Unencumbered has been included in the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes field and is set to have the tenth start of his racing career in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Unencumbered will be having the tenth start of his racing career in the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Unencumbered had six race starts before winning the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January and has since been seen at the races on three occasions; finishing fifth in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m), second in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) and tenth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) last weekend.

The Testa Rossa colt was caught wide early in the Golden Slipper and failed to make up any ground in the final stages of the race, but connections will be hoping for an improved effort when he jumps from barrier two this weekend.

Also backing up from the Golden Slipper is Cornrow, who was allocated barrier two in the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes barrier draw.

Cornrow (barrier one) performed well in both the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m), but failed to fire in the Golden Slipper; with jockey Damien Oliver indicating that the son of Duporth did not handle the wet Rosehill Gardens track.

Gerald Ryan has an extremely strong hand in the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes field; with Time For War, Believe Yourself, Peggy Jean and Lucky Raquie included in the acceptances for the Group 1 event.

Believe Yourself (barrier eight) ran on strongly to finish in the Golden Slipper last weekend and looks as though she will relish the step-up to 1400 metres, while Time For War (barrier seven) will  be defend his undefeated record after starting his racing career with wins in the CFMEU Mining & Energy Plate (1100m) and Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).

Another juvenile taking winning form into the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes field is David Hayes-trained Zululand, who will jump from barrier ten with regular jockey Stephen Baster on his back.

Zululand made a slow start to his racing career and finished ninth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22 before recording his maiden race win with an impressive performance in the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 8.

Darley won the 2013 Sires Produce Stakes with Guelph and have Kumaon in this year’s field, who will jump from the outside gate after drawing barrier 11 in the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes barrier draw this afternoon.

Kumaon performed well in two starts at Rosehill Gardens in the summer and returned to racing with a narrow second place finish behind Time For War in the Pago Pago Stakes.

Rounding out the 2014 Sires Produce Stakes final field are Golden Slipper emergency Scratch Me Lucky (barrier three), John Ramsey-trained Unknown Destiny (barrier nine) and Flying Spur filly Miss Interiors (barrier six).

2014 Sires Produce Stakes Field