This Saturday Caulfield Racecourse will come alive with a bumper meet planned for CF Orr Stakes Day featuring an elite line-up of Group races including the $180,000 D’Urban Stakes (1400m).
Also known as the Autumn Stakes, the 2011 D’Urban Stakes final field has attracted 11 three-year-olds.
Unsurprisingly Star Witness was not paid up for, the dual Group 1 winner racing at Sandown on Wednesday in the $100,000 Listed Manfred Stakes leaving too short a turn around to back up on Saturday.
One of the early favourite in the D’Urban Stakes field is the Robert Smerdon-trained Eclair Mystic, still a genuine chance despite their wide barrier nine draw.
Stratum gelding Eclair Mystic is a super consistent local runner having won six of their eight career starts.
Most recently the three-year-old took out Listed Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 26.
Top rated entry is the John Thompson-trained Run For Levi, the classy Hussonet colt second-up after finishing sixth in the Zeditave.
During the spring Run For Levi ran a close second to Anacheeva in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 9 beaten by less than half a length.
Zedaitave Stakes’ fourth-placegetter, the Peter Moody-trained Servant, is also backing up in the D’Urban on Saturday as they head towards a run in the $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 5.
Other notable runners in the 2011 D’Urban Autumn Stakes include:
- Group winner Hollowlea (barrier 11)
- Peter Moody’s lightly-raced son of Blackfriars Eclair Surprise (barrier six)
- In-form General Nediym gelding Dusty Star (barrier five) stepping up to Group company for the first time
Tony Vasil will be represented by stablemates Under The Eiffel, a winner of three of their four career starts and Not A Single Doubt gelding Roadtrain, both drawn ideally in barriers one and two respectively.
Meanwhile Anthony Cummings also has multiple D’Urban Stakes contenders with Gilded Spurt to be ridden by in-form hoop Glen Boss, and Kerchings.
Races.com.au will be publishing the inside D’Urban Stakes race tips later in the week so bookmark us.
Betting markets for all the Caulfield races this Saturday will open at Luxbet shortly so make sure you’re ready to lock in your favourites at the best price by signing up with Luxbet today.
2011 D’Urban Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOLLOWLEA | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | Nicholas Hall | 11 | 58 | 96 |
| 2 | ECLAIR SURPRISE | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 6 | 57.5 | 82 |
| 3 | RUN FOR LEVI | John P Thompson | Craig Newitt | 8 | 57 | 97 |
| 4 | ECLAIR MYSTIC | Robert Smerdon | Chris Symons | 9 | 57 | 96 |
| 5 | DUSTY STAR | Peter Morgan | Craig Williams | 5 | 55.5 | 77 |
| 6 | SERVANT | Peter G Moody | Ben Melham | 3 | 55.5 | 78 |
| 7 | UNDER THE EIFFEL | Tony Vasil | Jamie Mott | 1 | 55.5 | 78 |
| 8 | ROADTRAIN | Tony Vasil | Damien Oliver | 2 | 55.5 | 70 |
| 9 | GILDED SPUR | Anthony Cummings | Glen Boss | 7 | 55.5 | 65 |
| 10 | KERCHINGS | Anthony Cummings | Danny Nikolic | 10 | 55.5 | 66 |
| 11 | I THINK I DO | Bart Cummings | Corey Brown | 4 | 55.5 | 66 |
