Mornington’s Matt Laurie will throw his progressive colt Aberro in the deep end at Royal Randwick on Saturday stepping the maiden up in class for the 2017 Champagne Stakes.
Aberro – a half-brother to SA Derby winner Escado (pictured) – will step-up in grade for the Group 1 Champagne Stakes 2017 in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
One of two elite level races on the last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival feature meeting, the $500,000 Group 1 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) offers plenty of prize money and often attracts a below capacity field.
This has put it Laurie’s radar for the nicely-bred All Too Hard two-year-old Aberro who has had just the two non-stakes runs to date.
“It’s usually a small field and worth a lot of money,” Laurie told the Herald Sun.
“Our horse has come through his only two runs really well and I think the mile looks like it would really suit him.”
The up-and-comer has pedigree on his side being a three-quarter brother to Escado who won the Group 1 South Australian Derby in 2013.
Aberro is also a half-brother to Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner from that year Se Sauver and if he steps up early in his career, Laurie will keep him as a colt.
“Given he’s related to two Group winners, obviously we’ll give him an opportunity as a colt to put his hand up,” Laurie said.
“If he’s not able to do that, he’ll be gelded.
“But if he was to win a Group 1, he’s certainly got a good enough pedigree to stand somewhere for sure.”
He debuted at Pakenham on March 2 for a second behind Merchant Navy over 1200m, before running at his home track on March 25 in the Mornington Sires’ (1500m).
There he came within a neck of the winner Eshtiraak who is also among the Champagne Stakes nominations for this weekend.
The Lindsay Park-trained Eshtiraak, a $400,000 buy at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sales, is rated a $12 chance at Ladbrokes.com.au to frank the form out of the Mornington race in futures Champagne Stakes odds.
Aberro meanwhile is at $19 in those all-in Champagne Stakes betting markets that are firmly led by the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce winner Invader.
Laurie though remains hopeful his colt can score the upset, looking like he’ll enjoy getting out over the mile after a winning Canberra trial over 900m on April 7 the Sydney way of racing.
“I would have liked there to have been some more experienced horses in there [the hit-out] to give him a chance to settle a little bit and finish off,” Laurie said.
“He was up against horses who hadn’t had the experience that he’s had and he ended up controlling it, but it was just a nice, soft trial.
“I’m happy to put him in it [the Champagne Stakes] and see where we stand but also acknowledge he’s going to be a lot better next time around.
“I don’t think we’ve got anything to lose.”
Single-figure fancies have dominated the Champagne Stakes results over the past 30 years with the last roughie hopes to score an upset being Onemorenomore ($12 in 2009) and Carry On Cutie ($26 in 2005).
To check the latest Champagne Stakes 2017 odds ahead of final acceptances on Wednesday morning head to Ladbrokes.com.au.
