Mrs Onassis To Make Surprise Monash Stakes Appearance

The Listed John Monash Stakes (1100m) is set to be one of the races of the winter with Group 1 winner Mrs Onassis headlining a strong group of nominations.

Mrs Onassis was a surprise nomination for the Sir John Monash Stakes. Photo by: Bruno Cannatelli

Mrs Onassis made her Group 1 debut in the 2013 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and upstaged a classy field of sprinters to score a comfortable victory from consistent Group 1 performers Facile Tigre and Sprit of Boom.

The General Nediym mare has failed to replicate that winning form in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) and Sapphire Stakes (1200m) but will be fresh after almost three months away from the races.

Group 2 winner Second Effort will is set to contest the Monash Stakes after his second straight victory in the Wangoom Handicap (1200m) at Wannambool.

The Mossman gelding carried 58.5kg to record his first victory since his triumph in the Group 2 2012 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m), where he defeated duel Group 1 winner Luckygray.

Skytrain is another black type winner that has been nominated for the Monash Stake, in what will be the tenth start of a lengthy campaign.

The son of Lonhro won the BMW Classic (1100m) at Canterbury in January; finished second behind Happy Galaxy in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) and a fortnight later upset Streama to record his maiden Group level victory in the Southern Cross Quality (1200m) at Warwick Farm.

The Peter Snowden-trained veteran was well backed in the lead-up to the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm but finished a disappointing seventh.

Veteran sprinter Stanzout will be making his fourth appearance in the Monash Stakes after first contesting the race back in 2007.

The ten-year-old has had twenty-seven starts since his last win at Moonee Valley in 2010 and will be appearing at the races for the sixty-eighth time in his lengthy career.

Also included in the nominations are Elite Elle, Serene Star and Zamorar.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.