A full field of sixteen will line up in Perth’s glamour Spring Carnival sprint on Saturday in the Group 1 $1m Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot.
Five times Group 1 winner Buffering will carry the number one saddlecloth in the Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
At final acceptance time on Monday, seventeen horses were left in contention, with the Grant Williams trained Silverstream being relegated to first emergency.
The barrier draw for the Winterbottom Stakes will held at the Crown Perth on Tuesday, November 17, at 5pm.
Five time Group 1 winner and 2013 victor Buffering will carry the number one saddlecloth in the weight for age sprint with Damian Browne to continued his association with the Robert Heathcote trained eight year old.
Buffering claimed is fifth Group 1 win three starts back when he beat Ball Of Muscle to win his second $450,000 City Jeep Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on October 2 and heads to Perth following his last start fourth to Delectation in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 7.
Damian Lane takes over from regular rider Michael Walker on Fast ‘N’ Rocking who also heads to the west with good Melbourne Spring form.
The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained five year scored two starts back in the Listed $120,000 italktravel Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on October 14 before running fourth to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 23.
Local hope Magnifisio with Jason Brown to ride is one of two runners trainer Vaughn Sigley will saddle up in the Winterbottom Stake with Takahide Ikenushi booked to ride Dawn Approach.
Magifisio has been placed at her two lead up runs and Sigley was happy with her third to Akhedasset in the Group 3 $150,000 Add Energy Group Prince Of Wales Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on October 24 and with her second to Black Heart Bart in the Group 2 $250,000 Waroa-Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 7.
“I thought she was enormous after missing the start,” said Sigley.
“In fact, I think both her runs have been enormous.”
Melbourne jockey Steven Arnold won on Watermans Bay during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival in the Group 3 $150,000 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield and Perth trainer Dan Morton has engaged the heavy weight jockey again for Saturday.
Damien Oliver has been booked to ride first emergency Silverstream for Grant Williams.
Final acceptors for the Winterbottom Stakes: 1 Buffering, 2 Fast ‘N’ Rocking, 3 Watermans Bay, 4 Shining Knight, 5 Dawn Approach, 6 Rommel, 7 Rock Magic, 8 Akhedasset, 9 Liberty’s Gem, 10 Checkpoint, 11 Madassa, 12 Sujet, 13 Magnifisio, 14 Cool Trade, 15 Sheidel, 16 Lucky Street, 17 Silverstream (1st emergency).
