Tag: Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Queen Elizabeth Stakes Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday provides Darren Weir’s Prince Of Penzance with a great chance to follow up his Moonee Valley Gold Cup win.

Ten runners are set to line up for the $300,000 contest over 2600m with the son of Pentire carrying top weight of 58kg. The five-year-old has an excellent record at Flemington and beat Tony McEvoy’s Le Roi by a length and a quarter last time. The race was run at a crawl in the early stages and it briefly looked as though Prince Of Penzance was going to get blocked off on the home turn. Once he saw daylight he fairly flew home and should confirm the form on Saturday.

Damien Oliver has been booked to partner Le Roi who starts from the wide outside. He finished third to Mourinho in the Listed Cranbourne Cup and is joined in the field by stablemate Big Memory. The latter narrowly failed to book his place in the Melbourne Cup when beaten by Signoff in last week’s Lexus Stakes.

Tommy Berry has chosen to partner Big Memory here in preference to Le Roi, the horse he into second place at Moonee Valley. McEvoy’s five-year-old won the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, a run that looks even better in light of fourth horse Protectionist’s easy win in the big race on Tuesday.

Le Roi and Big Memory are eligible for a $100,000 bonus as they had accepted for Melbourne Cup but missed out on the ballot. The only concern with Big Memory must be whether he can put in yet another good staying performance after last weekend’s game effort.

Ken Keys runs Bring Something, a four-year-old by Sebring. Luke Nolen takes the ride on him following a narrow victory in the Listed Bendigo Cup. Michael Kent’s Epingle finished fourth in the Moonee Valley Cup while Noble Protector finished second in David Jones Cup and will be ridden by Craig Williams. He has been supported in to favouritism during the week but I would expect to see money come for Prince Of Penzance on the day.

Let’s Make Adeal is also chasing the bonus but could do no better than fifth place in the Lexus Stakes for Nigel Blackiston. He was earlier third in the Herbert Power and would have a chance on that form.

Prince Of Penzance @4-1 Sportsbet

Adelaide 6-1 for QE Stakes after Cox Plate win

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Trainer Chris Waller may have been disappointed with the performances of his three runners in Saturday’s Cox Plate but he did pick up a fine consolation prize. The brilliant winner Adelaide now joins his stable from Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as his immediate target.

Adelaide had been popular with punters last week at odds as high as 14-1 but confidence had evaporated following his wide draw in barrier 13. The coolest man on the racecourse was jockey Ryan Moore who settled the colt in last place before passing his rivals one-by-one down the back straight.

He still had plenty of work to do turning for home with The Cleaner having set a decent pace but Adelaide was driven up on the wide outside to score by a short-neck from the favourite Fawkner. Silent Achiever was just a short-head away in third with Side Glance, Foreteller and Happy Trails breathing down their necks.

Adelaide has been a progressive three-year-old this season, winning the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh in May before finishing runner-up to Eagle Top at Royal Ascot. O’Brien has sent the son of Galileo on his travels since, finishing second at Belmont before winning the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington. He was unlucky in running when third to Ectot at Longchamp in the Prix Niel last time out.

O’Brien declared the $3million Cox Plate to be the colt’s target due to his liking for fast ground. The alternative had been the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe which is often run on soft ground in Paris. His decision has been fully vindicated and he is now set to clash with the likes of Just A Way and Lucia Valentina in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Bet365 quote Adelaide at 6-1 in their futures market.

Fawkner lost nothing in defeat and remains 10-1 for the Melbourne Cup next month. New Zealander Silent Achiever stormed home in third and is generally 25-1 for Flemington for which Japan’s Admire Rakti remains favourite at 4-1. The winning time of 2.03.76 was just two tenths of a second outside of Might And Power’s record set in 1998. It is the first time that a European trained horse has won the Cox Plate and the attention now switches to the Melbourne Cup.

O’Brien does not have a runner this year but Ryan Moore has a leading chance on the German-trained Protectionist while confidence is growing behind Irish hope Mutual Regard. Godolphin will also attempt to end their Cup hoodoo when they run both Cavalryman and Willing Foe on November 4th.

Queen Elizabeth Stakes Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Royal Randwick is the setting for Day 2 of the Championships on Saturday with The Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes taking centre stage. The richest mile and a quarter race in the world has prize money of $4million and has the added interest of a Royal runner.

European racing fans will remember Carlton House being a hot favourite to provide Her Majesty The Queen with her first Epsom Derby win in 2011. Unfortunately the horse had not read the script and was run out of it in the closing stages. He then ran poorly in the Irish equivalent and lost his way a little.

He is now enjoying a new lease of life in the care of Melbourne Cup winning trainer Gai Waterhouse. Last time out he was just beaten on the nod by Silent Achiever in a thrilling duel for the Ranvet Stakes. The winner went on to take The BMW on soft ground, her third Group 1 of the season.

Her victims included It’s A Dundeel and Fiorente in The BMW and the former New Zealand Derby winner will not be adversely affected by the expected heavy ground. I cannot say the same about Carlton House as he has never raced on anything worse than soft. There has been good support for It’s A Dundeel to reverse the form on Saturday but I’m sticking with Silent Achiever.

The supporting card includes The Sydney Cup and Waterhouse may have better luck here with The Offer. The son of Montjeu began life with Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle but has developed into a decent staying prospect since joining Waterhouse. He has proven form on heavy ground and avoids a penalty for last week’s easy victory in the Chairman’s Handicap.

The Australian Oaks looks booked for Lucia Valentina who holds several of her rivals on the form of her Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes victory. Hugh Bowman looked very comfortable as he eased her to a one length victory and it will be disappointing if any of those behind her can beat her on Saturday.

Royal Randwick

3.05 Lucia Valentina at 2.50 Sportsbet

3.45 The Offer at 3.20 Bet365

4.25 Silent Achiever at 4.40 Bet365