Group 1 winner Chautauqua headlines the nominations for the Group 2 $200,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Sunday.
Group 1 winner Chautauqua headlines the nominations for the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Team Hawkes’ brilliant sprinter claimed his Group 1 trophy with a win in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival this year.
The Encosta De Lago five year old showed that he has lost none of his zip with a powerful first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 5.
David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have nominated the in-form Churchill Dancer who will head to the Gilgai Stakes on the back a winning double.
Churchill Dancer was quick to find his winning form this campaign with a second up victory in a 1200m BenchMark 90 Handicap at Moonee Valley on August 22 followed by a win over Under The Louvre in the Group 2 $200,000 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 12.
Hayes and Dabernig have also nominated Hong Kong Group 1 winner Sterling City who was well beaten when ninth to stablemate Churchill Dancer in the Bobby Lewis Quality.
Peter Moody’s four Gilgai Stakes nominations are Bring Me The Maid, Flamberge, Royal Rapture and Thermal Current.
Flamberge claimed a Group 1 trophy when he beat Lord Of The Sky and Under The Louvre in the Group 1 $500,000 Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 16 and resumed from a spell for a second to Chautauqua in the McEwen Stakes.
Bring Me The Maid was among the top two year olds of her juvenile season, running third to Mossfun in the 2014 Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill.
The Sebring mare has only been to the winner’s circle once since with a win in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during the 2014 Sydney Spring Carnival and will be resuming after a short break following her seventh to Hazard in the Group 2 $300,000 Best Security Dane Ripper Stakes (1350m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Charlie Boy from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable resumed from a spell for a second to Fell Swoop in the Listed $120,000 Catanach’s Jewellers Testa Rossa Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on September 19 and the Chris Waller trained Delectation will strip fitter in the Gilgai Stakes following is first up sixth to Rebel Dane in the Group 2 $200,000 The Bowermans Office Furniture Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19.
