Group 1 winning filly Alizee is the standout among the nominations for the Group 1 $500,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Alizee, above, is the standout among the nominations for the 2018 Surround Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The James Cummings trained Alizee was the winner of the Group 1 $500,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival and resumed for the Autumn with a narrow but tough win in the Group 2 $200,000 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 17.
Cummings said that there was a heap of improvement left in Alizee as the Sepoy filly heads deeper into the Autumn Carnival.
“To produce like that first up with plenty of improvement to come…she has a big preparation ahead,” Cummings said.
“She’s a darling filly for us and a Group 1 winning filly for us in the spring.”
“She’s not the easiest horse to manage, she’s taken a lot of energy.
“She returned a winner of a prestigious race at Group 2 level and we can be very satisfied.”
Cummings has also nominated last start Hawkesbury Maiden winner Attracted for the Group 1 race for the fillies.
The Anthony Freedman trained Shoals was also a Spring Carnival Group 1 winning filly when she beat the older mares in the winning the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington and is among the sixteen fillies nominated for the Surround Stakes.
Victorian fillies Rimraam and Bring Me Roses have been nominated for the Surround Stakes and look set to clash again after running first and second in the Group 3 $150,000 The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 17.
The Lindsay Park trained Rimraam is the winner of two of her nine race starts with one of her best efforts being a third in the Group 2 $300,000 G.H.Mumm Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Bring Me Roses also had a good Melbourne Spring Carnival campaign for trainer Tony McEvoy and collected the runner’s up cheque in the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Oaks (2500m) at Flemington.
Golden Slipper runner up Frolic has been nominated for the Surround Stakes and will be fitter for one run back when fourth to Alizee in the Light Fingers Stakes.
The final field for the 2018 Surround Stakes will be released on Wednesday morning, February 28.
Early betting for the 2018 Surround Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2 Alizee, $6 Shumookh, $7.50 Frolic, $9.50 Melody Belle, $11 Shoals, $13 Unforgotten, $15 Torvill, $17 Bring Me Roses, Rimraam, $26 Moss Trip, Pandemonium, $61 All Too Soon, $101 Attracted, Stella Victoria, Touch Of Mink, Yulong Xingsheng.
Nominations for the 2018 Surround Stakes (1400m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5x124113x1 | ALIZEE | F | 3 | James Cummings | 105 |
| 2 | 438x331x1 | ALL TOO SOON | F | 3 | David Payne | 71 |
| 3 | 431 | ATTRACTED | F | 3 | James Cummings | 63 |
| 4 | 432102×2 | BRING ME ROSES | F | 3 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 5 | 221127×4 | FROLIC | F | 3 | Edward O’Rourke | 100 |
| 6 | 1x110x3615 | MELODY BELLE (NZ) | F | 3 | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | 101 |
| 7 | 1x623x131 | MOSS TRIP | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 73 |
| 8 | 59x41199x3 | PANDEMONIUM | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 71 |
| 9 | 2x221237x1 | RIMRAAM (NZ) | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 10 | 111x1221x8 | SHOALS | F | 3 | Anthony Freedman | 106 |
| 11 | 122 | SHUMOOKH | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 12 | 3233×23312 | STELLA VICTORIA | F | 3 | David Payne | 65 |
| 13 | x0212310x3 | TORVILL | F | 3 | Clarry Conners | – |
| 14 | 643x3253x2 | TOUCH OF MINK | F | 3 | Matthew Smith | – |
| 15 | 72x111x | UNFORGOTTEN | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 78 |
| 16 | 1x44241x9 | YULONG XINGSHENG | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 76 |
