A full field of two-year-olds will face off on Kingsford Smith Cup Day at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday heading towards the JJ Atkins via the 2017 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Kerrin McEvoy rides Chris Waller’s Champagne Classic winner Tangled in Saturday’s 2017 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes field. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The key act on the card for the first Group 1 race meeting of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival held at Eagle Farm, the $250,000 Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) is set to run as Race 3 at 1:17pm (AEST).
A capacity 18 starters plus five emergencies make-up the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes final acceptances this season with the line-up led by a number of key contenders for the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) back at the track on June 10.
Suffering an early blow drawing the outside barrier for this weekend is the undefeated New Zealand raider Qiji Phoenix.
The Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs-trained Not A Single Doubt colt has won all three of his career starts back home including the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) last time out on April 22.
Kiwi hoop Leith Innes is aboard for the youngster’s Australian race debut on Saturday, but he’ll be working for a good position from the wide alley.
The other noteworthy New Zealand visitor in the mix is the all-in 2017 JJ Atkins betting favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au, Melody Belle.
Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards saddle-up the in-form Commands filly who was last seen posting her third career win on April 1 in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) back home over this distance.
Another widely-drawn contender meanwhile with gate 20 (into 15 with emergencies out) is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Taking Aim.
The Choisir colt comes off his first career win at start number five having narrowly held on from the inside alley at the Gold Coast on May 6 to take out the Listed Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m).
Group 1 performed, Taking Aim will be doing it tougher from out wide on Saturday with the Snowden’s only other acceptor for the race being fourth emergency Icon Of Dubai.
Drawn better in gate 10 (possibly into nine) is the Chris Waller-trained Tangled chasing a third win on the trot.
Kerrin McEvoy rides the son of Snitzel whose last start produced a half-length Doomben victory in the traditional BRC Sires’ lead-up, the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m) on May 13.
Also coming off a nice run in the Champagne Classic this year are the Gary Moore-trained runner-up All Too Huiying and third placed Italia Bella who is far from confirmed as a run as the third emergency.
All Too Huiying has come up trumps for his rematch with Tangled on the weekend drawn barrier four with Brenton Avdulla aboard the All Too Hard colt who is looking to break his maiden status at start number seven.
Champagne Classic fourth placegetter Ours To Keep is another notable contender, the Chris Munce-trained colt boasting a 50% winning strike rate over his six start career so far.
He is after his first victory since winning the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm on New Year’s Eve by nearly two lengths.
He’s run fourth in both starts this time in and looks like he’ll appreciate the step-up to 1400m for the first time on Kingsford-Smith Cup Day 2017.
Former champion hoop Munce, who rode two JJ Atkins winners to victory during his time in the saddle, has also accepted for Dalrello Stakes winner at the track from April 29 Saint Patricks Day and his stakes winning filly Champ Elect.
See below for the complete BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes 2017 field, barriers and jockeys before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for access to all the weekend’s best racing odds and offers.
2017 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes Final Field & Barriers
Eagle Farm Race 3 (1:17pm) – 27/05/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4×511 | TANGLED | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 10 | 57kg |
| 2 | 1x119x44 | OURS TO KEEP | Chris Munce | Dwayne Dunn | 15 | 57kg |
| 3 | 3220×1 | TAKING AIM | Peter & Paul Snowden | TBA | 20 | 57kg |
| 4 | 42×6532 | ALL TOO HUIYING | Gary Moore | Brenton Avdulla | 4 | 57kg |
| 5 | 9×11 | SAINT PATRICKS DAY | Chris Munce | Ronnie Stewart | 8 | 57kg |
| 6 | 4×1127 | EMINENT | David Vandyke | Michael Cahill | 22 | 57kg |
| 7 | 512422 | CAPITAL GAIN | Paul Butterworth | Jim Byrne | 5 | 57kg |
| 8 | 3256×21 | MISHANI BULLITT | Chris Anderson | Brad Stewart | 1 | 57kg |
| 9 | 111 | QIJI PHOENIX | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | Leith Innes | 23 | 57kg |
| 10 | 415×5 | PAH TERIE | Kelly Schweida | Mark Zahra | 18 | 57kg |
| 11 | 4x33x1 | MALAHAT | Darren Bean | James Doyle | 16 | 57kg |
| 12 | 610 | NOBLE HUSSLER | Liam Birchley | Jeff Lloyd | 21 | 57kg |
| 13 | 41 | PIERATA | Gregory Hickman | Corey Brown | 6 | 57kg |
| 14 | 1381×1 | MELODY BELLE (NZ) | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards | Opie Bosson | 9 | 55kg |
| 15 | 117×9 | CHAMP ELECT | Chris Munce | Damian Browne | 13 | 55kg |
| 16 | 33114 | MARSEILLE EN FLEUR | Stuart Kendrick | TBA | 14 | 55kg |
| 17 | 1385 | RUBY RED HEART | John Zielke | Luke Dittman | 3 | 55kg |
| 18 | 41×7 | SHOWASHADOW | Peter & Will Hulbert | Micheal Hellyer | 11 | 55kg |
| 19e | 13 | LORD CECIL | Paul Messara | Blake Shinn | 7 | 57kg |
| 20e | 4215 | SNITZEPEG | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | 2 | 57kg |
| 21e | 53 | ITALIA BELLA | Stuart Kendrick | TBA | 12 | 55kg |
| 22e | 642 | ICON OF DUBAI | Peter & Paul Snowden | TBA | 17 | 57kg |
| 23e | 2 | CRUZE | Barry Lockwood | TBA | 19 | 57kg |
