The Chris Waller trained Zousain heads up the nominations for the Group 2 $250,000 Mitavite BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Kerrin McEvoy above, rode Zousain to victory in the Champagne Classic at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Zousain is one of three Waller two year olds among the twenty-one nominations for the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes which is one of the main lead up races for the Group 1 $600,000 J.J. Atkins Plate (1600m) at Doomben on June 9.

Stablemates The Autumn Sun and Lean Mean Machine are also included in the entries alongside of Zousain who stamped his class with an impressive two and a half lengths win in the Group 2 $175,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 12.

Waller has a high opinion of the three youngsters with all three also nominated for the J.J. Atkins Plate.

“The three horses, I think, are Group 1 horses and they will hit their peaks as three-year-olds, hence the reason why they have been targeted up here,” Waller told The Courier-Mail.

“You’d have to say Zousain is a bit sharper than the other two at the moment.

“But Lean Mean Machine had no luck at the Coast and his run had a lot or merit. If you could see him getting a nice run midfield, he will have a better turn of foot.”

While Zousain has already registered a win during the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, Lean Mean Machine posted a luckless third behind Sesar and Boomsara in the Group 3 $125,000 Moreton Hire Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 5.

The Autumn Sun has only been to the races once for a win in a 1200m two year old Maiden at Randwick on Anzac Day and is still in Sydney and has been nominated for the 2yo Plate (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Ken Russell Memorial Classic quinella Sesar and Boomsara are also nominated for the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes along with Granny Red Shoes and Sizzling Belle who finished second and third behind Eawase in the Listed $100,000 Bill Carter Stakes (1200m) at Doomben last Saturday.

The final field for the 2018 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes will be released on Wednesday, May 23.

In early betting for the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, Ladbrokes.com.au have installed The Autumn Sun as the $4.20 favourite just ahead of Zousain at $4.40 and Lean Mean Machine at $6.50.

Pre-post betting for the 2018 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.20 The Autumn Sun, $4.40 Zousain, $6.50 Lean Mean Machine, Sesar, $8.50 Graff, $10 Blue Book, Boomsara, $12 Plumaro, $18 Granny Red Shoes, $21 Sizzling Ace, Sizzling Belle, $31 Mickey Blue Eyes, $41 Dynamited, Shamurt, $61 or better the rest.

Nominations for the 2018 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m)