All of the key fancies that have the Queensland Derby next month on their winter agenda make-up the Grand Prix Stakes 2017 nominations for the Group 3 at Eagle Farm Racecourse this weekend.
Dual Group 1 winner Prized Icon is a key Queensland Derby-bound horse nominated for Saturday’s Grand Prix Stakes 2017 in Brisbane. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Twenty-five three-year-old staying types are nominated for a Kingsford Smith Cup Day run in Brisbane on Saturday in the $150,000 Group 3 Mullins Lawyers Grand Prix Stakes (2200m).
The set weights clash is the traditional lead-up to Eagle Farm’s Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) run two weeks later on Stradbroke Handicap Day.
Futures Queensland Derby odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au are currently led by the Kiwi raider Shocking Luck ($5) who is a standout early Grand Prix Stakes entry this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
The son of former Melbourne Cup winner Shocking is prepared across the Tasman by Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards and has had two Queensland runs down under the prep.
The latest on May 13 at Doomben saw him win the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) by nearly three lengths in the ideal run heading into the Grand Prix Stakes over 2200m this weekend.
Rough Habit Plate runner-up Order Again and third placegetter Veladero are also nominated for a rematch in the Grand Prix Stakes on Saturday.
Local Iffraaj gelding Order Again is prepared by Brian Smith and has run top three in all three of his Eagle Farm starts to date.
He jumped from the outside barrier (13 of 13) last time out and had a tough run, getting the chance to atone on Saturday if accepted into the Grand Prix Stakes field.
Order Again is at $6 in all-in Queensland Derby betting, equal second elect with Prized Icon.
Veladero meanwhile is at a $17 quote for the Group 1, the Chris Waller-trained Medglia D’Oro colt chasing his first win since the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill in September of 2016.
It may have been a long time between drinks for the Group 1 performer, but he has been racing in excellent form with the Rough Habit Plate third following a second in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick in mid-April.
Waller has a total of four Grand Prix Stakes entries in 2017 with Veladero ed by stablemates Sebring gelding Wu Gok, Sizzling Bullet and Black On Gold last seen winning over 1800m at Rosehill.
Black On Gold is the shortest-priced of Waller’s Grand Prix Stakes contingent in pre-field Queensland Derby markets, the son of Sebring at $9 for the Stradbroke Handicap Day feature.
The aforementioned $6 equal second favourite for the Derby, Prized Icon is also in the Grand Prix Stakes mix for Saturday heading the current ballot order for the Group 3.
The More Than Ready colt is best known for his Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) win in Randwick as a two-year-old and the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) success last Melbourne Cup Carnival.
He has failed to post a win since, but did finish runner-up in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) over the autumn and was last seen running a devastatingly close second in the Inglis Guineas (1400m) at Scone.
Other key nominees include the Darren Weir-trained trio of Frank Packer Plate winner Mongolian Wolf, Volatile Mix who won this year’s Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) and Rebel Raider colt Rockstar Rebel.
The official Grand Prix Stakes 2017 field and barriers are due out on Wednesday morning followed by the online odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Grand Prix Stakes Nominations
Eagle Farm Racecourse – 27/05/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 624121×161 | BLACK ON GOLD | G | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 2 | 525×42216 | CHARLTON | C | 3 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 3 | 0950033210 | DAZZLE EM SID | G | 3 | Matt Kropp |
| 4 | 7×548616 | DRUMMERS CHANCE | G | 3 | Brad Herne |
| 5 | 764×170145 | GARBHAN | G | 3 | Mitch Newman |
| 6 | 6441031176 | HERE HE COMES (NZ) | G | 3 | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs |
| 7 | x67716x158 | HUNDRED | G | 3 | Brett Lunney & Thomas Lunney |
| 8 | 36×9751 | LYRIDS | G | 3 | Michael Costa |
| 9 | 408×113010 | MONGOLIAN WOLF | G | 3 | Darren Weir |
| 10 | 4213×512 | ORDER AGAIN (NZ) | G | 3 | Brian Smith |
| 11 | 54410×4210 | PETER JOHN (NZ) | G | 3 | John Sargent |
| 12 | 351×620272 | PRIZED ICON | C | 3 | James Cummings |
| 13 | 31 | REGINE (IRE) | F | 3 | John Sargent |
| 14 | x123x44542 | ROCKSTAR REBEL | C | 3 | Darren Weir |
| 15 | 422×1310 | SHADOW VISION | G | 3 | Kurt Goldman |
| 16 | 93221×4222 | SHARP SPEEDO | F | 3 | Chris Anderson |
| 17 | 16×5062061 | SHINE TAK STAR | G | 3 | John Sargent |
| 18 | 64122×21 | SHOCKING LUCK (NZ) | G | 3 | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards |
| 19 | 91×31192 | SIZZLING BULLET | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 20 | 0x115 | TOP OF THE RANGE (NZ) | G | 3 | Michael Moroney |
| 21 | 1533×01843 | VALENTINO ROSSA | G | 3 | Jason Coyle |
| 22 | 144×488323 | VELADERO | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 23 | 828×644624 | VIOLATE | C | 3 | Brent Stanley |
| 24 | 2215×51741 | VOLATILE MIX (NZ) | G | 3 | Darren Weir |
| 25 | 8462421153 | WU GOK | G | 3 | Chris Waller |
