This Saturday January 29^th punters can look forward to a number of high quality races taking place around the country including the $80,000 Listed Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Ascot Racecourse in WA.

The 2011 Challenge Stakes field attracted a capacity 16 three-year-olds, however 15 are set to face off following the scratching of #10 Pintada Prince due to their unsuitably wide barrier draw and of first emergency Cristiano.

Motion Pictures is the 57kg top-weight in this year’s Challenge Stakes, Dave Casey’s improving Oratiorio filly resuming racing after having run a credible fourth in the Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) behind Playing God in mid November.

A winner of 5 of her 10 career starts, Motion Pictures has won twice at Group level having taken out the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) and Group 3 W.A. Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) last year.

However, with the weight allocation and wider barrier eight draw she faces a tough task on Saturday.

Another early favourite that has suffered a blow with a horror draw in the Challenge Stakes is Luckygray.

Gino Pletti’s lightly-raced Bradbury’s Luck gelding Luckygray is unbeaten having won all three of their career starts over 1200m at the Ascot track, however they have drawn barrier 16 on Saturday.

Three other last-start winners are in the Challenge Stakes field including top fancy Manahara.

Drawn ideally in barrier three, the Neville Parnham-trained More Than Ready colt Manahara is coming off back-to-back wins at Ascot having scored victory over 1400m and 1500m here carrying a hefty 58kg.

Manahara drops back to 56kg on Saturday and has the breeding, form, track experience and class to become the 2011 Challenge Stakes winner.

Other runners that have drawn well include the Wally Mitchell-trained Big Hold Up on the rails as they seek their fourth win from seven starts and last-start winner at the track on January 19 Private Dance in gate two.

Adam Durrant’s Galileo gelding Orbital Motion resuming after a six month spell and the Grant Williams-trained More Than Ready filly Favourite Star also have claims here so check their odds in the markets at Luxbet.

The 2011 Challenge Stakes is scheduled as Ascot Race 7 on Saturday, due to jump at 7:57pm (AEDST).

With a large field full of talent, this is a race not to miss so prepare to get your favourites at the best odds by opening an account with Luxbet today!

2011 Challenge Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights

#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight (kg)
1	MOTION PICTURES	Dave Casey	Troy Turner	8	57
2	BIG HOLD UP (NZ)	Wally Mitchell	Patrick Carbery	1	56.5
3	LUCKYGRAY	Gino Poletti	Lucas Camilleri	16	56.5
4	TIME TO CLIMB	Trevor Andrews	Paul Harvey	4	56
5	MANAHARA	Neville Parnham	Steven Parnham	3	56
6	MICKEY DRIPPIN	Kath Fleming	Peter Knuckey	10	56
7	VIEW THE STARS	Paul Jordan	Craig Staples	7	56
8	ORBITAL MOTION	Adam Durrant	Clint Harvey	12	55
9	HEAD FOR HEIGHTS	Shane A Edwards	Jarrad Noske	9	55
10	PINTADA PRINCE	Warren Radford	–	14	55
11	LAURADANE	Daniel Pearce	Shaun O’Donnell	17	54.5
12	ABSOLUTE PLEASURE	Trevor Andrews	Jason Whiting	5	54.5
13	VEXILLUM	Fred Kersley	–	11	54
14	GAME MUJA	Daniel Morton	–	13	53
15	PRIVATE DANCE	Rob Wells	Ben Kennedy (a)	2	53
16	FAVOURITE STAR	Grant Williams	Kyra Yuill (a)	6	53
17e	CRISTIANO	Fred Kersley	–	15	55