Almost 250 horses have been nominated for Saturday’s nine-card race at Flemington, with entries for the main event, the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200 metres), extended until 10am Tuesday.
Fifteen horses have been nominated for the showcase race with Caulfield Cup-elect, the Colin Little-trained Text’n Hurley headlining the entries.
The Ellerton/Zahra-trained Pillar Of Creation also appears to be a likely starter with Crackerjack King (David Hayes and Tom Dabernig), Tiger Tees (Joseph Pride), Grand Emperor (Saab Hasan) and last year’s winner, Broken (Darren Weir), among the 15 nominations received by the Monday midday deadline. Peter Moody’s impressive last-start first-up winner, Sino Eagle is also listed as an entry, one of 16 from the Caulfield-trainers yard for the meeting
Doncella will represent Moody in the 2000-metre fillies and mares handicap. The four-year-old mare by High Chaparral out of Onereuse, was impressive last start at Geelong when she claimed the Geelong Cup Packages Maiden Plate (1900 metres) in dazzling fashion.
Moody has also nominated first-starter Monteux in the $80,000 Super VOBIS three-year-old handicap over 1400 metres. Last-start winner Coram (Team Corstens), who won at Geelong over 1200 metres, will also contest the race.
The Aaron Purcell-trained St Jean is one of thirty horses nominated for the $80,000 1400-metre Open Handicap, he may be joined by Sandown Cup winner, Caravan Rolls On (Danny O’Brien), who is resuming after 37 weeks away from the races. Former Lloyd Williams gelding, Excluded adds intrigue as it will his inaugural run for trainer Byron Cozamanis and the seven-year-olds first race in almost a year.
The newly programmed ninth-race has again proved popular with the Victorian Racing Club receiving 47 nominations for the $40,000 1200-metre Benchmark 78 race.
The full list of nominations for the Flemington meeting can be found here