This Saturday March 5 the 2011 Chipping Norton Stakes kicks off Group 1 racing at the Sydney Autumn Carnival and the final field and barriers for the feature Warwick Farm showdown have been released.
The $350,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) has drawn a final field of 13 weight-for-age stars including reigning champion Theseo.
Danewin seven-year-old Theseo is first-up for the season on Saturday out to secure back-to-back Chipping Norton Stakes after narrowly defeating Rangirangdoo in the race 12 months ago.
Coming off two winning barrier trials at Randwick in February, Theseo has drawn wide with barrier 12 in the Chipping Norton Stakes and is one of four acceptors in the field for top Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse.
Waterhouse’s Caulfield Cup winner Descarado has also drawn wide with barrier 11 for Saturday, the High Chaparral four-year-old resuming after a successful spring minus their failure to finish in the Melbourne Cup last start.
Stablemates Lorne Dancer and Once Were Wild are set to start from barrier 10 and nine respectively meaning all four of Waterhouse’s Chipping Norton Stakes runners will line-up alongside each other.
Classy mare Melito won last start but is yet to win over the Chipping Norton Stakes distance
Last start the Redoute’s Choice four-year-old made a brilliant return to racing with an emphatic victory over Hot Danish in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 19.
Yet to win over the mile, however, Melito has drawn the far outside barrier 13 for Saturday meaning the mare and jockey Brenton Avdulla have some work to do to win the Chipping Norton.
Another drawcard entry in the Chipping Norton Stakes showdown this year is the resuming Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday.
The Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes-trained Zabeel four-year-old is ready to return to the Group 1 scene after their gallant second in the 2010 Melbourne Cup last start.
Maluckyday is resuming in the Chipping Norton set to jump from barrier seven with Jim Cassidy, aboard for their Group 3 The Lexus Stakes win at Flemington last Derby Day, booked for the ride.
Other notable horses in the 2011 Chipping Norton Stakes field include:
- Centennial Park (David Payne) – Thorn Park gelding drawn ideally in barrier two and set to be ridden by Corey Brown, won the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) first up on February 5 before placing a game third behind Melito in the Apollo Stakes last start
- Luen Yat Forever (Peter Moody) – Nice mid-field barrier five draw for former Macau Horse of the Year, the Honours List five-year-old looking to improve from their first-up eighth behind Typhoon Tracy in the CF Orr Stakes on February 12
- Sacred Choice (Joseph Pride) – Choisir five-year-old is a local Warwick Farm-trained entry, a Group 1 winner over the mile in the Myer Classic last year but needs to show improvement after running 11th in the Millie Fox last start, will benefit from the 3.5kg drop back in weight
The 2011 ATC Chipping Norton Stakes is scheduled as Race 6 at Warwick Farm this Saturday.
Bookmark us here at Races.com.au to keep updated with the latest Chipping Norton Stakes 2011 field, form and betting news as well as the winning Warwick Farm track tips for this Saturday.
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2011 Chipping Norton Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | THESEO | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 12 | 59 | 118 |
| 2 | DESCARADO (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry (a) | 11 | 59 | 115 |
| 3 | DANLEIGH | Chris Waller | – | 8 | 59 | 115 |
| 4 | ZAVITE (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | Brad Pengelly | 1 | 59 | 108 |
| 5 | ILLUSTRIOUS BLUE (GB) | David Payne | – | 3 | 59 | 108 |
| 6 | CENTENNIAL PARK (NZ) | David Payne | Corey Brown | 2 | 59 | 108 |
| 7 | MALUCKYDAY (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Jim Cassidy | 7 | 59 | 106 |
| 8 | VISION AND POWER (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Timothy Bell (a) | 4 | 59 | 106 |
| 9 | LUEN YAT FOREVER | Peter G Moody | – | 5 | 59 | 105 |
| 10 | LORNE DANCER | Gai Waterhouse | Joshua Parr | 10 | 59 | 105 |
| 11 | MELITO | Gerald Ryan | Brenton Avdulla | 13 | 57 | 115 |
| 12 | SACRED CHOICE | Joseph Pride | – | 6 | 57 | 110 |
| 13 | ONCE WERE WILD | Gai Waterhouse | Rod Quinn | 9 | 57 | 108 |
Photo courtesy (c) Steve Hart Photographics
