This Saturday the Matriarch Stakes 2014, known as the Momentum Energy Stakes, is one of the top support races on Flemington’s Emirates Stakes Day card and features a top field of mares including Suavito.

Suavito is one of the top chances in Saturday’s Matriarch Stakes 2014. Photo: Sarah Ebbett.
Nigel Blackiston’s local Thorn Park four-year-old is one of a capacity 16 starters plus four emergencies accepted for this year’s $300,000 Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).
The older mares’ clash runs as Flemington Race 8 at 5:05pm (AEDT) as the penultimate event on the final Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting.
There are just two last start winners in this year’s race including Suavito drawn in barrier eight but possibly into six if the emergencies come out.
Triple Melbourne Cup winning jockey Damien Oliver has the ride after guiding her to a nice 1.25 length win at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day, October 25, in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes (1600m).
Saturday she steps up in distance, her second time over the 2000m following a seventh to Lucia Valentina when outclassed in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney during the autumn.
The other last start winner in the mix is then the Robert Smerdon-trained Spinderbella after her third win from five starts.
Her latest effort was in a fillies-and-mares’ handicap over 2040m on Cox Plate eve, Saturday her first look at Flemington but third run over a distance she’s so far undefeated over.
The top rated of the Matriarch Stakes hopefuls meanwhile is the Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra-trained local Solicit drawn out wide in barrier 13 (into 10) with Damian Lane to ride.
The four-year-old has been in exciting form this season including a Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) second to Dear Demi in September and most recently a fourth when only 1.6 lengths off Bonaria in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) last Saturday.
Solicit hasn’t won a race since the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1400m) here in March but could be ready to break the drought with her good record at the track (7-2-0-3) and distance (3-0-2-1).
Also high up the ratings are the likes of Roger James’s Zabeel mare Zonza coming off a fourth in a New Zealand Group 1 over 2040m from October 4 with the outside barrier to overcome here, recent Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase winner over the Caulfield mile Star Fashion and the Mick Price-trained Tango’s Daughter.
Street Cry four-year-old Star Fashion comes via a Myer Classic run when 10th and will be out to improve when stepped back up in distance that she’s twice ran second at from four 2000m starts.
Tango’s Daughter meanwhile is a Hugh Bowman ride from barrier nine and was fourth behind Suavito in the Tesio Stakes beaten three lengths ahead of her first run over the 2000m this weekend.
The best represented in this year’s Matriarch Stakes field numbers wise meanwhile is trainer Peter Moody with Savabeel four-year-old Spirit Of Heaven (barrier 14) and Metaphorical (16) as well as second emergency In Masquerade.
Other notable hopes in the mix include the Gai Waterhouse-trained Amanpour who was second over 1700m here on Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day program and the progressive No Excuses Bec to be ridden by apprentice hoop Katelyn Mallyon.
See below for the full Matriarch Stakes 2014 field, barriers and jockeys.
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2014 Matriarch Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
Flemington Race 8 (5:05pm) – 08/11/2014
# | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. | Hcp. Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11429×7284 | SOLICIT | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Damian Lane | 13 | 58.5kg | 103 |
2 | 3276x12N31 | SUAVITO (NZ) | Nigel Blackiston | Damien Oliver | 8 | 57.5kg | 93 |
3 | 194226×110 | STAR FASHION | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Michael Walker | 7 | 57.5kg | 95 |
4 | x31117x034 | TANGO’S DAUGHTER | Mick Price | Hugh Bowman | 9 | 57.5kg | 94 |
5 | 5x3601x800 | MYAMIRA | Rodney Northam | Craig Williams | 17 | 56.5kg | 92 |
6 | 80x4400x54 | ZONZA (NZ) | Roger James | Michael Rodd | 20 | 56.5kg | 98 |
7 | x34310x965 | GIRL IN FLIGHT | Robbie Griffiths | Kerrin McEvoy | 1 | 56kg | 89 |
8 | 3x6760x540 | KEEP DE ROSE (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | – | 15 | 55kg | 85 |
9 | 4x14532x08 | SCRATCHY BOTTOM | Michael Kent | Dwayne Dunn | 4 | 55kg | 78 |
10 | 520×911260 | RECKLESS ASSASSIN | John Sadler | – | 3 | 55kg | 83 |
11 | 45111×2131 | SPINDERBELLA | Robert Smerdon | Glen Boss | 12 | 55kg | 83 |
12 | x96x611150 | SPIRIT OF HEAVEN (NZ) | Peter G Moody | – | 14 | 55kg | 83 |
13 | 211950×212 | AMANPOUR | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry | 10 | 55kg | 80 |
14 | x2313x9728 | LADY CUMQUAT | Darren Weir | – | 18 | 55kg | 88 |
15 | 167×856312 | NO EXCUSES BEC | Andrew Noblet | Ms Katelyn Mallyon (a) | 6 | 55kg | 79 |
16 | x3636x0492 | METAPHORICAL | Peter G Moody | – | 16 | 55kg | 78 |
17e | 2640512×00 | GOLD TO GO | Mark Riley | Daniel Stackhouse | 5 | 55kg | 72 |
18e | x41225x634 | IN MASQUERADE (NZ) | Peter G Moody | – | 2 | 55kg | 72 |
19e | x31219x416 | TERAI | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 11 | 55kg | 74 |
20e | 0855×31215 | MELALEUCA | Terry & Karina O’Sullivan | Jack Hill | 19 | 55kg | 68 |