The recently renamed Group 2 The Ingham (1600m) – formerly the Villiers Stakes – runs with a capacity field of summer milers this weekend in Sydney with $2 million and a 2023 Doncaster Mile ballot up for grabs at Randwick.
Second emergency Nugget is one of the top fancied summer milers facing off in the $2 million The Ingham 2022 in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Ingham 2022 field features a quality line-up of both in-form spring graduates and returning runners with markets led by the second emergency Nugget.
Despite needing two scratchings to make the starting line-up, the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained import is being kept in The Ingham markets at $3.40 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Jason Collett is on standby for the ride, also officially listed as the jockey for one of the Chris Waller runners in the event New Mandate.
Should he gain a run, Siyoni six-year-old Nugget looks in top form to win The Ingham at his 14th start with the UK expat coming off a strong win with 60kg at Kembla Grange over this distance on November 19.
He will get in on just 54kg in The Ingham weights and looks the one to beat if he runs.
Despite the size of the field just four other runners are under double-figures in The Ingham Stakes betting this year including the $6.50 second elect Huetor returning to the races.
The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained galloper is best known for his Group 1 Doomben Cup (2100m) victory in Brisbane over the winter.
He hasn’t raced since a disappointing eighth in the Group 2 The Q22 (2200m) on June 11.
Carrying the equal 59kg top-weight with fellow French-bred hopeful, Mark Newnham’s nine-year-old Sunshine Rising ($15) drawn out wide, Huetor is drawn well with gate eight and Kerrin McEvoy to ride.
Occupying the third line of the markets at The Ingham odds of $7.50 is the Joe Pride-trained Brutality out to break a notable drought.
He was good at Rosehill only last weekend carrying a hefty 64.5kg to cross under two lengths back fifth in a 1400m Benchmark 88 and will relish coming right back to 54kg on the quick back-up.
Brutality however hasn’t won a race since saluting in this event 12 months ago to beat Ellsberg in the 2021 Villiers Stakes results.
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained last start winning stablemates Dajraan ($9) and Riodini ($9.50) both drawn wide with barriers 19 and 17 respectively are the other best in betting.
Dajraan comes off a victory in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on November 26 where he carried only 53kg, and he is yet to win over further than that.
Riodini is proven at the mile, but rises notably in weight from that which he carried to victory in the $1 million The Gong (1600m) at the distance on November 19 at Kembla Grange.
The Ingham 2022 is set to run as Randwick Race 8 at 4:40pm (AEDT) with full markets thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au available here.
2022 The Ingham Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x111x3418x | HUETOR (FR) | Peter & Paul Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 8 | 59kg | 108 | ||
| 2 | 21x143x5x4 | SUNSHINE RISING (FR) | Mark Newnham | Tom Sherry | 23 | 59kg | 108 | ||
| 3 | x202128x47 | POLLY GREY (NZ) | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 3 | 57kg | 108 | ||
| 4 | 51643×4413 | KIRWAN’S LANE (NZ) | John O’Shea | Brenton Avdulla | 10 | 57kg | 104 | ||
| 5 | 43161×1646 | SURF DANCER (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Winona Costin | 22 | 57kg | 104 | ||
| 6 | 8x0790x081 | RIODINI (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 17 | 56kg | 102 | ||
| 7 | x4x80566x0 | BERDIBEK (FR) | John O’Shea | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 6 | 55.5kg | 101 | ||
| 8 | 4x98036x00 | LION’S ROAR (NZ) | John O’Shea | Ben Coen | 9 | 55.5kg | 101 | ||
| 9 | 29x1450x67 | SKY LAB | Paul Perry | Joshua Parr | 1 | 55.5kg | 101 | ||
| 10 | 54531x1x77 | SKYMAN (GB) | Chris Waller | Nash Rawiller | 18 | 55.5kg | 101 | ||
| 11 | 334×767512 | ATISHU (NZ) | Chris Waller | Sam Clipperton | 20 | 55kg | 104 | ||
| 12 | 0x0x1804x7 | NEW MANDATE (IRE) | Chris Waller | Jason Collett | 5 | 55kg | 100 | ||
| 13 | 4×91570141 | BARTHOLOMEU DIAS (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Andrew Adkins | 11 | 54.5kg | 99 | ||
| 14 | 21571×8814 | DIAMIL (IRE) | John O’Shea | Tommy Berry | 4 | 54.5kg | 99 | ||
| 15 | 3299x400x5 | ARAMAYO | Sam Kavanagh | Ashley Morgan | 16 | 54kg | 98 | ||
| 16 | 1x1353x0x1 | DAJRAAN (GB) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ms Rachel King | 19 | 54kg | 98 | ||
| 17 | 548×769955 | BRUTALITY | Joseph Pride | Regan Bayliss | 14 | 54kg | 97 | ||
| 18 | 00x694408x | SPIRIT RIDGE (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Tyler Schiller (a) | 2 | 53.5kg | 97 | ||
| 19 | 3x212626x6 | LONGVILLERS (FR) | Chris Waller | Michael Dee | 24 | 53kg | 96 | ||
| 20 | 98600×9744 | WILD PLANET | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Zac Lloyd (a) | 13 | 53kg | 96 | ||
| 21e | 4406×22028 | PURPLE SECTOR (NZ) | John Thompson | Reece Jones (a) | 7 | 53kg | 95 | ||
| 22e | x312x14x21 | NUGGET (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jason Collett | 15 | 54kg | 94 | ||
| 23e | x0914259x0 | PARRY SOUND | Sara Ryan | 12 | 54kg | 93 | |||
| 24e | 546×893125 | CISCO BAY | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Tyler Schiller (a) | 21 | 53kg | 91 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
