John Thompson’s in-form Group 1 winner First Seal is the best fancied of the 60 fillies and mares making up the Queen Of The Turf Stakes 2016 first acceptances this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
First Seal is early favourite of the 2016 Queen Of The Turf Stakes first acceptances for the April 9 at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.
On Tuesday first declarations for all of ‘The Championships’ races at Randwick Racecourse on April 2 and 9 closed including those for the $1 million Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) on Day 2.
The weight-for-age mile feature drew 100 nominations earlier in the season, a figure cut by 40 at first acceptance stage.
Leading the all-in Queen Of The Turf Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $4.80 for the win is Fastnet Rock four-year-old First Seal out to improve on her sixth to Amanpour in the race last year.
That followed her Group 1 seconds in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), First Seal best known for her Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) win in 2014.
She has had two runs this time in for a first-up Rosehill win in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) before her second in last Saturday’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) behind Holler.
Thompson has also paid the Queen Of The Turf Stakes first acceptance fee for Bernardini five-year-old Zanbagh who ran second to Solicit first-up in the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) on February 27.
Following First Seal in futures Queen Of The Turf Stakes betting are the Chris Waller-trained Winx ($6) and Azkadellia ($8) for Melbourne trainer Ciaron Maher.
Winx posted her fourth Group 1 victory in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) over the Queen Of The Turf Stakes track and distance last start.
The Cox Plate champion however is more likely to step out over more distance on the same day as this year’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes for a shot at the lucrative $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Azkadellia is also in the mix for the same too races, the consistent daughter of Shinko King last seen winning the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Blue Diamond Stakes Day.
Third to Politeness in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) in the spring, the four-year-old races again this Saturday heading to Sydney for a shot at the $600,000 Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
Gai Waterhouse has prepared an impressive eight previous Queen Of The Turf Stakes winners including the past two on the trot with Diamond Drille (2014) who scored the upset as a 40/1 shot and Amanpour (2015) last autumn who was also at a roughies’ price of $20.
Waterhouse has three first acceptances this season looking to continue her gun run in the race with Supara, Kimberley Star and Speak Fondly still in the mix.
The best fancied of the three at $17 for the win is three-year-old Northern Meteor filly Speak Fondly.
She has a great Randwick record of three wins and a third from five starts including the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes – Furious Stakes double last season, and was one of the best in the spring with a Golden Rose second and Flight Stakes win.
Her return was a ninth beaten four lengths to beat home just one other runner in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) last weekend won by stablemate English, which she will improve on getting out over further.
Other notable hopes include the undefeated John O’Shea-trained Surround Stakes winning filly Ghisoni ($13), Kris Lees’ dual Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina ($13), the Robert Smerdon-trained third placegetter last year Noble Protector ($13), her Myer Classic winning stablemate Politeness ($13) and last start Guy Walter winner Solicit ($13).
Check out the full Queen Of The Turf Stakes 2016 first acceptances below, the final field and barrier draw released on Tuesday April 5.
Before then make sure you enjoy the benefits of betting online with Ladbrokes.com.au like better prices on all Australian racing thanks to Odds Boost!
2016 Queen Of The Turf Stakes First Acceptances
Randwick Racecourse – 09/04/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Weight | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 361x1860x0 | ABIDEWITHME (NZ) | M | 6 | Peter G Moody | 57kg | – |
| 2 | 0x11005x19 | AMICUS | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 57kg | – |
| 3 | 150×232215 | ANAPHORA | M | 4 | Tony Noonan | 57kg | – |
| 4 | 32x14111x4 | ARTISTRY | M | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 57kg | 84 |
| 5 | 0x12123x21 | AZKADELLIA (NZ) | M | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 57kg | – |
| 6 | x2497x380x | BRING ME THE MAID | M | 4 | Peter G Moody | 57kg | 98 |
| 7 | 250513310x | CASINO DANCER | M | 5 | Mike Van Gestel | 57kg | 100 |
| 8 | 91128×1383 | CHOOSE | M | 5 | Lee & Shannon Hope | 57kg | – |
| 9 | 313x43175x | CORONATION SHALLAN | M | 6 | Brett Scott | 57kg | – |
| 10 | x84315x544 | DIG A PONY | M | 5 | Peter G Moody | 57kg | – |
| 11 | 12x9102x92 | FENWAY | M | 4 | Lee & Shannon Hope | 57kg | – |
| 12 | 2x21226x12 | FIRST SEAL | M | 4 | John P Thompson | 57kg | 109 |
| 13 | 11×3 | FLASHING SPEED | M | 4 | Anthony Cummings | 57kg | 70 |
| 14 | 0130×22311 | HEAVENS ABOVE | M | 4 | Tim Martin | 57kg | 82 |
| 15 | 1x4x59058x | HOLY COW | M | 5 | Michael Kent | 57kg | – |
| 16 | 3862102872 | JUST A BLUR | M | 5 | Barbara Joseph & Paul Jones | 57kg | 82 |
| 17 | 319x11x33x | LADY LE FAY (NZ) | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 57kg | 89 |
| 18 | 76x648915x | LUCIA VALENTINA (NZ) | M | 5 | Kris Lees | 57kg | 110 |
| 19 | 511x5305x0 | MAHARA | M | 6 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 57kg | – |
| 20 | 48×9325215 | MARY LOU | M | 5 | Anthony Cummings | 57kg | 80 |
| 21 | 14291410×3 | MISS ROSE DE LAGO | M | 5 | Danny O’Brien | 57kg | – |
| 22 | 121x251x3 | NANCY | M | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 57kg | 78 |
| 23 | 24x113x00x | NOBLE PROTECTOR (GB) | M | 6 | Robert Smerdon | 57kg | – |
| 24 | 18157x554x | NOELA’S CHOICE | M | 5 | Peter G Moody | 57kg | 83 |
| 25 | 25x1918x23 | PEEPING | M | 4 | Ron Quinton | 57kg | – |
| 26 | 00x1112x27 | POLITENESS | M | 5 | Robert Smerdon | 57kg | – |
| 27 | 116617×622 | PRIVATE SECRETARY | M | 6 | Gregory Hickman | 57kg | 89 |
| 28 | 116×755448 | QUEEN OF KARIBA | M | 4 | John Sargent | 57kg | – |
| 29 | 8x21x0125x | SANTA ROCKS | M | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 57kg | 68 |
| 30 | 1122x267x | SARDAAJ (NZ) | M | 4 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 57kg | 82 |
| 31 | 7x004510x5 | SCARLET BILLOWS | M | 5 | Darren Weir | 57kg | – |
| 32 | 71x4740x66 | SLIGHTLY SWEET | M | 4 | Jason Coyle | 57kg | – |
| 33 | 20x281x221 | SOLICIT | M | 5 | Gerald Ryan | 57kg | – |
| 34 | 4x113310x0 | SOMETHING SECRET | M | 4 | Jason Coyle | 57kg | 72 |
| 35 | 311x117x13 | SUAVITO (NZ) | M | 5 | Nigel Blackiston | 57kg | – |
| 36 | 349x9700x7 | SUPARA | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse | 57kg | 79 |
| 37 | 1213×66166 | SWEET FIRE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 57kg | 85 |
| 38 | 4×32116642 | TELEPATHIC (NZ) | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 57kg | 99 |
| 39 | 6535x470x3 | THINKING OF YOU (NZ) | M | 4 | Peter G Moody | 57kg | – |
| 40 | 167×702117 | TINTO | M | 5 | Rex Lipp | 57kg | – |
| 41 | 2x15460x44 | VERGARA | M | 5 | Anthony Cummings | 57kg | – |
| 42 | 211x111x11 | WINX | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 57kg | – |
| 43 | 0549x149x2 | ZANBAGH | M | 5 | John P Thompson | 57kg | – |
| 44 | 2x311313x8 | AMBIENCE | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 54.5kg | 90 |
| 45 | 114 | ASINARA | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 54.5kg | 68 |
| 46 | 3x217113x | BADAWIYA | F | 3 | Mick Price | 54.5kg | 88 |
| 47 | 11×634 | CANA | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 54.5kg | – |
| 48 | 1142 | DIXIE BLOSSOMS | F | 3 | Ron Quinton | 54.5kg | 73 |
| 49 | 3x341613x1 | DON’T DOUBT MAMMA | F | 3 | Tony McEvoy | 54.5kg | – |
| 50 | 11×1 | GHISONI | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 54.5kg | 92 |
| 51 | 31112336×4 | KIMBERLEY STAR | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | 54.5kg | 84 |
| 52 | 154013x90x | LOOK TO THE STARS | F | 3 | David Vandyke | 54.5kg | 84 |
| 53 | 41x25444x3 | PASADENA GIRL (NZ) | F | 3 | Peter G Moody | 54.5kg | – |
| 54 | 1214×64 | PEARLS | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 54.5kg | 89 |
| 55 | 2x61211x13 | RISQUE (NZ) | F | 3 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 54.5kg | 92 |
| 56 | 3x31324x20 | SAILING BY | F | 3 | Mick Price | 54.5kg | 77 |
| 57 | 8x054152x6 | SAVANNAH ROSE | F | 3 | Gary Nickson | 54.5kg | 66 |
| 58 | 32098×4022 | SINGLE GAZE | F | 3 | Nick Olive | 54.5kg | 83 |
| 59 | 210x1121x9 | SPEAK FONDLY | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | 54.5kg | 105 |
| 60 | x11616x534 | STAY WITH ME | F | 3 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 54.5kg | 102 |
