The 2017 Manikato Stakes is looming as one of the most highly-anticipated races of the Spring Carnival at The Valley on October 26th, following the release of an outstanding list of sixty nominations this week.
Chautauqua has been included in 2017 Manikato Stakes nominations. Photo: Steve Hart
Winner of the race in 2015, Chautauqua has been set for an appearance in The Everest a fortnight prior to the Manikato Stakes, but is likely to progress a start in the feature sprint.
The six-time Group 1 winner failed to come up last spring and was sent to the paddock after finishing seventh in the Manikato Stakes and resumed this year for a credible third in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m).
Progressing to an agonizingly-close second behind Le Romain in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m), the Hard Spun gelding worked to the line well to finish third behind Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), before dropping back in distance to post his third-consecutive win in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
Having run on well from the tail of the field to finish seventh in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) first-up, the son of Encosta De Lago will be rock-hard fit for the Manikato Stakes and should prove extremely difficult to beat.
The country’s best sprinters have been included in 2017 Manikato Stakes nominations, including English, Redkirk Warrior, Russian Revolution and Redzel.
A Group 1 winner having taken out the 2016 edition of the All Aged Stakes, English resumed in autumn for a smart win in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m), but failed to fire when seventh in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m).
Appearing to have the TJ Smith Stakes won before being swooped on the line by Chautauqua, the daughter of Encosta De Lago finished sixth in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) and resumed this time for a credible fourth in The Shorts.
Redkirk Warrior became the first horse in close to a century to win the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) first-up during his autumn campaign and is a live chance of winning the Manikato Stakes.
The Notnowcato gelding was unable to make much of an impact in either of the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) or Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), but resumed this time for a dominant win in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m).
Russian Revolution relishes racing at The Valley and is another horse that will be at his best for the 2017 Manikato Stakes.
Breaking through for a maiden win at the highest level upon resuming in The Galaxy in autumn, the Snitzel colt ran a credible sixth in the TJ Smith Stakes and was returned to the paddock after placing fourth in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
Resuming this time for a dominant win in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) at The Valley, Russian Revolution is the favourite to win Friday night’s Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and will then step out in trip for The Everest and Manikato Stakes.
Redzel has found his best form in 2017 and is on track for a glittering run through the Spring Carnival sprint features.
Breaking through for his first Group 1 win in the Doomben 10,000, the Snitzel gelding resumed this time for a classy win in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1100m) with 60kgs in tow, before beating an outstanding field in The Shorts last time out.
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2017 Manikato Stakes Nominations
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4136x1111x | ABILITY | G | 5 | Robert Smerdon |
| 2 | 65x63394x2 | BALL OF MUSCLE | G | 7 | Joseph Pride |
| 3 | 242x11160x | BASSETT (NZ) | G | 5 | Mick Price |
| 4 | 555x17022x | BENZ | G | 4 | Gordon Richards |
| 5 | 157×321111 | BONS AWAY | G | 4 | Ciaron Maher |
| 6 | 80x344x212 | BRAVE SMASH (JPN) | H | 5 | Darren Weir |
| 7 | x151611125 | CANNYESCENT | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 8 | x47x3231x7 | CHAUTAUQUA | G | 7 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
| 9 | x640x9113x | CLEARLY INNOCENT | G | 6 | Kris Lees |
| 10 | 17x121x | DEBONAIRLY | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 11 | x43181368x | DERRYN | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 12 | 1x1111x11x | DESERT LASHES | M | 4 | Shayne Cahill |
| 13 | 7x2504x527 | EL DIVINO | H | 4 | Darren Weir |
| 14 | 70x17266x4 | ENGLISH | M | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 15 | 25x720040x | FAATINAH | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 16 | 36x79770x3 | FAST ’N’ ROCKING | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 17 | 323x6639x6 | FELL SWOOP | G | 6 | Matthew Dale |
| 18 | 0743x1024x | FIRST AMONG EQUALS | G | 6 | Darren Weir |
| 19 | 7121175×31 | GRANDE ROSSO | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 20 | 13x34423x6 | HELLBENT | H | 5 | Darren Weir |
| 21 | x31196x140 | HEY DOC | G | 4 | Tony McEvoy |
| 22 | 6x112653x4 | I THOUGHT SO | G | 4 | David Pfieffer |
| 23 | 212x50020x | ILLUSTRIOUS LAD | G | 6 | Peter Gelagotis |
| 24 | 14x643341x | IMPENDING | H | 4 | James Cummings |
| 25 | 11115x523x | IN HER TIME | M | 5 | Benjamin Smith |
| 26 | 1x6x | INVINCIBLE STAR | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 27 | 9x650980x7 | JAPONISME | G | 5 | Chris Waller |
| 28 | 11×12 | JUKEBOX | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher |
| 29 | 11478×0455 | KEEN ARRAY | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 30 | 21×4 | KEMENTARI | C | 3 | James Cummings |
| 31 | 9x3x34x20x | LANKAN RUPEE | G | 8 | Mick Price |
| 32 | x11202x250 | LE ROMAIN | G | 5 | Kris Lees |
| 33 | 48x052820x | LORD VON COSTA | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 34 | 254869x07x | MAGICUS | G | 6 | Tony Romeo |
| 35 | x215x1670x | MALAGUERRA | G | 6 | Peter Gelagotis |
| 36 | 10x2125x64 | MALIBU STYLE | G | 6 | Neville Parnham |
| 37 | 123x115x | MAN FROM UNCLE | G | 4 | Anthony & Edward Cummings |
| 38 | 111×10 | MERCHANT NAVY | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher |
| 39 | 430x10210x | MISS GUNPOWDER | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 40 | x19242x144 | MISSROCK | M | 4 | Robbie Laing |
| 41 | 1140x8180x | OCEAN EMBERS | M | 5 | Shea Eden |
| 42 | 5x21x105x1 | REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB) | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 43 | 81x2211x11 | REDZEL | G | 5 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 44 | 1123x4011x | ROCK MAGIC | G | 8 | Chris Gangemi |
| 45 | 1114x164x1 | RUSSIAN REVOLUTION | H | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 46 | 11x121x | SHE WILL REIGN | F | 3 | Gary Portelli |
| 47 | 152x1460x4 | SHEIDEL | M | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 48 | 231x21214x | SILENT SEDITION | M | 5 | Andrew Noblet |
| 49 | 223100×2 | SINGLE BULLET | C | 3 | Gary Portelli |
| 50 | 1x12x290x2 | SPIETH (NZ) | H | 5 | Bryce Heys |
| 51 | 2112×8 | SUMMER PASSAGE | C | 3 | Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott |
| 52 | 6x143x180x | SUPER CASH | M | 5 | Andrew Noblet |
| 53 | 113x930x15 | SUPIDO | H | 6 | Michael Kent |
| 54 | 1310x4810x | SWEET SHERRY | M | 4 | Brent Stanley |
| 55 | 2516x847x5 | TAKEDOWN | G | 5 | Gary Moore |
| 56 | 39x146x00x | THE QUARTERBACK | G | 7 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 57 | x9171x1x11 | VEGA MAGIC | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 58 | 76x22x212x | VIDDORA | M | 5 | Lloyd Kennewell |
| 59 | 11×1 | VIRIDINE | C | 3 | James Cummings |
| 60 | 210x257x14 | VOODOO LAD | G | 6 | Darren Weir |
