His Golden Slipper campaign may have been disrupted after losing a rider last time out, but the Chris Waller-trained Performer remains the headline two-year-old in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes 2018 first acceptances for April.

The Chris Waller-trained Performer is a key chance among the 2018 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes first acceptances for April 7 at Royal Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.

There are 93 juveniles still officially entered for the Group 1 $1 million Inglis Sires’ (1400m) run on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick on April 7 following Tuesday’s first declarations.

Heading the updated ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au at an equal $8 with Santos, is Exceed And Excel colt Performer.

The chestnut is also still being kept safe at $9 in pre-field markets for the Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) on March 24 despite his autumn hiccup last weekend.

Performer won his opening two career starts including Rosehill’s Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) but failed to retain his undefeated status when throwing jockey Hugh Bowman from the saddle during his run in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m).

He is still a chance for the Golden Slipper and looking further ahead the ATC Sires’, Waller chasing his first win in the latter this season.

Also among the Inglis Sires’ first acceptances for Waller is the ultra-consistent I Am Invincible filly Fiesta.

Winner of the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill first-up in early February, she was last seen running second to Seabrook in Randwick’s Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) a month later and is also likely to contest the Golden Slipper.

Co-favourite with Performer in futures ATC Sires’ betting, Santos is prepared by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.

Waterhouse has prepared a record seven previous ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winners, most recently with Pierro (2012) who backed-up off his Golden Slipper success that autumn.

In-form colt Santos is a son of sire-of-the-moment I Am Invincible and has won his past two starts this prep at Randwick, most recently taking out the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) on March 3.

Waterhouse & Bott have a total of seven first acceptors for the Inglis Sires’ in 2018 including also consistent Star Witness filly Terminology and Choisir filly Setsuna who won a Group 3 on Melbourne Cup Day before a first-up fourth in the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

The fillies have a dominant recent record over the boys in the Inglis Sires’ results with three wins in the past five years, most recently Yankee Rose (2016).

The standout fillies among the first acceptances for the race this season are Tony McEvoy’s Magic Millions Classic – Silver Slipper Stakes winner Sunlight who is a favourite for the Slipper and Lindsay Park’s daughter of Not A Single Doubt Qaflia who ran under a length away fourth in last Sunday’s Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m).

Aaron Purcell’s Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner last Saturday in Melbourne Not A Single Cent chasing the interstate double is also a key chance for the Group 1.

The Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes 2018 final field is set for release on April 3 with early markets now open at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes First Acceptances

Royal Randwick – 07/04/2018