The Godolphin-raced Pericles has been sensationally scratched from Saturday’s Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) field in Sydney with updated markets now led by the Kerry Parker-trained mare Hope In Your Heart.
Hope In Your Heart is new favourite in 2023 Epsom Handicap betting for the mile classic at Randwick this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
Trainer James Cummings had earlier scratched the Street Boss four-year-old from the $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) held on September 16 opting not to test the galloper at weight-for-age yet.
Pericles was favourite to win the Epsom Handicap 2023 on the weekend and was at $6 through Ladbrokes.com.au at the time of his withdrawal.
In a blow for connections Pericles was removed from the official line-up just a couple of hours after final acceptances for the Epsom Handicap were taken.
After completing an important piece of trackwork on Tuesday morning the gelding was found to have “blood in the near side nostril”.
A stewards’ report confirmed “a subsequent endoscopic examination of the horse detected blood in its trachea”.
Pericles was drawn out wide in barrier 14 and Nash Rawiller has been left without a ride.
The first emergency Williamsburg for Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou now gains a start from barrier three with Andrew Adkins to ride the four-year-old on just 50kg as a $51 outsider in the markets.
Hope In Your Heart now sits top of the Epsom Handicap odds at $7 through Ladbrokes.com.au after her first-up third to Pericles in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at the track on September 2.
Click here for the updated Epsom Handicap 2023 odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2023 Epsom Handicap Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16x6026x64 | MY OBERON (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | Chad Schofield | 18 | 56kg | 109 | ||
| 2 | 8x41292x11 | PERICLES | James Cummings | Nash Rawiller | 14 | 56kg | 109 | ||
| 3 | x1111113x2 | THE INEVITABLE | John Keys | David Pires | 8 | 55.5kg | 108 | ||
| 4 | 3x121x0x96 | GOING GLOBAL (IRE) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 12 | 55kg | 55.5kg | 110 | |
| 5 | 00x73027x4 | CONVERGE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 9 | 55kg | 107 | ||
| 6 | 1x2400x901 | GOLDEN MILE | James Cummings | Blake Shinn | 21 | 55kg | 107 | ||
| 7 | 1x69x04x76 | KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ) | John O’Shea | Tom Sherry | 11 | 54.5kg | 105 | ||
| 8 | 142x1442x3 | HOPE IN YOUR HEART | Kerry Parker | Craig Williams | 10 | 54kg | 109 | ||
| 9 | 1x93186x09 | DIAMIL (IRE) | John O’Shea | Jason Collett | 5 | 54kg | 105 | ||
| 10 | 111x3131x9 | KOVALICA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 7 | 54kg | 105 | ||
| 11 | 21113553×4 | NUGGET (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damien Oliver | 19 | 54kg | 105 | ||
| 12 | 2111263×64 | POUNDING | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Ms Jamie Kah | 13 | 54kg | 105 | ||
| 13 | 2x37160x00 | COMMUNIST | Michael Freedman | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 6 | 53.5kg | 104 | ||
| 14 | 52x131x8x0 | DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Regan Bayliss | 15 | 53.5kg | 104 | ||
| 15 | 261x407x28 | MADAME POMMERY | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 16 | 51.5kg | 52kg | 104 | |
| 16 | 13x1761x01 | DEMOCRACY MANIFEST | Chris Waller | Tyler Schiller | 1 | 51.5kg | 1.5kg | 100 | |
| 17 | 8x641211x1 | REDIENER | Chris Waller | Ms Kathy O’Hara | 2 | 50kg | 100 | ||
| 18 | 0x31023417 | BARBIE’S FOX | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Dean Yendall | 4 | 50kg | 98 | ||
| 19 | 191x520x33 | WATERFORD (IRE) | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd (a) | 20 | 50kg | 97 | ||
| 20 | 114x11x158 | OLENTIA | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 17 | 50kg | 50.5kg | 95 | |
| 21e | x745303x42 | WILLIAMSBURG | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Andrew Adkins | 3 | 50kg | 94 | ||
| 22e | 312x80x529 | POLITICAL DEBATE | Chris Waller | Ms Rachel King | 22 | 50kg | 87 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
