Thirteen runners have been confirmed in a talent-rich field of fifteen for Saturday’s featured Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.
Rageese has been confirmed in the 2016 Festival Stakes field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Rageese was unlucky to be scratched from the field of the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) in Perth a fortnight ago, but has been confirmed for his fifth run this time in in the 2016 Festival Stakes field.
Failing to produce much for Team Hawkes in the early stages of 2016, Rageese immediately responded upon being transferred to the care of Darren Weir; taking out his next two starts including the Listed Nitschke Stakes (1400m).
Placing fifth in the Mypunter.com Handicap (1100m) first-up this time, the Street Cry entire progressed to fourth in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) and second in the Mitchelton Wines BM90 (1500m), before returning to winning form in the Group 3 L’oreal Paris Stakes (1400m) last time out on November 3rd.
Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller has dominated the 2016 Festival Stakes field in confirming a total of three runners, including Amovatio, Religify and Marenostro.
Securing nine wins and a further fifteen minors through his forty career starts so far, Amovatio returned from a freshen-up earlier this year for success in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) on April 30th.
Progressing to second in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m), the Al Maher gelding could only finish eighth in the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1615m) upon arriving in Brisbane, but ended his campaign third in the Listed Wayne Wilson Mile (1600m) and second in the Listed Spear Chief Quality (1500m).
Resuming this time for sixth in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m), Amovatio was last seen running on for fourth in the L’oreal Paris Stakes.
Arguably Waller’s best chance of success in the feature race, Religify is yet to finish outside the first three through four starts this time, and will jump from the ideal barrier 7 with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
Resuming for third in the October Handicap (1400m) on October 8th, Religify finished second in each of the Filante Handicap (1400m) and Ashbury Handicap (1550m), before returning to winning form in the November Handicap (1500m) last time out on November 19th.
Marenostro returned to the paddock after he finished second to McCreery in the Listed Rowley Mile (1600m) on August 18th, and is sure to have taken plenty of benefit from his first-up run for seventh in the November Handicap.
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2016 Festival Stakes Final Field and Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3512832×64 | AMOVATIO | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 5 | 59kg | 105 |
| 2 | 007×839019 | FAMOUS SEAMUS (NZ) | Noel Mayfield-Smith | Jay Ford | 8 | 58.5kg | 104 |
| 3 | x07113x568 | NINTH LEGION | Peter Robl | James Doyle | 4 | 58kg | 103 |
| 4 | x05052x613 | RED EXCITEMENT | Gerald Ryan | Joshua Parr | 2 | 58kg | 103 |
| 5 | 00110×5421 | RAGEESE | Darren Weir | Dean Yendall | 12 | 57.5kg | 102 |
| 6 | 22126×3221 | RELIGIFY | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 57.5kg | 102 |
| 7 | 11694132×7 | MARENOSTRO (NZ) | Chris Waller | Tye Angland | 11 | 56.5kg | 100 |
| 8 | 2x501223x4 | PAJARO (NZ) | Peter & Paul Snowden | – | 6 | 56.5kg | 100 |
| 9 | 150x400x91 | HAZZABEEL (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Michael Dee (a) | 1 | 54.5kg | 96 |
| 10 | 6x981137x9 | FOREIGN PRINCE (NZ) | David Payne | – | 10 | 54kg | 94 |
| 11 | 0x08522x55 | BERRY DELICIOUS | Jason Coyle | Ms Kathy O’Hara | 14 | 54kg | 91 |
| 12 | x1x2312143 | EXTENSIBLE | Peter & Paul Snowden | – | 3 | 54kg | 90 |
| 13 | 31239×5122 | SWEET REDEMPTION | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Brenton Avdulla | 9 | 54kg | 87 |
