Two of the top fancies to take out the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes 2012 at Flemington’s Super Saturday of Racing this weekend have both suffered wide barrier draws with Jimando and All Too Hard coming up with gates 11 and 10 respectively.
Mama's Choice is one of two David Hayes-trained two-year-olds running in the 2012 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes on Saturday
The second of seven Group races headlining a crack nine-event program at Flemington on Saturday, the $250,000 Group 2 Henry Bucks VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) is due to run as Race 3 at 1:15pm and has drawn a full field of 16 starters plus three emergencies.
One-time Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Jimando, to be ridden by Nash Rawiller, is set to wear the No. 1 saddlecloth but has work to do from barrier 11.
With the three emergencies coming out Tony McEvoy’s Commands colt, last seen running fourth to Samaready in the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 25 at Caulfield, will only come in one gate.
Still, Jimando is likely to see plenty of attention from the punters betting online at Australia’s leading bookie bookmaker.com.au as they had a horror barrier 16 of 16 draw for the Blue Diamond and were far from disgraced finishing top four.
The other top-rated two-year-old in the 2012 Henry Bucks Sires’ Produce Stakes field, All Too Hard, also drew double-digits with barrier 10.
A half-brother to undefeated turf queen Black Caviar, the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained All Too Hard will come into nine if the emergencies don’t gain a start.
All Too Hard is the most lightly-raced of the VRC Sires’ Produce hopes this year, the Casino Prince colt having had just one start to date when they took out the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on February 18.
Two youngsters that finished behind All Too Hard in the Talindert and who will get their chance to turn the tables in Saturday’s clash are third placegetter Timely Truce and the fourth placed Rappers Delight.
Cranbourne galloper Timely Truce remains a maiden in their five-start career to date and even though they have come up trumps with barrier one and Damien Oliver to ride, they have been well beaten by many in this field more than once.
Rappers Delight, meanwhile, is due to jump from gate four on Saturday with Steven Arnold engaged as one of three chances in the event for trainer David Hayes.
Hayes has also accepted for Bran who will be a bookmaker.com.au roughie from their barrier 14 draw, and the better-fancied Mama’s Choice in gate six with Corey Brown to ride.
Winner of the Listed Chairman’s Stakes (1100m), beating third placegetter Jimando, on debut at Caulfield on February 4, Redoute’s Choice filly Mama’s Choice was disappointing last start when beaten 10 lengths to finish seventh in the Blue Diamond.
Meanwhile, another top fancy that enjoyed a more favourable barrier than Jimando and All Too Hard was the Jason Warren-trained Pronto Pronto in gate two.
James Winks retains the ride on the progressive Snitzel colt who after running fourth to Mama’s Choice in the Chairman’s was able to beat a smart field in the Schweppes Handicap (1200m) at Sandown from a bad gate on February 29.
Other notable chances out to improve their records in the VRC Sires’ Produce include the Danny O’Brien-trained four length Flemington winner on debut Shamexpress drawn nicely in gate three with Craig Williams in the saddle, Charge Forward gelding Road Trippin (barrier 12), and Peter Snowden’s duo Rusambo – fifth in the Blue Diamond, and Tatra.
Markets for all of Flemington’s races this weekend will be released at the Australian-owned and operated bookmaker.com.au shortly, so make sure you’re ready to place your bets by opening an today!
2012 Henry Bucks VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
Flemington Race 3 – 1:15pm – 10/03/2012
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1X34 | JIMANDO | Tony McEvoy | Nash Rawiller | 11 | 56.5kg | 72 |
| 2 | 32X25 | RUSAMBO | Peter Snowden | – | 5 | 56.5kg | 70 |
| 3 | 1 | ALL TOO HARD | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 10 | 56.5kg | 72 |
| 4 | 7X22 | ROAD TRIPPIN | Stephen Theodore | Peter Mertens | 12 | 56.5kg | 64 |
| 5 | 1X44 | TATRA | Peter Snowden | – | 17 | 56.5kg | 70 |
| 6 | 12 | SHAMEXPRESS (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Craig Williams | 3 | 56.5kg | 70 |
| 7 | 1X532 | KENJORWOOD | Darren Kenny | Craig Newitt | 13 | 56.5kg | 66 |
| 8 | 23X40 | ANDRE ROO HOO | Robbie Laing | Glen Boss | 8 | 56.5kg | 66 |
| 9 | 24393 | TIMELY TRUCE | Ricky Maund | Damien Oliver | 1 | 56.5kg | 66 |
| 10 | 243 | NO SMOKEN | Clinton McDonald | Danny Nikolic | 16 | 56.5kg | 64 |
| 11 | 41 | PRONTO PRONTO | Jason Warren | James Winks | 2 | 56.5kg | 68 |
| 12 | 9X52 | BRAN | David Hayes | Brad Rawiller | 14 | 56.5kg | 61 |
| 13 | 30X4 | RAPPERS DELIGHT | David Hayes | Steven Arnold | 4 | 56.5kg | 62 |
| 14 | 65 | AT THE TAP | Ken Keys | Nicholas Hall | 19 | 56.5kg | 62 |
| 15 | 17 | MAMA’S CHOICE | David Hayes | Corey Brown | 6 | 54.5kg | 72 |
| 16 | 65 | MEDITRINA | Shane Nichols | Luke Nolen | 7 | 54.5kg | 60 |
| 17e | 40 | EKIBUUKA | Mark Young | Dean Yendall | 15 | 56.5kg | 58 |
| 18e | 57 | MY DANCING DUEL (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | Jake Noonan (a) | 9 | 56.5kg | 57 |
| 19e | 9 | BOBAN | Anthony Freedman | Ben Melham | 18 | 56.5kg | 61 |
