A final field of just eight sprinters will battle for victory in the 2014 Premiere Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse this Saturday, after seven horses defected since Monday’s nominations.
The $200,000 Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m), one of the races on Epsom Handicap Day, is a shadow of last year’s race, which drew a final field of sixteen.
However a smaller field is great news for punters, who now have an easier shot at backing a winning with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Headlining the small but classy field is Stephen Farley’s Sincero, who will start wide in barrier 6 under Tye Angland.
The 2012 Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m) winner hasn’t been seen since last year’s spring racing carnival, except for two barrier trials.
Farley has rested the seven-year-old after a disappointing 2013 season that saw him finish end of the field in all three of his starts, including the Group 1 Geo Main Stakes (1600m) and Epsom Handicap (1600m).
Famous Seamus is returning for another tilt in the Premiere Stakes after placing third last year. Photo by Steve Hart.
Following two runner-up finishes in barrier trials this year, the gelding will return with a step down in class and distance in the 2014 Premiere Stakes.
The Noel Mayfield-Smith-trained Famous Seamus will run again after a fast finishing third performance in the 2013 Premiere Stakes.
The six-year-old will partner regular jockey Tim Clark and will again run from the widest barrier.
Peter & Paul Snowden’s I’ve Got The Looks will get the ideal rails run and is one of two horses with set weights 2kg lower than the rest of the field.
The mare won two of her Handicap starts this year and placed third in the other two. Her first black level race was the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) over the same course as the Premiere on September 20, which she could only manage a middle field finish.
Generalife will run his first competitive spring race from the middle barrier under James McDonald. The John O’Shea-trained gelding won his last three out, including the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m), back in June/July.
See below for the full 2014 Premiere Stakes field & barrier draw.
Betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au will open for the Randwick race shorty, so make sure your online betting is ready to go.
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2014 Premiere Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
Royal Randwick Race 6 – 3:20pm (AEST) – 04/10/2013
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x1539x080x | SINCERO | Stephen Farley | Tye Angland | 6 | 58.5kg | 111 |
| 2 | x3905190x3 | FAMOUS SEAMUS (NZ) | Noel Mayfield-Smith | Tim Clark | 8 | 58.5kg | 109 |
| 3 | x136x090x3 | RAIN AFFAIR | Joseph Pride | Blake Shinn | 5 | 58.5kg | 105 |
| 4 | 3x3713111x | GENERALIFE | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 4 | 58.5kg | 102 |
| 5 | 4867x147x0 | CHARLIE BOY | Gerald Ryan | Joshua Parr | 2 | 58.5kg | 95 |
| 6 | x424633417 | WOULDNT IT BE NICE | Paul Perry | Sam Clipperton | 3 | 58.5kg | 95 |
| 7 | 312466x97x | SCORPIO QUEEN | Kris Lees | Christian Reith | 7 | 56.5kg | 92 |
| 8 | 15413×1315 | I’VE GOT THE LOOKS | Peter & Paul Snowden | – | 1 | 56.5kg | 90 |
