Phillip Stokes’s visiting Adelaide galloper and last start Group 2 winner Éclair Choice is one of the headline nominations taken for the Salinger Stakes 2015 at Flemington Racecourse this Saturday.

Group 2 winner Eclair Choice is one of the top hopes nominated for Saturday’s 2015 Salinger Stakes on Derby Day in Melbourne. Photo: Sarah Ebbett.

One of the 10 black-type features on the Victoria Derby Day, which Ladbrokes.com.au are offering Best Tote or SP + 20% on this weekend, the $300,000 Group 2 Salinger tab.com.au Stakes (1200m) has attracted 22 nominations.

California Dane four-year-old Éclair Choice is one of the highest rated nominees looking for back-to-back Melbourne wins after his strong effort as a 26/1 roughie in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) on October 17.

He is yet to race at Flemington but has a solid 1200m record (5-1-2-1) and will be a livewire hope if accepted into the field.

The only other last start winner nominated for the Salinger on Saturday is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Mossman five-year-old Dothraki who has won his only other Flemington start back in 2013.

He saluted first-up on October 17 also but in Sydney winning a Randwick Listed feature and will be in Melbourne for the first time in two years if he runs on the weekend.

Team Snowden have also nominated for O’Reilly mare Dublin Lass who hasn’t raced since a dead last behind Srikandi in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) back in June and veteran seven-year-old Hot Snitzel.

Also with multiple Salinger Stakes nominees is Peter Moody with a trio of entries led by Bring Me The Maid.

Not seen in the winners’ stall since August last year, the 2013 Golden Slipper third placed daughter of Sebring is now a four-year-old and comes off a third in a Group 3 over 1200m at Caulfield on October 10.

Moody’s two other hopes are the top-rated triple Group 1 winner Moment Of Change out to atone for a last start 12^th of 13 runners on October 14 and the returning Office Bearer.

Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes won the race last year with Deep Field and return this spring with in-form Fastnet Rock four-year-old Kaepernick coming off a third to Fast ‘N’ Rocking in the Listed Caulfield Village Stakes (1200m) earlier in the month.

Other entries coming off nice lead-up runs include runner-up to subsequent Manikato Stakes winner Chautauqua in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at the start of the month Delectation for Chris Waller, recent Group 2 Schillaci Stakes runner-up Cashed, the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Group 2 Bobbie Lewis winner at the track two back Churchill Dancer and Robert Smerdon’s runner-up in the same race Under The Louvre.

Excellent Art stallion Under The Louvre has had two runs since when third only a neck off the winner in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and second to Vashka in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) on Caulfield Cup Day.

Dropping back in class meanwhile is the John Sadler-trained Hussonet six-year-old Charmed Harmony who won four on the trot before a last start fifth beaten only 1.35 lengths by Stratum Star in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) in late September.

A flyer fresh with three first-up wins from four starts, Charmed Harmony has also won two of his previous three Flemington assignments.

See below for the full Salinger Stakes / tab.com.au Stakes 2015 nominations with the field and barriers out on Wednesday.

Fancy access to Best Tote or SP + 20% on the entire Flemington race card this Saturday? Sign-up with Ladbrokes.com.au and enjoy this offer plus an Extra 50% on your very first fixed odds winner in Races 1 – 5 on Derby Day now!

2015 Salinger Stakes Nominations

Flemington Racecourse – 31/10/2015