2021 Australia Stakes Field & Betting Update: Viridine Odds-On Favourite of Six

January 22, 2021

2021 Australia Stakes Field & Betting Update: Viridine Odds-On Favourite of Six

The Godolphin-raced Viridine is tipped as the horse to beat under the lights at The Valley in this evening’s Australia Stakes 2021 with the galloper to face just five rivals in the autumn lead-up.

Viridine (Photo: Steve Hart) - Races.com.au

Viridine is tipped to win the Group 2 Australia Stakes under the lights at The Valley. Photo: Steve Hart.

Only six runners make-up the field for tonight’s Group 2 $200,000 Ladbrokes Australia Stakes (1200m) with the sprint showdown set to run as Moonee Valley Race 4 at 8:00pm (AEDT).

Dominating Australia Stakes betting at a short $1.85 through Ladbrokes.com.au is the James Cummings-trained Poet’s Voice six-year-old Viridine drawn gate three with Damien Oliver to ride.

Oliver has ridden two Australia Stakes winners since 2006 with El Segundo (2007) and Richie’s Vibe (2014) and jumps aboard Viridine tonight for the first time since a win in last winter’s Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.

The horse went on to also take out the Listed Regal Roller at the same track next start with Mark Zahra aboard on 62kg and has had two subsequent runs this spring – summer season.

His latest was on Boxing Day at Eagle Farm in Brisbane when running a credible fourth with plenty of weight in the Listed Falvelon Stakes (1200m).

He comes back in weight here and returns to Melbourne, but is yet to win at Moonee Valley.

Viridine was a late entry into what presents as a fairly weak edition of the Australia Stakes after the Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) extended nominations for the race.

Originally the Royal Blue brigade had another odds-on pick in the mix with Isaurian, but Cummings said they opted not to accept for the galloper who didn’t scope well at the start of the week.

Now Viridine leads the way running at The Valley instead of Saturday week’s Group 2 Expressway Stakes in Sydney, and Isaurian will be saved for the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 6.

“He’s well suited in these weight-for-age races and he looks like getting a nice run in transit,” Cummings said of Viridine in the Australia Stakes on RSN this week.

“He will bring residual fitness to this race. He’s well suited and he’s an extremely competent sprinter.”

Second elect at $4.40 to win and the early Australia Stakes market mover having been backed in from an opening quote of $6 is the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr. trained Tavisan.

The very talented female hoop Jamie Kah partners the Tavistock five-year-old who is out to atone for a seventh to Pandemic at Caulfield on Boxing Day in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m).

The other danger at current Australia Stakes odds of $5 is the Shane Nichols-trained Group 1 Futurity Stakes winner from last autumn, Streets Of Avalon.

The Magnus gelding’s form since has been more miss than hit, but he did finish second best behind Viridine in the Bletchingly back in July last year.

He hasn’t run since the spring when under two lengths back fourth in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Sandown-Hillside in November and, while his first-up record isn’t great, he does have previous winning from at Moonee Valley.

Three-time Moonee Valley winner Widgee Turf ($12), the rails-drawn Street Boss mare Neighbourhood ($13) and the Amy McDonald-trained Pierro gelding Arcadia Prince ($17) – the WA expat on debut for his new stable – round out the field.

Click here for the latest Australia Stakes 2021 betting odds courtesy of race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.

2021 Australia Stakes Field & Barriers

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x27050984x STREETS OF AVALON Shane Nichols Zac Spain 4 58.5kg 103
2 39265x765x WIDGEE TURF Patrick Payne Billy Egan 6 58.5kg 97
3 4441211×34 VIRIDINE James Cummings Damien Oliver 3 58.5kg 108
4 12111x740x ARCADIA PRINCE Amy McDonald Jordan Childs 2 58.5kg 95
5 541306×327 TAVISAN (NZ) Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Ms Jamie Kah 5 58.5kg 93
6 111547×436 NEIGHBOURHOOD Enver Jusufovic Michael Dee 1 56.5kg 89

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Z...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pr...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

Pride Of Jenni was enormous running her rivals ragged with a blistering...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results:...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Dublin Down is into Saturday week’s 2024 Golden Slipper field after a gutsy...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results:...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

Celestial Legend put the writing on the wall for a huge year ahead with the...

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results...

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results: Lady Laguna Upsets Think About It, Espiona Third

Top honours in the 2024 Canterbury Stakes results at Royal Randwick went to...

Race Results

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Zougotcha Dives Late to Salute

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results: Lady Laguna Upsets Think About It, Espiona Third

Race Previews

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Magic Night Winner Drifting Firms in Golden Slipper 2024 Betting

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

Fields & Form

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

2024 Randwick Guineas Field & Odds Update: Militarize Set to Strike Second-Up