Spillway was allocated barrier six at the 2015 Queen Elizabeth Stakes barrier draw that was held yesterday and jockey Michael Walker believes that the gate is ideal for the imported galloper in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Spillway held off stablemate Extra Zero to take out the 2015 edition of the Australian Cup. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Spillway has shown plenty of versatility since he made his Australian racing debut in the Listed Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo in March last year, but he worked home strongly down the outside of the field when he recorded a maiden win at Group 1 level in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 14.
Walker told RSN this morning that he will be hoping to get to the outside again in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and he is confident that the wide draw will give Spillway the best possible chance to win the $4 million event this weekend.
“It is a very good field, but he has drawn a decent enough barrier to be off the fence, where I am thinking you would not like to be on that day,” Walker said.
“He has a really good barrier and I am looking forward to it.
“It would be an amazing race to win especially with the purse.”
Spillway started his 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing campaign with credible performances in both the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 14 and the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at the same venue on February before his breakthrough win in the Australian Cup a fortnight later.
Walker revealed that he has only ridden Spillway once since his Australian Cup victory, but he was happy with the way that the Rail Link entire trialed at Royal Randwick on March 31 and he said that all reports from Sydney were that the five-year-old was progressing well ahead of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“I galloped him once after the Australian Cup out at the farm at Euroa and he worked really well,” Walker said.
“He is now in Sydney and my manager Ryan Roberts and his partner Lizzie and David (Hayes) are up there and doing all the work with him.
“He trialed the other day when Christian Reith rode him and he ran third.
“They are happy with him.”
Spillway is currently available at 2015 Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds of $21 with Ladbrokes, while Contributer ($3.60) remains a narrow favourite from To The World ($4), Criterion ($7.50), Tosen Stardom ($7.50) and Adelaide ($8.50).
