Nominations for all the Group 1 races taking place across the two days of Sydney’s The Championships in April are now out including those for the Doncaster Mile 2022 that attracted 139 early entries.

Anamoe is one of the early favourites to take out the $3 million Doncaster Mile this autumn in Sydney. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

It is shaping-up as a typically excellent edition of one of the country’s most loved mile races, all-in markets on this season’s Group 1 $3 million The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) led by the three-year-olds Anamoe and Espiona at an equal $8 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Running on Saturday April 2, the Doncaster Mile has seen 32 three-year-old winners throughout history most recently Brutal (2019).

This year the bookies are tipping another youngster to dominate, the Godolphin-raced Anamoe one of the most likely following his stellar spring campaign last time in.

The James Cummings-trained Street Boss colt ran second in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), won the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and then went down by one of the most controversial and close Cox Plate results in history when runner-up to international raider State Of Rest.

Cummings won the Doncaster Mile last year with Cascadian and has a total of six nominations this season.

Equal favourite Anamoe is joined by a host of his class stablemates in the entries including the reigning champion Cascadian who is at current Doncaster Mile odds of $26 to go back-to-back in the event for the first time since Sacred Falls (2013-14).

The other Cummings-trained entries are: star Empire Rose Stakes winning mare Colette, Street Boss filly Heresy, Frosted colt Ingratiating who ran third in last October’s Manikato Stakes and fellow three-year-old Paulele.

Challenging Anamoe for favouritism is Chris Waller’s to date undefeated filly Espiona.

The highly-spruiked daughter of Extreme Choice made it two-from-two in the spring, including her powerhouse 6.5 length romp home at Flemington on Oaks Day over 1400m.

She is set to resume this weekend in Randwick’s Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) as the short-priced favourite.

Waller is fast approaching the Doncaster Mile training record currently sitting on six victories, one off Tommy Smith (7) and Gai Waterhouse (7).

His six wins came between the nine years from 2008 and 2016 with Winx the last for the stable to claim the time-honoured showdown.

Waller has a bumper 19 Doncaster Mile nominations in 2022 with Espiona joined by the likes of: Golden Rose third placed Coastwatch, ATC Oaks winner Hungry Heart and consistent Sebring filly Fangirl who won Flemington’s Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes last Derby Day by three lengths.

Also in with a very strong Doncaster Mile contingent at nomination stage is Annabel Neasham with 11 hopefuls led by UK import Fourhometwo yet to race down under, Mackinnon Stakes winner Zaaki, last year’s Rosehill Guineas -Winx Stakes winner Mo’unga and lightly-raced British expat Top Ranked.

Golden Eagle champion I’m Thunderstruck is one of the other standout early Doncaster hopefuls, the four-year-old son of former Melbourne Cup winner Shocking have enjoyed a stellar spring.

Leading-up to his Golden Eagle triumph he also saluted over the mile at Caulfield in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and he kicks off his autumn this weekend in the Melbourne’s C.F. Orr Stakes.

Other noteworthy entries include last year’s third placed mare Icebath who won the inaugural $2 million The Invitation in October, the Joe Pride-trained Epsom Handicap champ at the track/distance Private Eye and John O’Shea’s The Hunter winner Lost And Running.

The Doncaster Mile 2022 first acceptances close on Tuesday the 8^th of March, 2022 and the latest all-in markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au are available here.

2022 Doncaster Mile Nominations

Table Credit: Racing Australia.