Gerald Ryan’s in-form filly Perignon shoots for her second win from three starts this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival leading the PJ Bell Stakes 2016 field at Randwick Racecourse this Saturday.

Perignon chases more Group success in Sydney’s 2016 PJ Bell Stakes this weekend at Royal Randwick Racecourse. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to run as Randwick Race 5 at 2:30pm (AEDT) on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’, this year’s $200,000 Group 3 Dilmah Tea PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) has attracted a capacity field of 18 three-year-old fillies plus an emergency.

Sitting top of the line-up but drawn wide in gate 14 is Ryan’s well-performed daughter of Snitzel Perignon who was third to Speak Fondly in last October’s Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) beaten only a long-neck.

First-up this time in she enjoyed a narrow win in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before travelling to Rosehill on March 19 when third, beaten under a half-length, to Sultry Feeling in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m).

She sees the same distance here and is looking to improve on the placing returning to Randwick despite her nasty barrier for her Light Fingers winning jockey Tim Clark to overcome.

Ryan has also accepted for his daughter of Not A Single Doubt Don’t Doubt Marley who just snuck into the field and who is second-up after a fifth over 1200m at Kembla Grange on March 23.

Coming off a last start win and debuting down under is the Stephen Marsh-trained New Zealand raider No More Tears, the Darci Brahma filly having saluted in Group 3 class at home on March 5 over 1200m ahead of Saturday’s test from the outside alley in the full field.

Bjorn Baker saddles-up the other last start winning filly with Lady Sniper, the daughter of Snippetson coming off the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) success on March 24.

After Perignon the other highest-rated acceptor for the PJ Bell Stakes field this season is the John O’Shea-trained Pearls drawn a treat in gate three for jockey James McDonald.

Pearls won the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) last September before her Flight Stakes fourth, but her form this campaign hasn’t been as solid.

Last start she finished third last when 10^th to Peeping, runner-up in last year’s PJ Bell Stakes behind Miss Cover Girl (2015), in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 12.

Pearls was still only beaten four and a half lengths in the Group 1 and is tipped to improve dropping back in both class and distance for this weekend’s assignment.

O’Shea and Godolphin’s other runner is Lonhro filly Painted Firetail coming off a fourth in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) in late February, a race Secret Agenda was runner-up to Almighty Girl in, and she’s drawn to get the run of the race from barrier one with Sam Clipperton in the saddle.

Also out to atone for an unplaced Group 1 run last time out like Pearls is Mick Price’s Melbourne visitor Secret Agenda.

The Group winning Not A Single Doubt filly ran seventh to upset winner The Quarterback in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 12 ahead of her Sydney debut in the PJ Bell Stakes.

Another Melbourne raider is the Clarry Conners-trained Dawnie Perfect who returns to racing this weekend not having races since her fourth behind Ambience in the Group 3 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Victoria Derby Day last October.

Before that she defeated subsequent Crown Oaks runner-up Honesta in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day.

Other notable hopes include Typhoon Tracy Stakes third placegetter Super Cash coming off a black-type win down the Flemington straight and Baker’s other runner Egyptian Symbol who hasn’t finished out of the money in her eight career starts to date.

See below for the full PJ Bell Stakes 2016 field, barriers and jockeys then for access to the weekend’s best betting markets and offers sign-up with Ladbrokes.com.au today!

2016 PJ Bell Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Randwick Race 5 (2:30pm) – 02/04/2016