Chelmsford Stakes winner Hartnell heads up a small field of eight to contest the Group 2 $200,000 Ascend Sales Trophies Hill Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Chelmsford Stakes winner Hartnel, above, will start the favourite in the Hill Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Hartnell will be ridden again by Godolphin’s number one rider James McDonald after the pair combined to score a seven and three quarter lengths win in the Group 2 $250,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 3.
McDonald is certain to give the John O’Shea trained Hartnell a trouble free run from barrier five in the eight horse Hill Stakes field and the six year old has been installed the $1.60 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au.
O’Shea will also saddle up Magic Hurricane who is marked at $9 after drawing the inside barrier with Brenton Avdulla booked to ride.
The Chris Waller trained quartet of Grand Marshall, Storm The Stars, Preferment and Who Shot Thebarman will all be lining up against Hartnell again in the Hill Stakes after finishing behind him in the Chelmsford Stakes.
Preferment with Hugh Bowman in the saddle has drawn the best of Waller’s team at barrier four while Who Shot Thebarman with Christian Reith to ride has drawn the outside of the field at barrier eight.
Grand Marshall has drawn six for Rory Hutchings and Storm The Stars will jump from gate seven with Tye Angland in charge of the reins.
Melbourne’s premier trained Darren Weir has brought Signoff to Sydney to continue his Spring Carnival campaign and the Melbourne Cup equal favourite has drawn barrier three with Craig Williams to ride.
Cranbourne based trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have also decided to travel north to Randwick with Tavago who was well beaten at his first ran back when eleventh to Awesome Rock in the Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 3.
Tavago claimed his biggest win at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival when he took out the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) and will jump from barrier two in the Hill Stakes.
Early market order for the Hill Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.60 Hartnell, $9 Preferment, Magic Hurricane, $11 Tavago, $12 Strorm The Stars, $14 Who Shot Thebarman, $16 Grand Marshall, $26 Signoff.
