Money is coming for the David Vandyke-trained Baccarat Baby to atone for her midfield finish in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes last start and take out the Sapphire Stakes 2020 at Doomben this weekend.

Sure Knee represents trainer Chris Waller in the 2020 Sapphire Stakes field at Doomben on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

The talented four-year-old daughter of Casino Prince is one of a dozen fillies and mares engaged in Saturday’s Group 3 $125,000 Sapphire Stakes (1630m) that runs as one of two Group events in Brisbane for the latest Queensland Winter Racing Carnival meeting.

Baccarat Baby hasn’t won a race since October of last year, but she has been competitive in plenty since racking up a trio of top three runs this prep before her last start seventh in the Dane Ripper over 1400m at Eagle Farm on June 13.

It was a blanket finish in the Dane Ripper with Baccarat Baby only 1.6 lengths off the shock winner Love You Lucy and she is tipped to improve returning to her pet track, Doomben, where she boasts an outstanding record of three wins, a second and a third from five starts.

The latest Sapphire Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au list the favourite at $3.90, a firming price despite her wide barrier 11 draw after she opened at $4.40.

Following closely in Sapphire Stakes betting are the Tony Gollan-trained Krone ($5) and Tricky Gal ($6) for Sydney’s Matthew Smith drawn in barriers six and five respectively.

Eurozone four-year-old Krone presents fit having her fourth run for the season since being transferred from Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr in Melbourne, and her second at Doomben where she ran a close second two back behind Shalwa in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1350m).

She too is a graduate out of that tight Dane Ripper Stakes finish having run 1.3 lengths back fifth with Brad Stewart coming aboard the fast finishing mare this weekend.

In-form apprentice hoop Baylee Nothdurft has been enjoying a stellar carnival and will be chasing another feature race win aboard Tricky Gal in the Sapphire.

The Magic Albert four-year-old has a great record over the mile (4:2-2-0) ahead of her Doomben debut and was last seen finishing second when carrying more weight (59kg) at Rosehill in the wet over 1300m on June 13 in a Benchmark 78.

There are a further three single-figure hopefuls to win the Sapphire this winter with the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Shuhood ($7.50), Sure Knee ($8) for Chris Waller and the Kris Lees-trained Delectation Girl ($8.50) all as interstate dangers.

I Am Invincible three-year-old Shuhood is the only filly taking on the older mares in the Sapphire Stakes field this year, the up-and-comer coming off two earlier Brisbane lead-up runs.

She ran fourth at Doomben in the Listed Pam O’Neill Stakes (1600m) in late May before her credible fifth as a roughie shot in the Group 2 The Roses (1800m) at the Farm a fortnight ago and she should relish the drop-in distance and grade for the Sapphire.

Waller has been a force to be reckoned with in the Queensland staying races this winter and will be out to make his mark in the Sapphire on Saturday with his Snitzel four-year-old Sure Knee making her Brisbane debut.

The British-bred Delectation Girl meanwhile has been out of form this prep running unplaced in Rosehill’s Group 2 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) and ninth in the Group 3 Eagle Farm Mile (1600m).

The six-year-old however was fourth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) during the autumn and is right up to this class if she gets back to her best form.

Click here for the latest Sapphire Stakes 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Sapphire Stakes Field & Barriers

*Table Credit: Racing Australia.