Saturday’s Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield is set to bring together a line-up of horses bellying its Group 3 status if today’s nominations are any indication. Entries were extended for the $135,000 three-year-old feature and already the race looms as a mouth-watering clash between some highly-touted gallopers heading towards Group 1 races later in Melbourne’s summer-autumn racing period.
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Gai Waterhouse has nominated exciting talent Bull Point, a city winner as a two-year-old who produced a visually stunning performance to grab a placing behind Zoustar in last year’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1200m) at Rosehill.
The Fastnet Rock colt, who holds nominations for both the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington, could take on the likes of progressive Robbie Laing-trained Lord Of The Sky, one-time Caulfield Guineas favourite Prince Harada and Lindsay Park’s Fast ‘N’ Rocking.
Lord Of The Sky was a dominant last-start winner at Caulfield and could use the Manfred as a springboard to a crack at the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) next month while Prince Harada is a chance to return to the track for the first time since his unplaced Guineas performance in October.
Other horses of note to feature among the entries for Saturday’s Manfred Stakes are Mick Kent’s debut winner Pyrollic, progressive Robbie Griffiths-trained gelding The Quarterback, Peter Moody-trained blueblood Monkstone and Stakes-winning stablemate Kiss A Rose.
Saturday’s second Group 3 event, the $120,000 Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) has attracted 16 quality juvenile nominations, headlined by impressive last-start Flemington winner Bugatty for Team Hawkes.
Gai Waterhouse’s Nayeli, a winner on the Kensignton track last start over subsequent Inglis Classic (1200m) winner Peggy Jean, is also among the nominations, as are exciting two-year-olds from the Mick Price, David Hayes and Peter Gelagotis yards.
Another event that may prove a strong guide to later feature races is the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m) which could see the return of a number of exciting sprinters.
Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) entrants including Mike Moroney’s untapped five-year-old African Pulse, last-start Kensington Stakes (1000m) hero General Truce and Peter Moody’s Brilliant Bisc feature prominently in Saturday’s nominations.
Western Australian-trained speedster Exelorada could also make the trip across to contest the race for Neville Parnham, joining South Australian raiders Esprit De Bullet and Pocket Rockets in the potential line-up for the $120,000 feature.
And the Listed Sportingbet Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) could see the potential clash of established performers Ethiopia and Prairie Star and emerging staying talents Prince Of Penzance, Laidback Larry and Cooldini.
The $120,000 event, a popular lead-up to the $350,000 Mornington Cup (2400m) on 12 February, has also attracted nominations from last-start Perth Cup (2400m) runner-up God Has Spoken, talented import He’s Your Man and Mick Kent’s gifted mare Epingle.
The full set of nominations for Saturday’s feature Caulfield meeting are available here with final acceptances to be taken at 10am on Wednesday.