The John O’Shea-trained Souchez is the headline final acceptor for the Pago Pago Stakes 2016 field in Sydney this weekend as the progressive youngster heads towards the coveted Golden Slipper Stakes Saturday week.

Golden Slipper hope Souchez gets the inside run in Saturday’s 2016 Pago Pago Stakes field at Rosehill Gardens. Photo: Steve Hart.

The opening black-type on the Coolmore Classic Day card at Rosehill Racecourse, this season’s $175,000 Group 2 Café Culture + Insitu Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) runs as Race 2 at 1:00pm (AEDT).

A total of 11 two-year-old colts and geldings make-up the final acceptances, all but three of which have previous race experience.

Many are vying for the ballot exemption into the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) back at the track on March 19, a double last achieved by Stratum (2005) over a decade ago.

On debut Souchez won over 1100m at Rosehill in December before his first-up third to Good Standing in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick a fortnight back.

He currently pays $26 through Ladbrokes.com.au in the pre-field Golden Slipper Stakes odds, the shortest-priced of the Pago Pago Stakes runners, and jumps from barrier one with James McDonald aboard on Saturday.

Also coming up trumps in the Pago Pago Stakes barrier draw with gate two is the Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes-trained Sebring colt Mount Panorama.

From three runs the local galloper has run two thirds in Group company firstly to Tessera in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) on a Heavy (8) Rosehill track and then to Astern in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) three weeks ago.

There are two last start winners in the Pago Pago Stakes mix this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival with the Gerald Ryan-trained Aviator with the outside barrier (13) to overcome and Ocean City for David Payne in gate seven.

Kerrin McEvoy stays aboard Snitzel colt Aviator after guiding the youngster to victory over 1100m at the track on February 24 on debut, Ocean City second the same race before backing-up on March 5 to take out a 1200m at Gosford by an impressive four lengths.

Payne also has the improving Chimboraa in barrier five, the colt having had three runs to date including a second over 1350m at Wyong on March 3.

Also running a nice lead-up into the Pago Pago is the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Fastnet Rock colt Lionhearted who enjoyed returning to Sydney after a Blue Diamond Prelude seventh to finish second in the Skyline Stakes as a 17/1 shot.

Peter & Paul Snowden saddle-up Attention from barrier 11, the Startum colt runner-up at the track in late November before two good February trials in Sydney leading up to his return this weekend, and Smart Missile colt Mediterranean in gate 10 coming off a Skyline Stakes fifth.

See below for the full Pago Pago Stakes 2016 field, barriers and jockeys then visit our No. 1 recommended bookie Ladbrokes.com.au for access to the weekend’s best markets!

2016 Pago Pago Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Rosehill Race 2 (1:00pm) – 12/03/2016