There is black type racing in 3 states this weekend, with two Group 1 races in Brisbane. The $1,000,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby over 2400m will have a full field of 18 runners where Kovalica is the odds-on favourite and is the standout. The $1,000,000 Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300m has a capacity field of 16 and the betting is wide open. Some of the more fancied runners are Think About It, A Case Of You, Eduardo and Rothfire, and the field includes Paulele who was 2nd in last years race and Eleven Eleven who was 3rd. The $1,000,000 Group 2 Sires' Produce has 18 runners with a big contingent from Sydney. Peter & Paul Snowden have 4 runners and have barriers 15, 16, 18 & 19 - a real visitor's draw situation! The $300,000 Fred Best Classic should be an exciting race with Yellow Brick rating highly. There are also 2 more Group 3s and a Listed race.
At Belmont the feature is the $200,000 Group 3 Hyperion Stakes where 8 of the 10 runners came through the Belmont Sprint and favourtism is shared between the pair who ran the quinella in that race - the 3YO gelding Bustler and the 4YO mare The Velvet Queen.
There is the $175,000 Listed Bel Esprit Stakes at Sandown Hillside. Interestingly the daughter of Black Caviar, Invincible Caviar, is one of the runners and Black Caviar was sired by Bel Esprit who the race is named for. The favourite in the race is Katsu.
There are also 10 races at Randwick and 9 at Murray Bridge.
|