Emirates Stakes Day takes place at Flemington this Saturday featuring an elite line up of Group races including the $300,000 Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m), the last major feature for mares at the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
The 2010 Matriarch Stakes has attracted a capacity final field of 16 mares, plus three emergencies, with Peter Snowden’s Purple the pronounced favourite to win.
Five-year-old Commands mare Purple has opened at the top of the Matriarch Stakes betting markets paying $3.70 through Luxbet.
Despite drawing wide with barrier 16 and ignoring her eighth place finish to Maluckyday in The Lexus Stakes last start, Purple looks a top pick against a mares-only field and the drop back in distance will suit her.
Prior to The Lexus, Purple finished a gallant second in both the Craven Plate and Coogny Handicap in open company over 2000m and looks hard to beat on Saturday.
Other Matriarch Stakes runners that are among the top fancies for tomorrow’s showdown are consistent Kiwi galloper Keep The Peace ($4.60) having her first up Australian start for the season, Tesio Stakes winner Lady Lynette ($8) and six-year-old Moment In Time ($9) coming into contention with a nice drop back in weight from her last few runs.
All three mares have drawn wide with barriers 19, 18 and 12 respectively, but have the ability to sit back and come home strongly.
For more value in the Matriarch Stakes field look at including Anthony Cummings’ promising Fastnet Rock four-year-old Lovemelikearock ($13) and the Mark Kavanagh-trained Zantelagh into your exotics through Luxbet.
Zantelagh opened at $8.50 in the early Matriarch Stakes betting but has drifted out to $10. However the Zabeel grey is tipped to improve on Saturday and has the ability to finish in the money.
The 2010 Matriarch Stakes is scheduled as Race 7 at Flemington on Saturday and is due to jump at 3:40pm (AEDST).
For the best odds on the race and to get the Tote + 20% on every Group feature on the Emirates Stakes Day card head to Luxbet today!
2010 Matriarch Stakes Final Field, Barrier Draw & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PURPLE | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 16 | 57.5 |
| 2 | LADY LYNETTE | David & Scott Brunton | Nicholas Hall | 18 | 55.5 |
| 3 | KEEP THE PEACE (NZ) | Shaune Ritchie | Michael Walker | 19 | 55.5 |
| 4 | MARHETA | Michael Moroney | Mark Zahra | 14 | 54.5 |
| 5 | LOVEMELIKEAROCK | Anthony Cummings | Glen Boss | 15 | 54.5 |
| 6 | STARMON (NZ) | Michael Kent | Brad Rawiller | 3 | 54.5 |
| 7 | MOMENT IN TIME | Mick Huxtable | Nash Rawiller | 12 | 54 |
| 8 | MUSIC REVIEW (GB) | John O’Shea | Craig Williams | 17 | 54 |
| 9 | DELTA GEE | Michael Grant | Corey Brown | 8 | 53 |
| 10 | LADY AVACAN | Sue Jaensch | Holly McKechnie | 1 | 53 |
| 11 | GOLDEN CHARMER | Dan O’Sullivan | Dean Yendall | 11 | 53 |
| 12 | PICALERO | Barbara Marshman | Michelle Payne | 4 | 53 |
| 13 | ASHLEE’S JEWEL | Jason Coyle | Dwayne Dunn | 5 | 53 |
| 14 | ZANTELAGH | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 13 | 53 |
| 15 | WELL ROUNDED | Lee Freedman | Ben Melham | 6 | 53 |
| 16 | RIVER BYPASS | Luke Oliver | Danny Nikolic | 10 | 53 |
| 17e | PLATINUM PASSION | Michael Moroney | – | 9 | 53 |
| 18e | BELLE OF DUBAI | Ken Williams | Garry Murphy | 7 | 53 |
| 19e | OUR TIGRESS | Michael Moroney | Craig Newitt | 2 | 53 |
