Queen Of The Turf Stakes 2014 Form & Betting Guide

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Dual Group 1 winner Red Tracer has won four of her five starts on Heavy tracks. Photo: Steve Hart.

The first of four Group 1 races on the Sydney Cup Day program at Randwick this Saturday, the 2014 Queen Of The Turf Stakes is shaping up as a top showdown by some of the season’s best female gallopers.

Kicking off the elite level racing action, this year’s $1 million Group 1 Cellarbrations Queen Of TheTurf Stakes (1600m) originally drew a final field of 10 fillies and mares.

The early scratching of #5 Sharnee Rose however has left just nine in the mix, the favourite of which is the Chris Waller-trained Catkins ($2.80).

Dubawi four-year-old Catkins is in flying form this season, last year’s Myer Classic runner-up having run third in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) two back before her nice Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) win in the wet on Golden Slipper Day.

Following Catkins in Queen Of The Turf Stakes betting is then her multiple Group 1 winning stable mate Red Tracer ($4).

The Dane Shadow six-year-old won the Millie Fox first-up this season, having become a dual Group 1 champ in the Myer Classic over the Flemington mile last November, before her third in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes in mid-March.

She ran a below par 10^th last start against the boys in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) a fortnight later however, an effort she’ll be out to atone for her.

Also at single figures to be this year’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes winner are then Victorian visitor Solicit ($6) coming off a nice second in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in the wet from April 5 and early market mover Gypsy Diamond ($6.50) who won the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes over this track and distance on a Heavy (9) last Saturday by two lengths.

So which of these mares will get the job done? Is there value further down the markets for the Queen Of The Turf exotics?

To help you make the winning selections on Randwick Race 5 this Saturday, below are the must know Queen Of The Turf Stakes facts.

2014 Queen Of The Turf Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes winner was the Guy Walter-trained Appearance who came via a Coolmore Classic win, jumped from gate six (of 11) and was ridden by Kerrin McEvoy
• This year Walter is after another win represented by #2 Streama ($13) who will be ridden by Blake Shinn from gate four
• Last year’s winning barrier (6) was originally drawn by #1 Red Tracer ($4) but with the early scratching it will be #9 Solicit ($6) jumping from six which has produced at total of four winners (since 1983)
• In that time the most successful Queen Of The Turf Stakes barrier is eight with five wins which belongs on Saturday to #8 Recite ($17) in from barrier nine

• Mares coming via a run in the Coolmore Classic this year are then #3 Catinks (3^rd), #10 Gypsy Diamond (9^th) and #6 Bonaria (10^th)
• Run under weight-for-age conditions since 2005 the Queen Of The Turf Stakes favours the favourites with seven of the past nine saluting for the punters and eight of the past 10 most recently More Joyous (2011 and 2012); this year’s favourite is #3 Catkins ($3.10)

• Only one favourite in the past decade has failed to place
• Three-year-olds have won seven times since 1985 most recently Forensics (2008); 3yos in the mix this year are #8 Recite ($17), #9 Solicit ($6) and #10 Gypsy Diamond ($6.50)
• Gai Waterhouse is the most successful Queen Of The Turf Stakes trainer (since 1983) with six wins from 22 starters; this year Waterhouse is represented by #7 Diamond Drille ($21)
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #8 Recite (55%) followed by #3 Catkins (52%), #7 Diamond Drille (44%), #1 Red Tracer (43%) and #4 Viadana (38%)
• The best Place Percentage belongs to #3 Catkins (86%) followed by #8 Recite (82%), #9 Solicit (82%), #1 Red Tracer (80%), #2 Streama (68%), #4 Viadana (66%) and #7 Diamond Drille (56%)
• Horses with the best mile record (1600m) are: #4 Viadana (17-8-5-0), #6 Bonaria (8-3-1-0), #7 Diamond Drille (2-2-0-0), #8 Recite (4-2-1-0), #10 Gypsy Diamond (3-2-0-0), #2 Streama (6-2-1-0), #3 Catkins (2-1-1-0) and #1 Red Tracer (5-1-0-1)
• The best Randwick track records belong to: #2 Streama (9-4-1-0), #1 Red Tracer (7-3-1-2), #10 Gypsy Diamond (2-1-1-0) and #7 Diamond Drille (2-1-0-0)
• Previous winners at the Track & Distance are then: #2 Streama (5-2-1-0) and #7 Diamond Drille (1-1-0-0)
• The best wet trackers in the mix (Randwick likely to be rated Heavy for the weekend again) are: #1 Red Tracer (6-5-0-0), #3 Catkins (2-2-0-0), # Bonaria (4-1-0-2), #7 Diamond Drille (3-1-1-0) and #10 Gypsy Diamond (1-1-0-0)

Bookmark us here at Races.com.au to view our insider Sydney Cup Day tips to be published shortly.

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2014 Queen Of The Turf Stakes Field & Form Guide