A bumper 22 three-year-olds make up the nominations for this year’s Danehill Stakes 2015 that runs at Flemington Racecourse as part of the Makybe Diva Stakes Day action in Melbourne.

Headwater is the highest rated 2015 Danehill Stakes nominee for Flemington’s meeting this Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

The highest-rated of the nominees for the $200,000 Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes-trained Headwater.

The Exceed And Excel colt was competitive as a two-year-old including a win in the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m) in February, but was disappointing first-up when beating home just one rival to cross seventh to Japonisme in Sydney’s Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m).

He is in Melbourne this Saturday for the first time since a win on debut at Moonee Valley last December and is still officially in the mix for the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10 paying $26 in the futures markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The shortest-priced of the 2015 Caulfield Guineas hopes nominated for a Danehill run on Saturday is the Mick Price-trained Ready For Victory who is the $6 second pick behind the Chris Waller-trained Golden Rose runner this Saturday Press Statement ($5) for next month’s Group 1.

The More Than Ready colt is a black-type winner and dual Group 1 performer including a fourth in the Golden Slipper last March and will run second-up in the Danehill after a close second to Gold Symphony in the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) on August 29.

Also well liked in pre-field Caulfield Guineas betting and entered for Saturday’s lead-up is the lightly-raced Sovereign Nation ($17), David Hayes & Tom Dabernig’s Encosta De Lago colt having won on debut last start at Geelong on August 28.

Hayes & Dabernig have also nominated for the flying Bel Esprit gelding Keen Array who has won his past two starts on the trot, last start Geelong winning Redoute’s Choice fill Reemah who was runner-up in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) during the autumn and the undefeated Fastnet Rock colt Wind Force in the Danehill this season.

Other last start winners in the mix including Ciaron Maher’s Lonhro colt Brockhoff who won by two lengths first-up at Bairnsdale, the returning Peter Moody-trained Kinglike and Well Sprung coming off a Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) victory at Moonee Valley.

Tom Hughes meanwhile is looking forward to the return of his stakes winning Lonhro colt Black Vanquish who won back-to-back races in Melbourne as a juvenile including the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield back in May.

Check out the full Danehill Stakes 2015 nominations below then visit our preferred online bookmaker Ladbrokes.com.au to back your favourites at the right price every time!

2015 Danehill Stakes Nominations

Flemington Racecourse – 12/09/2015