James Cummings’ Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon is the top-rated three-year-old across two states this weekend accepted for both the Australian Guineas 2017 field in Melbourne and Randwick Guineas line-up in Sydney.
Prized Icon is accepted into both the Randwick and Australian Guineas fields for 2017 on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
For the Sydney Group 1 the son of More Than Ready is drawn out in barrier 14 of 14, making his gun gate three in the $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) even more appealing.
If he races at Flemington Racecourse in the Australian Guineas, there is a chance Prized Icon will come into barrier two with the third emergency Hardham (1) drawn the rails.
A full line-up of 16 gallopers are set to take to the track in Flemington Race 7 at 4:30pn (AEDT) for this autumn’s edition of the Australian Guineas, the race also attracting three emergencies.
Dean Yendall is booked to ride Prized Icon, who has enjoyed two wins from three starts over the distance to date, with the colt last seen running third at Rosehill behind Man From Uncle in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) on February 18.
The Hobartville Stakes is the traditional lead-up to the $1 million Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m), with a decision pending on which race Prized Icon will contest on Saturday.
The major lead-up race into the Australian Guineas meanwhile is the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m), won this year by the Tony McEvoy-trained Hey Doc.
The Duporth gelding is out to do the double last achieved by Wandjina (2015) and is drawn well in barrier two, possibly into one, with Luke Currie retaining the ride in the Australian Guineas.
The other best out of the CS Hayes Stakes this season, third-placegetter Land Of Plenty had opposite luck in the Australian Guineas barriers.
Grahame Begg’s Stratum colt is out in barrier 15, coming into 12 if the three emergencies fail to gain a start.
Recent history shows that two of the past five Australian Guineas winners jumped from double-digit barriers with the filly Mosheen (16 of 16 in 2012) and Palentino (15 of 15 in 2016) last autumn.
The widest-drawn Australian Guineas hopefuls in 2017 are the John O’Shea-trained Morton’s Fork and Oak Door one on his inside.
Dual Australian Guineas winning jockey Craig Williams, who also rode his first Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes winner with Catchy last weekend, will steer Ad Valorem colt Morton’s Fork from the outside alley on Saturday.
Winner of the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) over the distance last November, the galloper is third-up on Saturday coming off a fourth when under three lengths off the winner Hey Doc in the CS Hayes Stakes.
The Robert Smerdon-trained Commands colt Oak Door meanwhile comes off a one length win in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 11.
He is yet to step out over the 1600m but is putting together a tidy record and has Damian Lane retaining the ride for his maiden Group 1 assignment in the Australian Guineas.
Three fillies are accepted to take on the colts and geldings meanwhile with: Crown Oaks runner-up Harlow Gold (7), winner of the Manfred Stakes defeating Hey Doc (3rd) two back Legless Veuve (6) and Lindsay Park’s last start Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes winner by two lengths Fuhryk (14).
Check out the full Australian Guineas 2017 field, barriers and jockeys below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for access to all the autumn’s best betting at the home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
2017 Australian Guineas Final Field & Barrier Draw
Flemington Race 7 (4:30pm) – 04/03/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1x463351x6 | PRIZED ICON | James Cummings | Dean Yendall | 3 | 56.5kg | 108 |
| 2 | x13x1421x9 | DIVINE PROPHET | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 10 | 56.5kg | 105 |
| 3 | 6x454282x0 | SEABURGE | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 4 | 56.5kg | 107 |
| 4 | 0x11134x31 | HEY DOC | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 2 | 56.5kg | 100 |
| 5 | 21x1521x54 | MORTON’S FORK | John O’Shea | Craig Williams | 19 | 56.5kg | 85 |
| 6 | 710210×524 | ATTENTION | Peter & Paul Snowden | TBA | 11 | 56.5kg | 90 |
| 7 | x216321141 | OAK DOOR | Robert Smerdon | Damian Lane | 18 | 56.5kg | 85 |
| 8 | 6x165344x4 | SO SI BON | Robbie Laing | Damien Oliver | 17 | 56.5kg | 78 |
| 9 | 323211×3 | ANAHEIM | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Noel Callow | 12 | 56.5kg | 75 |
| 10 | 11x3307x0 | THROSSELL | Ciaron Maher | Luke Nolen | 8 | 56.5kg | 70 |
| 11 | 6162×85 | INSIDE AGENT (NZ) | Nigel Blackiston | Brad Rawiller | 16 | 56.5kg | 74 |
| 12 | 6×11417 | SNITZSON | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Andrew Mallyon | 5 | 56.5kg | 74 |
| 13 | 51429×33 | LAND OF PLENTY | Grahame Begg | Steven Arnold | 15 | 56.5kg | 71 |
| 14 | 3x611562x3 | HARLOW GOLD (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Regan Bayliss | 7 | 54.5kg | 94 |
| 15 | 72x110x15 | LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ) | Stuart Webb | Ms Katelyn Mallyon | 6 | 54.5kg | 88 |
| 16 | 5×11141 | FUHRYK | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Cory Parish | 14 | 54.5kg | 82 |
| 17e | 5x2210x41 | THEANSWERMYFRIEND | Robert Smerdon | TBA | 9 | 56.5kg | 71 |
| 18e | 137×254 | REDOUBLE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | TBA | 13 | 56.5kg | 69 |
| 19e | 1x3670x6 | HARDHAM | David Brideoake | TBA | 1 | 56.5kg | 66 |
