The 2016 Peter Young Stakes nominations have been released and Fawkner is set to contest the Group 2 event at Caulfield on Saturday.
Fawkner is one of a number of talented gallopers that have been included in the 2016 Peter Young Stakes nominations. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
The Macedon Lodge team of Lloyd Williams have set Fawkner for an extensive autumn campaign for basically the first time in his racing career and he returned to the races with a flat performance in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 13.
Fawkner is set to press on to the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 12 if he produces an improved performance this weekend and he has also been included in the nominations for the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
The Orr Stakes is always a key lead-up race to the Peter Young Stakes and the likes of Awesome Rock, Bow Creek, Fenway, Happy Trails, Messene, Mourinho and Rising Romance are all set to back-up in the Group 2 event this weekend.
One of the most interesting runners in the 2016 Peter Young Stakes nominations is Lindsay Park-trained Almoonqith, who finished his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a strong staying performance in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) at Sandown on November 14.
Almoonqith made a slow start to his racing career in Australia, but he stamped himself as one of the most exciting stayers in the country with a dominant win in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) before he had no luck in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.
Another stayer that is set to return to racing in the Peter Young Stakes is Our Ivanhowe, who has not been seen at the races since he also had no luck in the Melbourne Cup.
Our Ivanhowe failed to record a race win during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but he produced stellar efforts in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2520m) and Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), while he would have been right in the Melbourne Cup if he hadn’t been blocked for a run in the final stages of the race.
Macedon Lodge have also included Gallante and Observational in the Peter Young Stakes, while Darren Weir could be represented by multiple runners in the form of Lidari and Manndawi.
The 2016 Peter Young Stakes nominations are rounded out by South African mare Do You Remember, Symon Wilde-trained Dodging Bullets and Mornington Cup placegetter Don Doremo.
