2017 Ken Russell Memorial Classic Field & Odds

A field full of promising two-year-olds will take to the Gold Coast track this Saturday on Prime Minister’s Cup Day for the Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2017, betting for which is currently led by Taking Aim.

Sydney-based hoop Hugh Bowman is booked to ride Saturday’s Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2017 favourite Taking Aim at the Gold Coast. Photo: Sarah Ebbett.

Drawn the rails with barrier one in the 14-starter field for this year’s $125,000 Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m), the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Taking Aim has Hugh Bowman aboard first-up on the weekend.

The Choisir colt remains a maiden after four career starts, but is tipped to break through with a win in his Gold Coast debut on the back of two nice Randwick trials.

Last seen finishing out of the money behind Catchy in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) in late February, Taking Aim sits top of the Ken Russell Memorial Classic odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $4.60.

He has the blinkers coming off in his resuming run to kick off his winter and in this class from the alley fresh should prove hard to hold off.

Following closely in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic betting markets at an equal $5 are Regent and Dissolution drawn in barriers eight and five respectively.

John O’Shea saddles-up progressive Lonhro colt Regent who comes off a win on debut at Canterbury over 1100m on April 17 ahead of his first black-type test.

Dissolution has also had just the one run to date, the Team Hawkes-trained son of Snitzel having snow potential on April 1 at Randwick for his sixth to Property in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).

He has had a change of stables since and is ready for a big show for the Hawkes here.

There are two other two-year-olds under $10 for the Group 3 win on Saturday with the widely-drawn Champ Elect out in barrier 13 and market mover Initialize ($9) drawn better in gate four.

Brisbane’s Chris Munce prepares the well-tried Choisir filly Champ Elect who is the best fancied of the girls taking on the colts and geldings in this year’s Ken Russell.

She has enjoyed two wins from her three career starts to date including the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1100m) last December.

Her latest run saw her beaten five lengths for a credible seventh behind Houtzen in the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m).

Champ Elect did it tough in that January 14 run from barrier 14 of 16 and has work to do from another nasty barrier at the same track and distance first-up this weekend.

Initialize will have it easier from her alley, the well-bred Reward For Effort filly having broken her maiden status at career start number three on April 23 over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast.

She rises in both distance and grade for this test, but there’s early money coming for the Caloundra-based filly.

Check out the full Ken Russell Memorial Classic 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and current Fixed Win odds below – pricing provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.