One of the six Group status showdowns on the 2011 Coolmore Classic Day programme at Rosehill this Saturday March 19 is the $175,000 Group 2 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) and nominations for the weight-for-age feature have been released.
More Joyous leads the 2011 Canterbury Stakes field nominations
Waterhouse’s four-time Group 1 winning daughter of More Than Ready is unbeaten this preparation having won the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) in fine style first-up on February 12 at Randwick before claiming her latest elite level success in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) beating Whobegotyou on February 26 at Caulfield.
More Joyous is heading towards the $2 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 16 and is the current $2.90 favourite in the early Doncaster Mile odds at Luxbet.
Set to start the favourite in the Canterbury Stakes if accepted for Saturday, another win will only see the price on More Joyous shorten so now is the time to back her in the Doncaster Mile betting at Luxbet!
The most notable absentee from the Canterbury Stakes is star Sydneysider Hot Danish who has been ruled out after suffering an infection in her hind leg.
Rangirangdoo is the other highly-rated nominee for the Canterbury Stakes.
The Chris Waller-trained six-year-old is set to contest their first race since winning the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) last April.
The extended spell has been due to continued feet and t problems, however two good barrier trials in recent weeks at Rosehill have shown Rangirangdoo to be back on track as he gets ready to defend his title in the Doncaster Mile.
Luxbet have Rangirangdoo as a $13 chance to win back-to-back Doncaster Miles.
Waller has also nominated last-start winner of the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) Triple Elegance for the Canterbury, but the Mossman four-year-old is unlikely to be paid up for at acceptance stage.
Another in-form mare among the Canterbury Stakes nominations this year is Gerald Ryan’s Redoute’s Choice four-year-old Melito.
Melito is a dual nominee at the Rosehill meeting for Saturday having also been entered for the day’s main event, the $600,000 Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
A decision on which race Melito will contest is pending, but having been allocated a hefty 59.5kg for the Coolmore, Ryan could be leaning towards a start against More Joyous in the Canterbury.
Ryan has also recently nominated Melito for the Champions Mile in Hong Kong on April 26, meaning she will miss out on the Doncaster this year in favour of a stint overseas.
Other Top 2011 Canterbury Stakes Nominees Include:
Demerit (Peter Snowden) – Improving Lonhro four-year-old resuming for the season having twice run second at Group level during the spring
Love Conquers All (Michael, Wayne & John Hawks) – Mossman four-year-old, Group winner in the spring resumed with a second in the Expressway Stakes before finishing fifth to Melito in the Apollo Stakes last start
Glintz (John O’Shea) – Consistent Pins gelding that has won four of their nine career starts, accepted for the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket Handicap (1400m) this Thursday
The 2011 Canterbury Stakes final field will be released tomorrow and published here at Races.com.au followed by our exclusive race preview, form guide and betting tips so stay tuned.
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2011 Canterbury Stakes Nominations
| # | Horse | Trainer | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEMERIT | Peter Snowden | 100 |
| 2 | EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ) | Bart Cummings | 101 |
| 3 | GIRL HUSSLER | David Payne | 90 |
| 4 | GLINTZ (NZ) | John O’Shea | 80 |
| 5 | LOVE CONQUERS ALL | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 107 |
| 6 | MARQUARDT (NZ) | John P Thompson | 96 |
| 7 | MELITO | Gerald Ryan | 115 |
| 8 | MORE JOYOUS (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | 120 |
| 9 | RANGIRANGDOO (NZ) | Chris Waller | 117 |
| 10 | TRIPLE ELEGANCE | Chris Waller | 102 |
Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography
