Trainer Mark Newnham’s in-form sprinter-miler Quackerjack has drawn another wide barrier in the 2019 Group 2 $250,000 Quincy Seltzer Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Quackerjack, above, has drawn a wide barrier in the 2019 Villiers Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Quackerjack, above, has drawn a wide barrier in the 2019 Villiers Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Newnham said that a wide gate contributed to Quackerjack having to settle for the runner’s up cheque when a head second to Mister Sea Wolf in the $1m The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on November 23 and the four year old came up with gate 11 again in the 16 horse Villiers Stakes field.

“It would have been nice to win the million dollar race on the way as well but the barrier (11) beat him,” Newnham told AAP.

Jockey Rachel King takes over from Josh Parr who was aboard Quackerjack in The Gong after Newnham anticipated that the gelding would get allocated a little less weight than the 56kg he ended up with.

“He is a Rating 96 horse and we thought he would get 53 or 54 kilos so we booked Rachel,” Newnham said.

“It’s unfortunate for Josh but we have to book jockeys so early now.”

Quackerjack has been ultra-consistent at three runs this campaign which includes a win two starts back in the $200,000 Goulburn Cup (1400m) at Goulburn on November 3 followed by his second in the The Gong and Newnham is happy with the way he came out of that run.

“He is in good shape and he is holding his form,” Newnham said,

“This has been a plan six months in the making and it would be great if he could win the Villiers.”

The James Cummings trained Ranier has also drawn awkwardly at gate 9 with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle and the four year old heads to the Villiers Stakes as a last start winner in the Group 3 $160,000 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on November 30.

Chris Waller’s two Villiers Stakes runners have drawn wide apart with Sambro drawing the rails with James McDonald booked to ride while Le Juge will jump from gate 14 with Jay Ford in the saddle.

Final field and barrier draw for the 2019 Villiers Stakes (1600m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 810x237x04 INVINCIBLE GEM Kris Lees Hugh Bowman 2 59kg 106
2 x645421311 GOLD FIELDS Logan McGill Nash Rawiller 4 58.5kg 101
3 33x432x735 EL DORADO DREAMING Kris Lees Brenton Avdulla 5 57kg 102
4 11x37242x0 SAMBRO Chris Waller James McDonald 1 56.5kg 97
5 x13216x312 QUACKERJACK Mark Newnham Ms Rachel King 11 56kg 96
6 64×0310421 RANIER James Cummings Kerrin McEvoy 9 55.5kg 95
7 1x93328x92 LIVE AND FREE (NZ) John O’Shea Glen Boss 13 55kg 94
8 41116×4430 NOBLE BOY Todd Blowes Tommy Berry 15 55kg 94
9 9100990×75 SIREN’S FURY Jason Coyle Tim Clark 12 54.5kg 97
10 82x728x390 GOODFELLA Bjorn Baker Jason Collett 6 54.5kg 93
11 13×0006848 LE JUGE (IRE) Chris Waller Jay Ford 14 54.5kg 93
12 110x60x981 AQUA D’IVINA Matthew Smith Jean Van Overmeire 10 53kg 89
13 x1213x9412 STROME Gary Portelli 8 53kg 89
14 21x216x346 BOBBING Bernie Kelly Robbie Dolan (a) 3 53kg 88
15 x2x1430x22 MUSHAIREB (GB) Richard & Michael Freedman Glyn Schofield 7 53kg 78

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.