Nostradamus is one of 13 talented three-year-olds that have been included in the 2014 McNeil Stakes field that was released this morning.
Nostradamus has been included in the acceptances for both the McNeil Stakes and The Run To The Rose. Photo by: Steve Hart
Nostradamus (barrier two) was set to have the second race start of his spring preparation in the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, but Team Hawkes are now considering sending the Medaglia D’Oro colt to Melbourne in an attempt to avoid the wet tracks in Sydney.
The three-year-old started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a strong win in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 16 and is rated a leading contender for the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m).
Nostradamus is set to face tough opposition in whatever race he contests this weekend, with a number of promising colts, geldings and fillies included in the McNeil Stakes field.
Leading Melbourne trainer Mick Price has a very strong team of three-year-olds and he has included Moonovermanhattan, Cornrow, Jabali and Nordic Empire in the acceptances for the Group 3 event.
Nordic Empire (barrier six), Jabali (barrier 13) and Cornrow (barrier five) were all slightly disappointing in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 16, while Moonovermanhattan (barrier one) will be having just his second race start after he won the Group 3 National Stakes on debut at Morphettville in May.
John Moloney-trained Stingray (barrier ten), consistent galloper Boomwaa (barrier nine) and valuable stallion prospect Zululand (barrier three) will also be backing up in the McNeil Stakes after contesting the Vain Stakes at the same venue a fortnight ago.
One of the most interesting runners in the 2014 McNeil Stakes field is Mark Kavanagh-trained Chivalry (barrier 12), who will be returning to the races for the first time since he finished eighth behind Earthquake in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22.
Chivalry showed plenty of talent as a juvenile, but Kavanagh has always been confident that the son of Street Cry would be better as a three-year-old and rates the colt as a leading Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) contender.
Peter Moody is another trainer that has plenty of talented three-year-olds in his stable, with Bring Me The Maid and Better Land both performing well, and he has included the undefeated Tan Tat Diamond (barrier eight) in the 2014 McNeil Stakes field.
Tan Tat Diamond won at Geelong on debut and he scored a narrow win over a strong field in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on July 19 before he was sent for a brief stint in the spelling paddock.
Team Corstens-trained Awesome Rock (barrier 11), promising gelding Forgive And Forget (barrier seven) and talented filly Novel Dancer (barrier four) round out the 2014 McNeil Stakes field.
