Gerald Ryan’s third favourite in futures Golden Slipper Stakes betting Menari is the headline nominee for the 2017 Skyline Stakes at Randwick Racecourse this Saturday.

Trainer Gerald Ryan lines-up $10 Golden Slipper Stakes fancy Menari in Saturday’s Skyline Stakes 2017 field at Randwick. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival action on the weekend is undoubtedly headlined by Winx lining-up in the Chipping Norton Stakes field, but the two-year-olds on show heading towards the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) next-month is also a highlight.
The fillies do battle in the Sweet Embrace Stakes, while the two-year-old colts and geldings vie for the Golden Slipper Stakes ballot exemption in the $200,000 Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m).
Of the bumper 17 Skyline Stakes nominations, the shortest-priced in all-in Golden Slipper odds paying $10 at Ladbrokes.com.au to win the world’s richest race for juveniles at Rosehill on March 18 is Menari.
A winner at Randwick as the odds-on favourite on debut in mid-January, the gun son of Snitzel was last seen at Rosehill a fortnight later running second to Blue Diamond Stakes 2017 hope Pariah in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m).
He is out to go one better this weekend returning to Royal Randwick and make the Golden Slipper Stakes field.
At $26, the Gary Portelli-trained Single Bullet is the other best in futures Golden Slipper Stakes betting nominated for the Skyline Stakes field on the weekend.
The Not A Single Doubt colt has had two starts for two seconds so far and is as yet untested in stakes’ company.
He trialled nicely at Rosehill on February 14 and looks on track for a big returning run in the Skyline.
Single Bullet’s last start conqueror at Warwick Farm over 1200m on a Heavy (8) track from January 7, Colesberg is also among the Skyline Stakes nominations this season.
David Payne prepares the Golden Slipper roughie who races for the first time since his successful debut where Blake Shinn had the mount on the Congrats gelding.
Other non-maidens in the mix include the John O’Shea-trained Coruscate for Godolphin and the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Dracarys.
Godolphin-raced Exceed And Excel colt Coruscate saluted over 1100m at Canterbury on February 3, while Team Snowden’s son of Snitzel Dracarys got the job done on a mud track at the Farm at the start of the month.
John Thompson’s Lonhro Plate fifth placed All Too Hard colt Cuba will be out to improve second-up, while there is outstanding form around the returning Mark Newnham-trained Diamond Tathagata.
The Hinchinbrook colt was runner-up on debut in December at Randwick in the Inglis Nursery behind the star filly and current Golden Slipper Stakes $3 fancy She Will Reign.
She Will Reign has franked the Inglis Nursery form winning last Saturday’s Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) in a last-to-first effort, which has Diamond Tathagata looking good form-wise for this weekend.
Check out the full Skyline Stakes 2017 nominations full of Golden Slipper Stakes-bound two-year-olds below before checking out all the latest autumn racing odds and offers online at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Skyline Stakes Nominations
Randwick Racecourse – 25/02/2017
# | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | – | ALL DAY | C | 2 | John P Thompson |
2 | 1 | COLESBERG | G | 2 | David Payne |
3 | 1 | CORUSCATE | C | 2 | John O’Shea |
4 | 5 | CUBA | C | 2 | John P Thompson |
5 | 2x | DIAMOND TATHAGATA | C | 2 | Mark Newnham |
6 | 1 | DRACARYS | C | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
7 | 23 | EDEN ROC | C | 2 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
8 | 3x | EPHESIAN | C | 2 | Anthony Cummings |
9 | 4 | EXCELSIOR | C | 2 | Brooke Somers |
10 | 2 | FAEGER | C | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
11 | 12 | MENARI | C | 2 | Gerald Ryan |
12 | 13 | PERAST | C | 2 | Paul Perry |
13 | 2x | REFLECTIVITY | C | 2 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
14 | 22 | SINGLE BULLET | C | 2 | Gary Portelli |
15 | – | SNITCH | C | 2 | Peter Robl |
16 | – | SOUFFRANT | C | 2 | Peter Robl |
17 | 10 | WILL’S BID | C | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |