The Kris Lees-trained Le Romain is nominated for a second-up run this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival on Saturday at Royal Randwick Racecourse in the Tramway Stakes 2016.
The Hard Spun gelding is best known for his Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) victory over the Randwick mile in the autumn and returned to racing at the same track a fortnight ago for a second to Tycoon Tara in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m).
Four-year-old Le Romain is nominated for yet another Randwick start, a track he now has two wins and two second from four runs at, on Chelmsford Stakes Day in the $175,000 Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m).
The Tramway Stakes nominations feature 14 early entries and have been extended until 11:00am (AEST) on Tuesday morning by Racing NSW.
Le Romain is out to atone for being the beaten favourite first-up and will appreciate the extra metres on Saturday as he gears up for a shot at the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) on October 1.
Also coming off a first-up second and nominated for the Tramway Stakes this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival are the Lindsay Park-trained duo of Dibayani and Jacquinot Bay.
Imported seven-year-old Dibayani returned to racing with a second to Sooboog at Flemington on August 6 in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
He should enjoy getting back to Randwick where he placed second to Winx in February’s Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).
Stablemate Jacquinot Bay was second past the post in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) in mid-August at Caulfield in Melbourne, the veteran nine-year-old also nominated for a clash with Winx in the $250,000 Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on Saturday.
Others with the fitness edge include Tim Martin’s Street Cry mare Heavens Above coming off a fourth in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1300m) from August 20 and Messene for Hawkes Racing.
Five-year-old Heavens Above rounded out her autumn with a second to Azkadellia in the Group 1 Queen Of the Turf Stakes (1600m) before her Toy Show return when defeated only 1.6 lengths.
Her two second-up runs to date have both produced second place efforts and she also has plenty of form at Randwick (5-2-1-1).
Messene ran fourth in the Show County Quality meanwhile not much further behind Le Romain (2nd), the Lonhro eight-year-old shooting four his fourth win from nine starts over Saturday’s distance if accepted.
Chris Waller meanwhile has nominated for a trio of hopefuls.
Waller’s possible Tramway Stakes contingent is made up by Kiwi expat Cosmic Cube, Pins four-year-old Mackintosh who has won five of his eight starts to date including back-to-back Group 3s in Doomben before the Queensland Derby last (18th) on June 11 and Sadler’s Lake coming off a first-up second at Rosehill from August 13.
Check out the current Tramway Stakes 2016 nominations below, the field and barriers due for release on Wednesday followed by premier betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2016 Tramway Stakes Nominations
Randwick Racecourse – 03/09/2016
# | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 657x3x12x6 | COSMIC CUBE (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 100 |
2 | 399x4249x2 | DIBAYANI (IRE) | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 105 |
3 | 98046x000x | GUST OF WIND (NZ) | M | 5 | John Sargent | 106 |
4 | x111x4523x | HAPPY CLAPPER | G | 6 | Patrick Webster | 109 |
5 | 28x332722x | HAURAKI | G | 5 | John O’Shea | 108 |
6 | x2231122x4 | HEAVENS ABOVE | M | 5 | Tim Martin | 101 |
7 | 23x611653x | IT’S SOMEWHAT (USA) | G | 6 | John O’Shea | 108 |
8 | 44475×1182 | JACQUINOT BAY | G | 9 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 103 |
9 | 12x12217x2 | LE ROMAIN | G | 4 | Kris Lees | 105 |
10 | 14101110x | MACKINTOSH (NZ) | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 94 |
11 | x0822018x4 | MESSENE | G | 8 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 106 |
12 | 1947x400x2 | SADLER’S LAKE | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 101 |
13 | 1x2380x05x | SONS OF JOHN | G | 6 | Jason Attard | 100 |
14 | 316x0x0246 | ZIN ZAN EDDIE | G | 7 | Matthew Smith | 91 |