Today the final field of acceptors for all the features on the 2011 Blue Diamond Stakes Day card at Caulfield, Saturday February 26 have been released including those for the $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).
2011 Futurity Stakes favourite More Joyous with trainer Gai Waterhouse
Set to start at the top of the Futurity Stakes betting markets on Saturday, the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Joyous is coming off a tremendous first-up victory in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Randwick on February 12.
In the Breeders Classic More Than Ready four-year-old More Joyous was never challenged, coasting home to an impressive 2 ½ length success over Graceful Anna and elevating her record to 11 wins from 15 starts.
More Joyous has come up trumps in the barrier draw once again, set to start from gate one with Nash Rawiller in the mount as she did for the Breeders Classic.
The other top fancy in this year’s Futurity Stakes field is the Mark Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou, the Cox Plate placegetter suffering a blow drawing the far outside barrier 10.
Street Cry five-year-old Whobegotyou enjoyed a successful spring campaign last season winning the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley before running third behind So You Think in both the Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).
He resumes in the Futurity on Saturday and will have his share of admirers in the markets, but is likely needing more distance and a better draw to be any threat to More Joyous.
Other notable 2011 Futurity Stakes acceptors who have their claims for an upset include:
- Ortensia (Tony Noonan) – Classy Testa Rossa mare coming off a third behind Typhoon Tracy in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield, has drawn well in barrier five for Saturday and will have Mark Zahra in the mount
- Doubtful Jack (Peter Moody) – Peter Moody’s up-and-coming Not A Single Doubt four-year-old was fifth in the CF Orr after winning a black-type in Tassie
- We’re Gonna Rock (Mark Kavangh) – Fastnet Rock four-year-old resuming for the season, placed second behind More Joyous in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield last October and is a top Place chance here
- Dao Dao (Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes) – Seven-year-old gelding also first-up for the season after running a close second just beaten on the line by Wall Street in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during the spring
Last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday is the most notable defector from the Futurity Stakes field, not paid up for by connections after having been nominated.
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2011 Rokk Ebony Futurity Stakes Field, Barriers & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WHOBEGOTYOU | Mark Kavanagh | Damien Oliver | 10 | 59 | 118 |
| 2 | KING MUFHASA (NZ) | Stephen Mckee | Sam Spratt | 4 | 59 | 110 |
| 3 | DAO DAO | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 8 | 59 | 108 |
| 4 | C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ) | Robert Hickmott | Nicholas Hall | 2 | 59 | 106 |
| 5 | DOUBTFUL JACK | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 6 | 59 | 106 |
| 6 | WE’RE GONNA ROCK | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 7 | 59 | 95 |
| 7 | VOILE ROUGE (NZ) | David Hayes | Steven Arnold | 3 | 59 | 92 |
| 8 | MORE JOYOUS (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 1 | 57 | 118 |
| 9 | ORTENSIA | Tony Noonan | Mark Zahra | 5 | 57 | 111 |
| 10 | AVIENUS | Mark Webb | Craig Williams | 9 | 57 | 100 |
Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography
