Last start SA Derby winner Howard Be Thy Name will shoot for his fifth win on the trot this weekend when the Darren Weir-trained three-year-old runs in the Grand Prix Stakes 2016 field at Doomben Racecourse.
SA Derby champion Howard Be Thy Name runs in the 2016 Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben in Brisbane this weekend. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
The card closer on Doomben 10,000 Day in Brisbane, this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Mullins Lawyers Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) is set to run as Doomben Race 8 at 4:37pm (AEST) and features a final field of 14 gallopers.
To wear the number one saddlecloth and jumping from gate 10 with Brad Rawiller aboard is the flying Redoute’s Choice colt Howard Be Thy Name who is yet to finish out of the money in his 11 career starts.
He has won his past four on the trot including the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) at Morphettville in Adelaide on May 14.
Heading towards a run in the $600,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11, Howard Be Thy Name is firstly down in distance for Saturday’s Grand Prix that has produced two of the past four Queensland Derby winners.
Howard Be Thy Name is the current $8 equal second favourite in futures Queensland Derby odds at Ladbrokes.com.au with Cylinder Beach who also runs in the Grand Prix this weekend.
Prepared locally by Desleigh Forster, Showcasing gelding Cylinder Beach won the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1630m) two back before a last start second back at Doomben on BTC Cup Day in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m).
The runaway Rough Habit Plate winner a fortnight ago was the Chris Waller-trained Mackintosh who had nearly three lengths to spare on the line.
The Pins gelding now leads all-in Queensland Derby betting at $2.80 and runs again in Saturday’s Grand Prix Stakes where he is also likely to jump the punters’ pick.
Blake Shinn continues his association with Mackintosh who is drawn ideally in barrier three for the weekend and who is ed by two stablemates in the Grand Prix Stakes field.
Waller, who won the 2013 Grand Prix Stakes – Queensland Derby double with Hawkspur three years ago, is also represented on Saturday by last start Rosehill winner over 1900m Encosta De Line (13) and Kerrin McEvoy’s mount Multifacets coming off a Rough Habit ninth.
Also out of the Rough Habit Plate into the Grand Prix this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival is the Bryan Guy-trained fourth placegetter from the Gold Coast Eagle Way in barrier six on Saturday with Paul Hammersley to ride.
Guy has also accepted for the rails-drawn Captain Sonador gelding Snapper Rocks coming off back-to-back seconds over 2150m and 2190m respectively at Ipswich this month.
Other notable Grand Prix Stakes runners this year include the John O’Shea-trained Unbreakable last seen running third to 2016 Queensland Oaks hope Tavi Bay over 2000m at Caulfield a fortnight ago and Ciaron Maher’s last start Geelong winning Shocking gelding Harvard.
See below for the full Grand Prix Stakes 2016 field, barriers and jockeys below.
For access to this weekend’s best betting odds and offers make sure you’ve got an open and ready to go at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!
2016 Grand Prix Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
Doomben Race 8 (4:37pm) – 28/05/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3322121111 | HOWARD BE THY NAME | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 10 | 57kg | 100 |
| 2 | 3534x31x12 | CYLINDER BEACH (NZ) | Desleigh Forster | Michael Cahill | 9 | 57kg | 85 |
| 3 | 32×0240208 | I’M BELUCCI | Desleigh Forster | Jim Byrne | 11 | 57kg | 73 |
| 4 | 141011 | MACKINTOSH (NZ) | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 3 | 57kg | 88 |
| 5 | 4144×16213 | UNBREAKABLE | John O’Shea | TBA | 14 | 57kg | 78 |
| 6 | 314×292021 | ENCOSTA LINE | Chris Waller | Rory Hutchings (a) | 13 | 57kg | 75 |
| 7 | 0074×74344 | RED ALTO | Paul Banks | TBA | 5 | 57kg | – |
| 8 | 458111×284 | EAGLE WAY | Bryan Guy | Paul Hammersley | 6 | 57kg | 73 |
| 9 | 59×4141389 | MULTIFACETS (NZ) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 8 | 57kg | 76 |
| 10 | x11218x513 | BRAZEN | David Vandyke | Zac Purton | 7 | 57kg | 77 |
| 11 | 352×14117 | ESCHIELE | John O’Shea | TBA | 12 | 57kg | 73 |
| 12 | 1352×14422 | SNAPPER ROCKS | Bryan Guy | TBA | 1 | 57kg | 62 |
| 13 | 2321×51090 | LAST TYPHOON | Robert Smerdon | Glen Colless | 2 | 57kg | 65 |
| 14 | 5×251 | HARVARD (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 4 | 57kg | 63 |
