This Saturday March 5 the opening Group 1 showdown of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival will light up the track at Warwick Farm and the 2011 Chipping Norton Stakes nominations have been released.
The $350,000 Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) is the highlight event on the eight-race programme at Warwick Farm on Saturday and 15 weight-for-age runners have been nominated for the feature.
Defending champion Theseo has been nominated for the Chipping Norton Stakes 2011
Twelve months ago Danewin gelding Theseo claimed a narrow victory in the Chipping Norton Stakes and will return on Saturday seeking back-to-back wins.
Theseo will be first-up for the season in the Chipping Norton with Waterhouse naming the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 19 as his next major assignment, the seven-year-old attempting an unprecedented third straight Ranvet Stakes victory.
Waterhouse has also nominated Caulfield Cup winner Descarado, six-year-old gelding Lorne Dancer and classy mare Once Were Wild for this year’s Chipping Norton.
Leading Rosehill-based trainer Chris Waller has two entries with Group 1 winning seven-year-old Danleigh and Danasinga five-year-old Metal Bender.
Randwick trainer David Payne also has multiple nominees with consistent five-year-old Centennial Park and Illustrious Blue both heading towards the Group 1 feature.
Centennial Park is sure to start one of the favourites in the Chipping Norton Stakes betting when Luxbet release their markets after the Thorn Park gelding resumed with a smart win in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 5 before finishing a game third behind Melito in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) on February 19 last-start.
Other notable 2011 Chipping Norton Stakes nominees include:
- Luen Yat Forever (Peter Moody) – Former Macau gelding, proven stayer with Group 1 experience in Australia, second-up for the season after running eighty in the Group 1 CF Orr (1400m) on February 12
- Melito (Gerald Ryan) – Top Redoute’s Choice mare likely to start one of the favourites after beating a top field including Hot Danish first-up in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) last start, multiple Group 1 winner heading towards a shot at Black Caviar in the Newmarket but needs to prove themselves over the mile here first
- Maluckyday (Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes) – Last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up seeking their first Group 1 success, the Zabeel four-year-old resuming for the season has imposing first-up record and 1600m should suit
- Skilled (Peter Snowden) – Commands colt in great form, Warwick Farm is their home track and they are coming off two third place finishes at Group level this preparation, Group 1 winner over the distance having won the Champagne Stakes (1600m) last April
The star-studded Chipping Norton Stakes 2011 final field and barrier draw will be out tomorrow and Races.com.au will be the first to publish the list of acceptors so bookmark this site.
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2011 Chipping Norton Stakes Nominations
| # | Horse | Trainer | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CENTENNIAL PARK (NZ) | David Payne | 108 |
| 2 | DANLEIGH | Chris Waller | 115 |
| 3 | DESCARADO (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | 115 |
| 4 | ILLUSTRIOUS BLUE (GB) | David Payne | 108 |
| 5 | LORNE DANCER | Gai Waterhouse | 105 |
| 6 | LUEN YAT FOREVER | Peter G Moody | 105 |
| 7 | MALUCKYDAY (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 106 |
| 8 | MELITO | Gerald Ryan | 115 |
| 9 | METAL BENDER (NZ) | Chris Waller | 116 |
| 10 | ONCE WERE WILD | Gai Waterhouse | 108 |
| 11 | SACRED CHOICE | Joseph Pride | 110 |
| 12 | SKILLED | Peter Snowden | 98 |
| 13 | THESEO | Gai Waterhouse | 118 |
| 14 | VISION AND POWER (NZ) | Joseph Pride | 106 |
| 15 | ZAVITE (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | 108 |
Photo courtesy (c) Steve Hart Photographics
