Full field of 14 to contest 2016 The Galaxy

A full field of fourteen sprinters will line up on Saturday at Rosehill to contest the Group 1 $700,000 Banjo Galaxy (1100m).

Flamberge, above in the green colours, has drawn an other horror barrier in the Galaxy at Rosehill. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Flamberge, above in the green colours, has drawn an other horror barrier in the Galaxy at Rosehill. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The makeup of the Galaxy field also has four emergencies which sees the barrier draw spread out over the eighteen final acceptors.

The Peter Moody trained Flamberge will have to repeat his outstanding winning effort in claiming the Group 1 $500,000 Clamms Seafood Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 27 if he is to make it back to back Group 1 wins.

Flamberge jumped from barrier fifteen in the Oakleigh Plate when he carried 58kg to victory and has been burdened with the same weight again on Saturday.

And the Exceed And Excel six year old will have to do it tough again after coming up with barrier eighteen in the original draw and will jump from the outside gate when the final field is reduced to fourteen on race morning.

Moody was full of admiration for Flamberge after his Oakleigh Plate win and said he would remain competitive under handicap conditions.

“He’s done a tremendous job,” Moody said.

“We always try to have him ready for these handicaps because he’s not a weight-for-age horse and at handicap level he always runs unbelievably well.”

Oakleigh Plate winning jockey Damian Lane has retained the ride on Flamberge in the Gaxaly.

Terravista is set to resume after recovering from a hoof injury that kept out of the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 12.

The Joe Pride trained Group 1 winner was beaten a whisker first up when second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on February 20 and is certain to be given every chance by Hugh Bowman from barrier three.

Pride will also saddle up Ball Off Muscle in the Galaxy with Tim Clark to ride from barrier nine.

Clark was aboard Ball Of Muscle at his first run back from a spell when sixth to English in the Group 2 $500,000 Hyland Race Colours Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on March 5.

The Gai Waterhouse trained English, with Tommy Berry in the saddle again, will be looking to win her first Group 1 trophy in the Galaxy but the Encosta De Lago filly has been handicapped by a horror barrier draw.

English came up with the seventeen marble in the original draw but is likely to jump from gate thirteen if all four emergencies fail to gain a start.

Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop also has a great chance to claim Group 1 Glory and will drop 0.5kg on the 53kg he carried when a nose second to Flamberge in the Oakleigh Plate.

Brenton Avdulla takes over from Glyn Schofield on Fell Swoop and the four year old should get a nice run after drawing barrier eight.

Impressive last start Flemington winner Malaguerra failed to make the final field and was relegated to third emergency and looks certain to miss out on a run.

The Lee and Anthony Freedman trained four year old came up with barrier thirteen in the original draw.

The Galaxy final field: 1 Flamberge (18), 2 Terravista (3), 3 Rebel Dane (15), 4 Our Boy Malachi (14), 5 Famous Seamus (11), 6 Ball Of Muscle (9), 7 Dothraki (6), 8 Lord Of The Sky (5), 9 Shiraz (10), 10 Bounding (7), 11 Lumosty (12), 12 Boss Lane (2), 13 Fell Swoop (8), 14 English (17), Emergencies: 15 Pittsburgh Flyer (4), 16 Griante (1), 17 Malaguerra (13), 18 Miss Promiscuity (16).

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.