS | Danny O’Brien | James Winks | 2 | 55.5 | 100 |
2 | PRESSDAY | Chris Waller | Nash Rawiller | 8 | 55.5 | 100 |
3 | BUFFERING | Robert Heathcote | Hugh Bowman | 4 | 55.5 | 97 |
4 | SOUL | Peter Snowden | Mark Zahra | 7 | 55.5 | 98 |
5 | GENERAL TRUCE | Ricky Maund | Dean Yendall | 9 | 55.5 | 92 |
6 | SHRAPNEL | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 6 | 55.5 | 84 |
7 | NO HESITATION | Clarry Conners | Michael Walker | 10 | 55.5 | 80 |
8 | THE RUFFIAN | Lee Freedman | Steven Arnold | 5 | 55.5 | 72 |
9 | SISTINE ANGEL | Andrew Noblet | Craig Williams | 11 | 53.5 | 97 |
10 | SOLAR CHARGED | John O’Shea | Corey Brown | 1 | 53.5 | 96 |
11 | PARRIWI | Kris Lees | Jim Cassidy | 3 | 53.5 | 84 |
12 | CURTANA | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 13 | 53.5 | 82 |
13 | POTIONS | John P Thompson | Craig Newitt | 12 | 53.5 | 65 |