Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist is among the nominations for the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Trapeze Artist, above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Australian Turf Club has extended the nomination deadline for the Expressway Stakes until 11am on Tuesday January 30, 2018, after only nine horses were entered on Monday.
The Gerald Ryan trained Trapeze Artist rocketed into the limelight during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival with an upset win at $41 in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
“He’s always been a forgotten horse,” Ryan said.
“He gets under the radar but not with me. He is going very well and will be entered for the Expressway but I’ll wait and see what the race looks like before committing to run him.
“He gets 55 kilos in the Expressway but has to carry 60 in the Eskimo Prince so that’s something to think about.”
If Ryan decides against Trapeze Artist taking on the older horses in the Expressway Stakes, he will send the Snitzel three year old around against his own age group in the Group 3 $150,000 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm the next week.
Trapeze Artist has shown that he is ready to produce a good first up performance after scoring a nice win in a 900m Rosehill barrier trial on January 22.
Several three year olds make up the Expressway Stakes nominations, including the David Payne trained Ace High, the winner of the 2017 Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington during the Spring Carnival.
Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker has three horses nominated for the Expressway Stakes, the two three-year-olds Addictive Nature and Goodfella as well as his smart race mare Egyptian Symbol.
Addictive Nature has also been primed for a forward first up showing with two recent barrier trial wins at Randwick and Rosehill while Goodfella is returning from a Queensland campaign which included a last start second to Pierata in the $2m Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 13.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Global Glamour is also among the nominations for the Expressway Stakes and the Star Witness four year old mare is also returning from a Magic Millions campaign which saw her finish sixth to Invincibella in the $1m Magic Millions Fillies and Mares (1300m).
To get an early look at the betting for the Expressway Stakes head to Ladbrokes.com.au and secure the best odds.
2018 Expressway Stakes (1200m) nominations
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 64x155111x | ACE HIGH | C | 3 | David Payne | 108 |
| 2 | 1213x | ADDICTIVE NATURE | C | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 77 |
| 3 | 62x5278x13 | EGYPTIAN SYMBOL | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | 103 |
| 4 | 21302x19x6 | GLOBAL GLAMOUR | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 108 |
| 5 | 24×8110832 | GOODFELLA | C | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 86 |
| 6 | 11311216×1 | MEMES | M | 4 | Jason Coyle | 95 |
| 7 | x21221x42x | MORE TO GAIN | G | 5 | Amanda Turner & Mauro Poletti | 82 |
| 8 | 342x21510x | SHOWTIME | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 84 |
| 9 | 4163x6410x | TRAPEZE ARTIST | C | 3 | Gerald Ryan | 102 |
