This Saturday January 29th 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 |
