Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s class mare English is the highest-rated of the 32 fillies and mares making up the Robert Sangster Stakes 2017 nominations for next month’s Adelaide feature.
Sydney-based mare English is early favourite of the 2017 Robert Sangster Stakes nominations for the May 6 Group 1 in Adelaide. Photo: Steve Hart.
Early entries for the $1 million Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m), running on May 6 at Morphettville Racecourse, closed this week.
Heading the futures Robert Sangster Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is English ($4) who is as yet untested in South Australia.
The four-year-old daughter of Encosta De Lago is best known for her win in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) as a filly last autumn.
English failed to defend her title in that same Randwick race last time out when finishing two and a half-lengths back for sixth behind Tivaci after her second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
Co-trainer Waterhouse prepared the 2014 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Driefontein and English is her sole chance of a second success in this year’s edition of the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival classic.
All-in Robert Sangster Stakes betting markets also have Shane Nichols’ Group 1 winning filly I Am A Star as an early fancy at $6.
Rostova (2010) was the last filly to beat home the older mares in the weight-for-age feature scoring an upset Robert Sangster Stakes result seven years ago as a $21 chance in betting.
The Mornington-trained I Am A Star enjoyed back-to-back Melbourne wins in March, including the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) by over three lengths, before a last start eighth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in Sydney.
A total of nine fillies feature in the Robert Sangster Stakes nominations this autumn including also the flying Desert Lashes.
Rated a $13 chance for the win in the current pre-field markets, the Lisa Lefoe-trained daughter of Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort is undefeated to date having won all eight of her career starts.
Based in Alice Springs, she has been racing in Adelaide since December winning her three starts at the Morphettville track including most recently the Listed Redelva Stakes (1100m) on April 22.
Other standout fillies in the mix include the Lindsay Park-trained Group 3 winner Fuhryk, Stuart Webb’s daughter of Pins Legless Veuve and last start Caulfield winner Merriest.
The other best fancied by the bookies is another of the Lindsay Park contenders Sheidel ($7), the five-year-old a consistent elite level sprint performer.
After a second to Takedown in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth during November, the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor won the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) first-up.
A fourth to Redkirk Warrior in the Newmarket followed, before she finished a mid-field sixth when just over two lengths beaten at Moonee Valley in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m).
Caulfield’s Mick Price will chase his first win in the feature with his smart four-year-old Not A Single Doubt mare Secret Agenda who is the current $8 four favourite after a win in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) last time out.
At an equal $8 for the win is Super Cash for fellow Caulfield horseman Andrew Noblet, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes winner over I Am A Star out to atone for her last start eighth in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the Flemington straight.
Other standout nominees include Lloyd Kennewell’s local last start RN Irwin Stakes winner Viddora, the Bjorn Baker-trained Stratum four-year-old Egyptian Symbol and Ravi for Peter & Paul Snowden.
The Robert Sangster Stakes 2017 final acceptances close on May 2, 2017 making now the time to back your early selections at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Robert Sangster Stakes Nominations
Morphettville Racecourse – 06/05/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21504334×4 | A LOTTA LOVE | M | 5 | Sam Pritchard-Gordon | 89 |
| 2 | 0x26116441 | BEAUTIFUL FLYER | M | 4 | Len Jarvis | 88 |
| 3 | 43016126×9 | CAVALOCE | M | 6 | Will Clarken | 97 |
| 4 | 11x1111x11 | DESERT LASHES | F | 3 | Lisa Lefoe | 84 |
| 5 | 236x15162x | EGYPTIAN SYMBOL | M | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 98 |
| 6 | x5470x1726 | ENGLISH | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 114 |
| 7 | 2306x1121x | ENTRANCING | M | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 77 |
| 8 | 1804x2089x | EVERY FAITH | M | 6 | Robert Smerdon | 84 |
| 9 | 5x111410x | FUHRYK | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 82 |
| 10 | 1x0192x519 | HEAR THE CHANT | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 83 |
| 11 | 4x24x11287 | HIEROGLYPHICS | M | 5 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | 90 |
| 12 | 4231×27118 | I AM A STAR (NZ) | F | 3 | Shane Nichols | 108 |
| 13 | x979x12573 | I AM GYPSY | M | 5 | Gordon Richards | 90 |
| 14 | x59x0270x2 | I AM ZELADY | M | 5 | Joseph Pride | 93 |
| 15 | 192109×161 | LAKE COMO (NZ) | M | 4 | Pat Hyland | 88 |
| 16 | 2x110x1502 | LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ) | F | 3 | Stuart Webb | 92 |
| 17 | 6x81395x51 | MERRIEST | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien | 80 |
| 18 | x227x430x1 | MISS GUNPOWDER | M | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 90 |
| 19 | x55402x500 | MISS PROMISCUITY | M | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 98 |
| 20 | x66735x192 | MISSROCK | F | 3 | Robbie Laing | 98 |
| 21 | 9x2134x48x | NOW OR LATER (IRE) | M | 4 | Robert Smerdon | 95 |
| 22 | x11x2451x4 | RAVI | M | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 93 |
| 23 | x5710849x8 | SCARLET BILLOWS | M | 6 | Darren Weir | 95 |
| 24 | 024x167x51 | SECRET AGENDA | M | 4 | Mick Price | 105 |
| 25 | 1974×56353 | SELENIA | F | 3 | Robbie Griffiths | 77 |
| 26 | 421152×146 | SHEIDEL | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 111 |
| 27 | 536x143x18 | SUPER CASH | M | 4 | Andrew Noblet | 103 |
| 28 | 67x1310x48 | SWEET SHERRY | F | 3 | Brent Stanley | 80 |
| 29 | 212213884x | TELOPEA (GB) | M | 6 | Darren Weir | 90 |
| 30 | 3112857×96 | TUSCAN SLING | M | 6 | Darren Weir | 95 |
| 31 | 1276x22x21 | VIDDORA | M | 4 | Lloyd Kennewell | 99 |
| 32 | 11211x350x | WRITTEN ERA | M | 5 | Aaron Purcell | 76 |
