Group 1 winning mare Azkadellia heads up the final field of sixteen fillies and mares in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Club Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Azkadellia heads up the field for the Tattersall’s Club Tiara at Eagle Farm. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
While the Chris Waller trained three year old Tsaritsa is a noted absentee and will run against her own age group in the Listed $125,000 Landfill Logistics Daybreak Lover (1400m).
Azkadellia was well beaten at her last start as favourite when tenth to Under The Louvre in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11, but trainer Ciaron Maher is confident that she will bounce back to her best this week.
“Back to mares’ grade on that big open track, it allows her to get home. At this stage there looks to be a little bit of speed,” Maher said.
“She has certainly shown me that she is pretty right to go and it looks a nice race for her.”
“Her fitness is quite good so since the race I have just kept her nice and fresh.”
Nick Hall takes over from Damien Oliver on Azkadellia in the Tattersall’s Club Tiara.
Azkadellia will be taking on the Kris Lees trained mare Danish Twist who is going for her fifth win on the trot and heads to Eagle Farm on the back of a win in the Listed $100,000 June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on June 11.
Lees is happy to have secured the services of this season’s leading Group 1 winning jockey Hugh Bowman who has ridden Danish Twist three times for a win and two seconds.
Also accepted in the final field for the Tattersaall’s Club Tiara is Robert Sangster Stakes winner Precious Gem with Blake Shinn to ride and last start Dane Ripper Stakes winner Cradle Me.
Precious Gem finished in front of Azkadellia when sixth in the Stradbroke Handicap while Cradle Me showed her liking for the Eagle Farm 1400m trip with a one length victory in the Group 2 $200,000 Bundaberg Rum Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m) June 11.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Artistry is set to take on Cradle Me again after finishing second to her in the Dane Ripper Stakes.
Last Saturday’s Gai Waterhouse Classic winner, Blueberry Hill, and third and fourth placegetters Echo Gal and Scarlet Billows are also set to line up in the final Group 1 of the 2015 – 2016 racing season.
Jim Byrne jumps back on Blueberry Hill, replacing apprentice James Orman while Tegan Harrison keeps the ride on Echo Gal and Melbourne jockey Jack Hill is re-united with the Darren Weir trained Scarlet Billows.
Tattersall’s Club Tiara final field: 1 Azkadellia, 2 Danish Twist, 3 Precious Gem, 4 Cradle Me, 5 Miss Cover Girl, 6 Jessy Belle, 7 Sultry Feeling, 8 Press Report, 9 Scarlet Billows, 10 Echo Gal, 11 Artistry, 12 Palazzo Pubblico, 13 Onemorezeta, 14 Beatniks, 15 Blueberry Hill, 16 My Poppette.
