Ten runners have been confirmed in the final field for Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse; highlighted by the inclusion of some of the season’s standout performers.
Tales Of Grimm has been confirmed in the 2016 Winter Challenge field. Photo: Daniel Costello
Leading trainer Chris Waller is set to launch a multi-pronged attack on the 2016 Winter Challenge after confirming a total of three runners in the final field, including Tales Of Grimm.
UK import Tales Of Grimm began his Australian racing tenure under the guidance of Sam Kavanagh, but was transferred to Waller’s care after the former trainer’s ban from racing.
Requiring a couple of runs to find form upon resuming this time, the Distorted Humour gelding overcame a luckless run for tenth in the Listed Scone Cup (2600m) with a commendable performance for fourth in the talent-rich Thomson Reuters Tax Handicap (1800m) on June 4th.
Returning to winning form in the Listed Spear Chief Quality (1500m) at Eagle Farm on June 25th, Tales Of Grimm failed to make much of an impressive in the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago but will relish a return to 1500m on Saturday, and will be partnered by Kerrin McEvoy.
Godolphin will also be represented well in the Rosehill feature after trainer John O’Shea confirmed both Allergic and Alegria in the 2016 Winter Challenge field.
Placed at Group 1 level having finished just off the pace of Delicacy and Werther in the 2015 South Australian Derby, Allergic produced a number of commendable results through a recent Autumn Carnival campaign.
Winning a pair of Sydney minors over 2000m, the Street Cry gelding returned to the paddock after finishing second in each of the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) and Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m).
Alegria is a strong first-up performer and should lay a good account for herself in the Winter Challenge from barrier 4, with Brenton Avdulla aboard.
Running third in the Group 3 Aspiration Handicap (1600m), the Medaglia D’Oro mare progressed to fourth in the Group 3 Epona Stakes (1900m) before ending her campaign an impressive second to Libran in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) on Day 1 of The Championships.
Oxford Poet has delivered trainer Kim Waugh a number of commendable results so far and is primed for further success in the Winter Challenge, particularly form the ideal barrier 6.
Resuming this time for second in the Wilson Asset Management Handicap (1100m), the Dylan Thomas gelding ran third in the Listed June Stakes (1100m) and fifth in the Listed Civic Stakes (1350m) before taking out the Winter Stakes in a commanding display last time out.
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2016 Winter Challenge Field and Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 712×070418 | TALES OF GRIMM (USA) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 58kg | 98 |
| 2 | x78261122x | ALLERGIC | John O’Shea | Hugh Bowman | 8 | 57kg | 96 |
| 3 | 312x4x2351 | OXFORD POET | Kim Waugh | Tim Clark | 6 | 57kg | 96 |
| 4 | 6x21817x9x | RULING DYNASTY | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 5 | 57kg | 96 |
| 5 | 51x816113x | SACRED MASTER (NZ) | Chris Waller | Rory Hutchings | 9 | 57kg | 96 |
| 6 | 2236×11694 | MARENOSTRO (NZ) | Chris Waller | Tye Angland | 3 | 56.5kg | 95 |
| 7 | 28316x0x02 | ZIN ZAN EDDIE | Matthew Smith | Jason Collett | 1 | 55.5kg | 93 |
| 8 | 1x3352342x | ALEGRIA | John O’Shea | Brenton Avdulla | 4 | 54kg | 92 |
| 9 | x010350013 | HIMALAYA DREAM (FR) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 10 | 54kg | 84 |
| 10 | 2634×05822 | FINAL DECISION | Jason Coyle | – | 2 | 54kg | 76 |
