Golden Rose winning colt Astern is one of three three-year-olds among the 22 Manikato Stakes first acceptances for 2016 taken by Racing Victoria (RV) this week.
Astern is one of three three-year-olds among the 2016 Manikato Stakes first acceptances this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Photo: Steve Hart.
Held on the eve of Cox Plate Day under the lights at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Friday October 21, this year’s $1 million Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) went through the latest stage of declarations on Tuesday as did the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
A trio of youngsters are out to stop the older champions in the weight-for-age clash this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival for the first time since Sepoy (2011) with the John O’Shea-trained Astern, the autumn’s Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and his undefeated stablemate Russian Revolution.
Last year’s Manikato Stakes winner Chautauqua returned to racing last Friday nights and was defeated in a shock result crossing fourth as the beaten favourite behind Mick Price’s gun three-year-old sprinter Extreme Choice.
Despite the loss, the Team Hawkes-trained super star remains favourite in pre-field Manikato Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $2.60 to go back-to-back in the classic and add to his impressive $6.5 million in prize money to date.
Godolphin’s Medaglia D’Oro colt Astern is the second best fancied first acceptor in the all-in Manikato Stakes odds at a quote of $5.50 to hand O’Shea his second win after the success of Sea Siren (2012).
Astern has won five of his seven starts to date including the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) by an impressive 2.3 lengths two back.
He was defeated last Saturday at Royal Randwick however when narrow runner-up to the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Russian Revolution in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m).
Co-trainer Peter Snowden confirmed after the Epsom Day win, which took the record of Snitzel colt Russian Revolution to four wins from four career starts, the team were looking at a VRC Derby Day run in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on October 29 at Flemington.
He is still listed as a $17 hope to take out the Manikato Stakes a month earlier.
Snowden prepared then three-year-old Sepoy for his Manikato Stakes success and also has Capitalist in the first acceptances this season.
Winner of the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) as a two-year-old, the Written Tycoon colt was last seen running third to his stablemate in the Roman Consul Stakes and pays $13 in the pre-first acceptance Manikato markets.
The other top fancies are the Darren Weir-trained Lucky Hussler ($9) who has winning Group 1 form at the track / distance, Robert Heathcote’s Moonee Valley specialist Buffering ($13) who took out the 2013 Manikato Stakes and Price’s 2014 winner Lankan Rupee ($13).
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott have also paid the first declaration fee for All Aged Stakes winner English who, along with the Lindsay Park-trained Sheidel, are the only two mares still in the mix.
Last Sunday’s Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) winner The Quarterback, Kiwi miler Turn Me Loose and veteran eight-year-old Sydney sprinter Our Boy Malachi are also among the first acceptors.
The 2016 Manikato Stakes final acceptances close on October 18 at 8:30am (AEDT).
See below for the latest entries and then head to Ladbrokes.com.au for access to the top all-in betting markets on all the Group 1 spring features.
2016 Manikato Stakes First Declarations
Moonee Valley Racecourse – 21/10/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15411x10x5 | BUFFERING | G | 9 | Robert Heathcote | 1 | 58.5kg |
| 2 | 112x1311x4 | CHAUTAUQUA | G | 6 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 2 | 58.5kg |
| 3 | 213x169x3x | LANKAN RUPEE | G | 7 | Mick Price | 3 | 58.5kg |
| 4 | 1x1121x43 | CAPITALIST | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 4 | 53kg |
| 5 | 6136x129x7 | LUCKY HUSSLER | G | 7 | Darren Weir | 5 | 58.5kg |
| 6 | 64x321x245 | UNDER THE LOUVRE | H | 6 | Robert Smerdon | 6 | 58.5kg |
| 7 | 54094×2367 | REBEL DANE | H | 7 | Gary Portelli | 7 | 58.5kg |
| 8 | 26x1631x54 | ENGLISH | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 8 | 56.5kg |
| 9 | 2617x1100x | FLAMBERGE | G | 7 | Darren Weir | 9 | 58.5kg |
| 10 | 2111x4160x | TURN ME LOOSE (NZ) | H | 5 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 10 | 58.5kg |
| 11 | 1x361539x1 | THE QUARTERBACK | G | 6 | Robbie Griffiths | 11 | 58.5kg |
| 12 | 1x35313x60 | JAPONISME | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 12 | 58.5kg |
| 13 | 1x101x112 | ASTERN | C | 3 | John O’Shea | 13 | 53kg |
| 14 | 11x242156x | FELL SWOOP | G | 5 | Matthew Dale | 14 | 58.5kg |
| 15 | 13x73525x4 | DOTHRAKI | G | 6 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 15 | 58.5kg |
| 16 | x130x154x2 | OUR BOY MALACHI | G | 8 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 16 | 58.5kg |
| 17 | 21x1512x7x | HOLLER | H | 4 | John O’Shea | 17 | 58.5kg |
| 18 | 112x083x21 | KEEN ARRAY | G | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 18 | 58.5kg |
| 19 | 346x115x16 | FAATINAH | G | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 19 | 58.5kg |
| 20 | 1111 | RUSSIAN REVOLUTION | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 20 | 53kg |
| 21 | 1x34127x42 | SHEIDEL | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 21 | 56.5kg |
| 22 | 2115x17x35 | O’MALLEY | G | 6 | Enver Jusufovic | 22 | 58.5kg |
