A capacity field of mares is set to face off in the Sensis Stakes 2016 field down the Flemington straight on VRC Derby Day this weekend, early betting on the race registered as the Begonia Belle Stakes led by the Lindsay Park-trained Sheidel.
Sheidel (red cap) is favourite to win Saturday’s 2016 Sensis Stakes down the Flemington straight on VRC Derby Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Due to run as Flemington Race 3 at 1:00pm (AEDT), this year’s $200,000 Group 3 Sensis Stakes (1100m) has attracted 20 starters plus an emergency making for a top class showdown early on the Derby Day card.
Heading the current Sensis Stakes betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $4.60 and firming to enjoy back-to-back wins is Holy Roman Emperor five-year-old Sheidel.
Last start she took out the Group 3 Northwood Plume Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, but Saturday is her first test at Flemington Racecourse.
Runner-up in Adelaide’s Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) in the autumn, Sheidel has class but how she handles straight track racing will be key to her chances of saluting for the favourite backers this weekend.
Despite the bumper size of the Sensis Stakes field this Melbourne Cup Carnival, just three other mares are currently under double-figures in the markets.
Second elect at $8 is Viddora who has one of the widest barriers (18) to overcome.
Barriers aren’t as crucial over 1100m at Flemington and the price on this Lloyd Kennewell-trained four-year-old to win on the weekend reflects that.
She was last seen running seventh to Our Boy Malachi in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m), but was beaten under three lengths taking on the boys.
Back against her own kind she is tipped to improve, but is another in the mix without previous experience at Flemington.
Following closely at $8.50 and $9.50 respectively are Super Cash and Wild Rain drawn at opposite ends of the field with barriers one and 14.
The rails-drawn Super Cash is a four-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon prepared by Caulfield’s Andrew Noblet.
She’s had two runs at Saturday’s track and distance for a strong record of one win and a second.
Her latest start produced a win at home over the 1100m, which she has great form over (4-2-1-1), defeating Mossin’ Around with 55kg.
She only rises a half-kilo on Saturday and top class hoop Craig Williams retains the ride.
Wild Rain is the highest-rated mare in the line-up, the Mark Kavanagh-trained Manhattan Rain five-year-old another with plenty of good form over the distance (8-4-3-0).
Finishing out of the money just once over the 1100m, she is looking to improve on a fifth in the Caulfield Sprint last time out.
Prior to that she more than held her own at Moonee Valley winning the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) before a brave third beaten only 1.35 lengths by Extreme Choice – favourite for the 2016 Coolmore Stud Stakes on Saturday – in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m).
The extra distance suits Wild Rain on Saturday, the wide alley is a likely non-issue, but she gives the weight away allocated 59kg.
The best of the double-figure chances shape up as locally-trained Shamardal mare Vezalay ($15), Ciaron Maher’s dual Flemington winner Chloe In Paris ($15) and Hugh Bowman’s mount from Sydney Rule The River ($14).
See below for the full Sensis Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and latest Fixed Win betting provided by Ladbrokes.com.au – home of the best Derby Day odds and offers!
