Performer

Graff draws the rails in 2018 San Domenico Stakes

Mark Mazzaglia August 22, 2018

Graff draws the rails in 2018 San Domenico Stakes

Unbeaten colt Graff has drawn the rails in the 2018 Group 3 $150,000 Singapore Airlines San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Hugh Bowman will ride Performer, above, in the 2018 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Hugh Bowman will ride Performer, above, in the 2018 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

A final field of nine will line up in the Group 3 for the three year olds with Jason Collett to become the third jockey in as many starts for the Kris Lees trained Graff.

Graff is the winner of his only two race starts with Christian Reith aboard for his maiden win at Rosehill on April 2 while Kerrin McEvoy steered him to victory in the $125,000 Clarendon Stakes (1300m) at Hawkesbury on April 28.

The Star Witness colt will wear the blinkers for the first time in the San Domenico Stakes on his way towards gaining a start in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 22.

“I’m very happy with his progress, and Saturday’s race will be a nice starting point for him,” Lees told Racing New South Wales News Desk.

“The plan is to get to the Golden Rose via the San Domenico and then Run To The Rose.”

Rachel King is back aboard the Gary Portelli trained Dio D’Oro who has drawn the outside gate while the Chris Waller trained Performer will jump from barrier eight for Hugh Bowman.

Dio D’Oro was the winner of his last three starts at the end of his two year old season with two wins at Randwick before dead heating for first with Toulouse in a 1400m two year old Handicap at Rosehill on June 30 with apprentice Jean Van Overmeire in the saddle.

Performer showed plenty of potential as a two year old with wins at his first two race starts before getting barred after dumping Bowman in straight when favourite for the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 10.

The Exceed And Excel colt was reinstated to race and then finished fourteenth to Estijaab in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24.

Performer has overcome his waywardness and heads into the San Domenico Stakes on the back of a win in a 900m Rosehill barrier trial on August 7.

The James Cummings trained Plague Stone will get his chance to make amends for the punters after finishing fourth as favourite last start in the Listed $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill on August 11 and will jump from barrier five with Glyn Schofield taking over the reins from Hugh Bowman.

Final field for the 2018 San Domenico Stakes (1100m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 1x1L0x PERFORMER Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 8 57kg 83
2 323x81x PAQUIRRI Gary Moore Andrew Adkins 7 57kg 81
3 110x JONKER David Atkins Corey Brown 2 56kg 78
4 243×111 DIO D’ORO Gary Portelli Ms Rachel King 9 55kg 80
5 2x205x14 PLAGUE STONE James Cummings Glyn Schofield 5 55kg 77
6 11x GRAFF Kris Lees Jason Collett 1 55kg 74
7 5310x TCHAIKOVSKY Peter & Paul Snowden James McDonald 4 55kg 71
8 1x4x NEUTRALITY Peter & Paul Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 3 55kg 68
9 1860×5 RINGERDINGDING Edward O’Rourke Tim Clark 6 55kg 67

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