A brilliant field of Group 1 bound spring gallopers make up the Tramway Stakes 2017 nominations at Royal Randwick this weekend including the returning Chris Waller-trained dual Oaks winner Egg Tart.
The Chris Waller trained Egg Tart, above in green and red, is among the nominations for the Tramway Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
On a day when stablemate Winx chases a 19th straight win in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), this Saturday also has Waller welcoming back his now four-year-old daughter of Sebring Egg Tart in the Group 2 $200,000 Tramway Stakes (1400m).
The Tramway Stakes nominations attracted a bumper 18 early entries, including five from the powerhouse Waller stable.
Leading his contingent is Egg Tart who chases her seventh consecutive turf triumph.
As a three-year-old last prep she was on fire winning Adelaide’s Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2010m) before also taking out the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) in Brisbane on June 3.
Egg Tart has trialled twice since and looks ready to go first-up on Saturday where she is likely to encounter Waller’s fellow four-year-old are Foxplay.
Foxplay also holds a Chelmsford Stakes nomination, but after her tough run up front going down in the dying seconds of the Warwick Stakes when run down late by Winx, the daughter of Foxwedge will avoid a second clash with the champion.
Instead Foxplay will run in either the Tramway Stakes second-up or be saved an extra week.
Waller’s other Tramway Stakes nominees are Tom Melbourne who also holds an entry for the Chelmsford Stakes, McCreery and Mackintosh.
Pre-field favourites in the Tramway Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au meanwhile at an equal quote of $5 each for the win are Happy Clapper and Invincible Gem.
Happy Clapper returns to racing as an evergreen seven-year-old for John Thompson on Saturday following two nice August trials at the Randwick track.
It is his first official start since a Queen Elizabeth Stakes fifth to Winx during ‘The Championships’, before which he ran a brave second to It’s Somewhat in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in the wet.
Invincible Gem comes into the Tramway Stakes field with the benefit of an earlier lead-up run, the Kris Lees-trained I Am Invincible mare having beaten a gun line-up including multiple Group 1 winning stablemate Le Romain on August 5 in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m).
One of Lees’ best three-year-olds last season, including her Randwick Guineas second over the mile behind Inference, Invincible Gem is looking to frank her Missile Stakes winning form second-up on Saturday.
Other key entries high up the early Tramway Stakes all-in betting markets this year include Gerald Ryan’s last start Group 3 Show County winner Deploy, his well-fancied Hong Kong imported stablemate Washington Heights and eight-year-old Ecuador for Tulloch Lodge coming off a third to Winx in the Warwick Stakes here a fortnight back.
Check out the full Tramway Stakes 2017 nominations below, early betting open now at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of the final field and barriers due out on Wednesday.
2017 Tramway Stakes Nominations
Royal Randwick Racecourse – 02/09/2017
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x1111x2141 | DEPLOY | G | 5 | Gerald Ryan | 100 |
| 2 | 6x113380x3 | ECUADOR (NZ) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 110 |
| 3 | 431x11111x | EGG TART | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 104 |
| 4 | 14x24141x2 | FOXPLAY | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 112 |
| 5 | 5511621×96 | FREE STANDING | G | 5 | Cathleen Rode | 79 |
| 6 | 6469x2125x | HAPPY CLAPPER | G | 7 | Patrick Webster | 111 |
| 7 | 23590x160x | HE OR SHE | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 105 |
| 8 | 41670x910x | HEAVENS ABOVE | M | 6 | Tim Martin | 108 |
| 9 | 1136x621x3 | IMPOSING LASS (NZ) | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 94 |
| 10 | x1541112x1 | INVINCIBLE GEM | M | 4 | Kris Lees | 108 |
| 11 | 0x13540x0x | MACKINTOSH (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 12 | 59028x337x | MAURUS (GB) | G | 7 | John P Thompson | 101 |
| 13 | 62x156495x | MCCREERY (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 106 |
| 14 | 4x12x3361x | SENSE OF OCCASION | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 113 |
| 15 | 3x66x14762 | THE VIRGINIAN | G | 5 | Brett Cavanough | 97 |
| 16 | 223x6905x2 | TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 17 | 67x1215x14 | WASHINGTON HEIGHTS | G | 6 | Gerald Ryan | 90 |
| 18 | 560x2612x7 | ZANBAGH | M | 7 | John P Thompson | 108 |
