This Saturday, February 16, the action of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival begins to heat up with a triple shot of Group racing action to run at Rosehill Gardens including the Light Fingers Stakes 2013.

Crown Oaks winner Dear Demi heads the 2013 Light Fingers Stakes nominations for this Saturday

Currently 12 three-year-old fillies are nominated for the $175,000 Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m), a race often used as a kick-off point for horses heading towards the $550,000 Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in April, with entries extended until 11:00am (AEST) on Tuesday.

Heading the original nominees is the Clarry Conners-trained Crown Oaks winner Dear Demi.

The talented daughter of Dehere enjoyed a stunning spring season last prep with a Flight Stakes third and Thousand Guineas second leading up to her breakthrough Group 1 victory over Zydeco in the Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 8.

She hasn’t raced since but showed she was ready for her autumn return ahead of the 2013 Australian Oaks with a close third in a Warwick Farm trial over 800m on February 4.

The only other last-start winner among the entries is then Grahame Begg-trained Bennetta who will be vying for her third win on the trot if accepted.

After taking out a 1250m race at Canterbury in December the daughter of General Nediym was last seen winning the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Handicap (1300m) at the Gold Coast on January 12 where she overcame barrier 12 of 15.

Gai Waterhouse meanwhile has two nominees with her Fastnet Rock fillies Sherocksmyworld and Driefontein.

The most notable of these is of course last year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Driefontein who was last seen running an incredibly close third in the Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast in mid-January.

Among the other more notable Light Fingers Stakes nominations for 2013 are then the Chris Waller-trained Group 3 winner Jade Marauder, David Payne’s lightly-raced Secret Delight who would be first-up off a six month spell Brave Soul and John Thompson’s Casino Prince filly Longport last seen running fourth in the Thousand Guineas last October.

Check out the full 2013 Light Fingers Stakes nominations in the table below with the final field to be released on Wednesday along with the barriers.

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2013 Light Fingers Stakes Nominations

Rosehill Gardens – 16/02/2013