Consistent three-year-old Voilier has been included in the 2016 Carrington Stakes field and he is set to take on the older horses in the Listed event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Voilier will take on the older horses in the 2016 Carrington Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Voilier made his racing debut with a dominant victory in the Sire Custodians Plate (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on December 6 and he went on to finish second behind Headwater in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 21 before he failed to beat home a single runner in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on March 7.
The Beneteau gelding started his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a credible fourth behind Japonisme in the Bob Ingham Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on July 18 and he finished second in both the Listed The Rosebud (1200m) on August 8 and the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on August 22 before he was sent to the spelling paddock after he failed to fire in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Royal Randwick on September 5.
Voilier returned to the races with a tough second behind Rule The River in the ATC Farewells A Thomas Handicap (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day before he produced another credible effort when third behind Esgrimidor and Raido in the TFC Hotels Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury on January 9.
Trainer Gary Nickson was originally set to run Voilier in the Cellarbrations Handicap (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, but he threw Voilier into the Carrington Stakes as a late nomination after the original nominations came up very light.
Voilier is set to take on six rivals in the Carrington Stakes this weekend after only seven horses were included in the acceptances for the Listed event.
Godolphin-owned Medcaut is the only horse that is set to take winning form into the Carrington Stakes after he recorded narrow victories in the Inglis Classic Sale Night Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on December 5 and the December Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day.
Chris Waller will be represented in the Carrington Stakes by You’ll Never, who has not been seen at the races since he finished sixth in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 1.
Villiers Stakes flop Red Excitement (barrier seven), Gordon Yorke-trained Hidden Warrior (barrier three), Team Hawkes-trained Agent (barrier two) and the consistent Zin Zan Eddie (barrier six) round out the 2016 Carrington Stakes field.
