The 2015 Thousand Guineas field has been released and 11 talented fillies are set to contest the Group 1 event that will be held at Caulfield on Saturday.
Miss Gunpowder is one of 11 fillies that have been included in the 2015 Thousand Guineas Field. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Miss Gunpowder led from start to finish in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26 and she will have the chance to record a maiden win at the highest level of racing this weekend.
The Thousand Guineas Prelude is always the major lead-up race to the Thousand Guineas and Miss Gunpowder is set to take on a number of similar rivals in the $500,000 event this weekend.
Pasadena Girl could finish no better than fifth in the Thousand Guineas Prelude, but the race was not run to suit and she will relish the step-up to 1600 metres – the same distance over which she won the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Stay With Me was another filly that was not suited by the slow early tempo in the Thousand Guineas Prelude, but she stamped herself as a three-year-old to watch when she recorded a slashing victory in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 5.
Payroll produced one of the best performances of her career to date to finish second in the Thousand Guineas Prelude and she will back-up in the Thousand Guineas this weekend as will Jameka, Super Cash, Alaskan Rose, Don’t Doubt Marley and Sagaronne.
One filly that is taking a different form line into the 2015 Thousand Guineas is Mick Price-trained Badawiya, who has recorded three wins from five starts this preparation.
Badawiya claimed her maiden race win at Murtoa on August 15 and she had absolutely no luck in running in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes before she returned to winning form at Pakenham on September 23.
The Al Maher filly was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 4 and she justified that betting support when she showed an impressive turn-of-foot to record a dominant victory.
The only other filly taking winning form into the 2015 Thousand Guineas is Murray Johnson-trained Take Pride, who produced the best performance of her career to gate to record a front-running victory in the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 25.
Pasadena Girl ($4.40) and Stay With Me ($4.40) are currently locked in a battle for Thousand Guineas favouritism from Badawiya ($5) and Miss Gunpowder ($5).
