2013 Victoria Derby Champion Polanski is aiming to get his 2014 Autumn Racing Carnival off to a winning start after being included in nominations for the 2014 Group 2 Racing Colours Autumn Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, February 8th.
Polanski has been included in nominations for the 2014 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart
Closing his 2013 campaign with three successive victories at Group level, Polanski last saw competitive action in the Group 1 Victoria Derby in which he proved far too strong for his competition; bursting from the pack to claim victory by three lengths.
After impressing at a barrier trial last week, many are expecting great things of the Rakti colt this season with his proven staying abilities complimented by a competitive run with some of the country’s leading sprinters in the 800m Cranbourne trial.
Also included in nominations for the 2014 Autumn Stakes is Eurozone.
Prepared by Legendary trainer Bart Cummings and grandson James, the talented three-year-old managed several competitive runs in 2013, finishing sixth behind Zoustar in the Group 1 Golden Rose before claiming the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in impressive fashion.
Both Polanski and Eurozone are also entered in the nominations for the Group 1 C.F Orr Stakes, also to be run at Caulfield on Saturday, February 8th. While Polanski looks likely to make an attempt on the Group 1 feature, trainer James Cummings currently rates the direction of Eurozone as a 50-50.
Having claimed the 2013 edition of the Autumn Stakes with Mulazeem, Peter Moody’s chances appear a little less than assured this year with the largely unheralded pair of Bardem and Chicanery.
Recording one victory and one place in his two starts to date, three-year-old gelding Bardem is slowly building to a run at the 2014 Australian Guineas and will use the Autumn Stakes as a trial of sorts, having never raced in a Group level event.
A total of 10 nominations were taken for the 2014 Group 2 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes.
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2014 Autumn Stakes Nominations
| # | Horse | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACCORD | Michael Kent | 64 |
| 2 | BARDEM (NZ) | Peter G Moody | 64 |
| 3 | CHICANERY (NZ) | Peter G Moody | 63 |
| 4 | COUNTERSNIP | Mick Price | 70 |
| 5 | EUROZONE | Bart & James Cummings | 92 |
| 6 | POLANSKI | Robbie Laing | 108 |
| 7 | PYRROLIC | Michael Kent | 67 |
| 8 | ROCK HERO | David Payne | 78 |
| 9 | SEE WHAT I BRING | Bill & Symon Wilde | 61 |
| 10 | THUNDER FANTASY | Anthony Cummings | 78 |
