A bumper field of three-year-olds is taking shape for Saturday’s $180,000 VOBIS Gold Carat (1200m) at Caulfield. An impressive 21 entries were received for the race that is only open to horses nominated for Victoria’s exciting breeding and racing scheme, VOBIS Gold.
Darren Weir’s progressive colt Trust In A Gust, a last-start winner of the $100,000 VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade (1400m) at Ballarat, could chase further VOBIS Gold riches for his connections, as will David Hayes’ Churchill Dancer, a winner of the $180,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot (1200m) in April.
Placed behind the exciting Hucklebuck at Caulfield in October, Trust In A Gust posted a strong Bendigo win in early November before mastering the heavy conditions at Ballarat to effortlessly take the inaugural Eureka Stockade on 24 November.
Run for two-year-olds when it kicked off the inaugural VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series in January, the Carat was taken out by the gifted Peter Moody-trained filly Diamond Glow.
Moody has nominated a quartet of gallopers for Saturday’s feature, including impressive last-start Moonee Valley winner Miss Promiscuity, while Peter Snowden could be represented by Creance and Pandyan.
The rich race, part of a bolstered VOBIS Gold Premier Race series for 2013/14 that will continue with the $180,000 VOBIS Gold Star at Moonee Valley on 24 January, headlines an exciting card of racing on Saturday.
Healthy nominations have been received for the two heats of the Swettenham Stud Summer Championship, run over 1400m and 1600m respectively that carry an $80,000 bounty each.
Opening Heat winner Floatmyboat has been nominated for both races by trainer Robbie Griffiths, while last-start city winner Free Of Doubt could also line up in the 1400m event.
Regular summer racing contenders including The New Boy, Snow Cover, Zlatan and General Offer are among other gallopers nominated to contest a heat of the popular series.
And number of exciting last-start winners could also line up in the $100,000 0-90 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m including Mick Kent’s Danestroem, the in-form First Light Racing’s Suite Success and lightly-raced Peter Moody-trained mare Lonhtime.
Other potential highlights on the eight-race card include the reappearance of unbeaten five-year-old Cadel Triomphe in the 0-78 2000m race and the clash of exciting fillies Maroon Bay, Zeffiretta and I Got A Turbo in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1000m.
The full set of nominations for Saturday’s Caulfield meeting are available here.
More information on the Swettenham Stud Summer Championship is available here.