A field of potential Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes and later Darley Classic-bound sprinters are set to face off at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday in the Gilgai Stakes 2017 field.
Spieth heads towards the Manikato Stakes via a run in Saturday’s 2017 Gilgai Stakes field at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Set to run as Flemington Race 4 at 2:40pm (AEDT) on a Turnbull Stakes Day card dominated by the latest run of super mare Winx, this season’s Group 2 $200,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) field has attracted just nine runners.
Many of the top contenders in the Gilgai Stakes field will target the upcoming Group 1 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival sprints including the $1 million Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday October 27.
Chautauqua (2015) completed the Gilgai Stakes – Manikato Stakes double two years ago, something the Bryce Heys-trained perennial Group 1 runner-up Spieth is likely to attempt this season.
Spieth sits top of the Gilgai Stakes odds through Ladbrokes.com.au, the consistent Thorn Park stallion paying $2.70 to salute from barrier eight with Corey Brown aboard.
Five-year-old Spieth also holds an early entry for the Group 1 $1 million Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 11.
Currently the luckless galloper pays $13 in futures Manikato Stakes odds and is rated a $10 shot in the pre-field Darley Classic betting markets for the Melbourne Cup Carnival feature.
His last start produced a first-up second behind The Everest-bound Redzel in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 2.
On the weekend he heads to Melbourne for the first time since his close third when only three lengths off Redkirk Warrior, also confirmed a spot in the inaugural $10 million The Everest (1200m) in Sydney on October 14, in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).
Prior to that Spieth was narrowly denied a Group 1 Flemington win first-up in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) and he was also just nudged out of the Darley Classic win by Malaguerra last spring.
Three of the other runners on Saturday also sit at single-figures in the Gilgai Stakes odds including the $4 second elect Silent Sedition who returns to racing.
Another dual nominee for the Manikato Stakes – Darley Classic double this spring, the Andrew Noblet-trained War Chant mare makes her five-year-old debut on the weekend.
She won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley back in late March before a last start fourth behind Foxplay in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Her only previous Flemington run was a third over 1400m during last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival and she is a first-up flyer (4-1-2-1) with genuine winning claims fresh from the outside alley.
The bookies are also taking no chances with the reigning Gilgai Stakes winner The Quarterback ($7) in barrier seven who is out to go back-to-back like Chautauqua (2014-5) and the flying Bons Away ($7.50) chasing a fifth straight win.
Check out the complete Gilgai Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and Fixed Win odds below courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
