Gun Peter & Paul Snowden-trained colt Attention is one of three late Futurity Stakes 2017 nominations that could tackle Black Heart Bart in the Caulfield feature this Saturday in Melbourne.
Attention could miss next week’s Australian Guineas in favour of a weight-for-age Futurity Stakes 2017 run on Saturday at Caulfield. Photo: Daniel Costello.
On Monday Racing Victoria originally received only seven entries for this year’s $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).
After extending nominations a further three gallopers are now a chance to line-up in the weight-for-age feature on Blue Diamond Stakes Day as Winx dominates the racing action in Sydney on the same day.
Lindsay Park paid up for Fast ‘N’ Rocking, former Kiwi-trained Tavago – winner of last year’s ATC Derby – is in the mix for Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young and Team Snowden have a livewire chance with Stratum colt Attention.
Three-year-old Attention chases his first win since the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) last winter and comes off a second-up second to Oak Door in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 11.
“It doesn’t look like an overly strong race, so we’ll see what comes up in the next day or so,” co-trainer Snowden told Racing Victoria.
“He’s not an A-grader but he races up on the speed and makes his own luck. It’s just finding the right race for him basically.
“Once he gets a couple of runs under his belt he’s quite a tough horse who can sustain a run.
“He was solid late the other day. That’s his biggest asset, he can race up on the speed and he can produce the last strong 600 [metres].”
The youngster was also a first acceptor for Saturday week’s $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) against his own age at Flemington, but he was far from a confirmed runner.
“I don’t know if he runs a mile or not,” Snowden said.
“We tried him as a two-year-old and it was inconclusive as he didn’t have the run to suit [when 10th to Sacred Elixir in the Group 1 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm], but it’s doubtful in my mind that he’s get a strong mile.”
Attention is only rated a $17 chance in pre-field Futurity Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au led by Weir’s CF Orr Stakes winner Black Heart Bart at an odds-on quote of $1.60.
Former Japanese galloper also from the Weir stable Tosen Stardom is an $8 chance for his first-up run, while the defending Futurity Stakes winner Turn Me Loose is at the same price to go back-to-back after a good second in the CF Orr.
All Too Hard (2013) was the last three-year-old Futurity Stakes winner.
The only three-year-olds to line-up in a Futurity Stakes field since were Bull Point and Polanski who finished unplaced behind Moment Of Change in 2014.
Check out the latest Futurity Stakes 2017 entries and all-in odds below, prices provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.
