John Thompsonâs consistent Group 1 performing mare First Seal is the headline nomination taken for the Queen Of The Turf Stakes 2016 at Royal Randwick this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Fenway (inside) and First Seal (outside) are two of the headline 2016 Queen Of The Turf Stakes nominees for April 9 at Royal Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.
Nominations closed on Monday for all of the elite level The Championships features this season including those for the $1 million Group 1 Cellarbrations Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) run on Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day, April 9.
The weight-for-age fillies-and-maresâ classic drew a total of 100 nominations and early pre-field favourite in the latest Queen Of The Turf Stakes odds is First Seal.
Winner of the 2014 Flight Stakes, the four-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock enjoyed a stellar autumn last year including seconds in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
She ran sixth to Amanpour in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes last April, but hasnât raced again since.
Nearing her much awaited return from injury the bookies are taking no chances with First Seal in futures markets for her upcoming Group 1 assignments including another shot at the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Gai Waterhouse continued her ace record in the race with Amanpour (2015) her eighth Queen Of The Turf Stakes winner and fourth in the past five years.
Waterhouse is back in 2016 with six entries including last yearâs Golden Slipper runner-up, Encosta De Lago filly English who recent beat home First Seal in a Randwick trial (839m) on January 29.
English is out to become the first three-year-old Queen Of The Turf Stakes winner since Forensics (2008).
The other key Waterhouse-trained hope is Northern Meteor filly Speak Fondly who was second in the Golden Rose Stakes last September before her Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) win over the Randwick mile in October.
Stay With Me is equal second favourite in Queen Of The Turf Stakes betting with the Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old Azkadellia, last seen crossing under a length away third in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington last Victoria Derby Day.
Prepared by David Hayes & Tom Dabernig, Street Cry filly Stay With Me won the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) in October defeating subsequent Crown Oaks champ Jameka before her sixth in the Myer Classic.
Robert Smerdonâs Myer Classic winning mare Politeness is another top Queen Of The Turf Stakes hope in 2016, the five-year-old daughter of Street Sense last seen running second to Turn Me Loose in a brave Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) effort on November 7.
Myer Classic runner-up Fenway is also in the mix, the Lee & Shannon Hope-trained High Chaparral four-year-old also runner-up in Adelaideâs Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville behind Delicacy last May.
Also nominated for the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at the meeting, the Kris Lees-trained Lucia Valentina is one of the best performed mares in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes mix.
The dual Group 1 winner has been hit and miss over the past few seasons, but ran a brave fifth last time out overseas in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) in December.
Other notable Queen Of The Turf Stakes nominees include the Peter Moody-trained Savabeel filly Pasadena Girl who ran fourth to Jameka in the VRC Crown Oaks last time out and the Chris Waller-trained Dubawi six-year-old Catkins who was runner-up in the race 12 months ago.
First acceptances for the 2016 Queen Of The Turf Stakes close at midday (AEDT) on Tuesday March 8 followed by the release of the final field on Tuesday April 5.
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2016 Queen Of The Turf Stakes Nominations
Randwick Racecourse â 09/04/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 240417x11x | A LOTTA LOVE | M | 4 | Sam Pritchard-Gordon | – |
| 2 | 4361x1860x | ABIDEWITHME (NZ) | M | 6 | Peter G Moody | – |
| 3 | 062831013x | AMARELA (NZ) | M | 4 | Nigel Blackiston | – |
| 4 | 2x311313x | AMBIENCE | F | 3 | John O’Shea | – |
| 5 | 0x11005x1x | AMICUS | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 108 |
| 6 | 150x23221x | ANAPHORA | M | 4 | Tony Noonan | – |
| 7 | 132x14111x | ARTISTRY | M | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 84 |
| 8 | 11x | ASINARA | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 68 |
| 9 | x621x5079x | ATLANTIS DREAM (NZ) | M | 7 | Darren Weir | – |
| 10 | 120x12123x | AZKADELLIA (NZ) | M | 4 | Ciaron Maher | – |
| 11 | 3x217113x | BADAWIYA | F | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 12 | 817x55048x | BALLET SUITE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | – |
| 13 | 51x | BRIGADOON RISE | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 66 |
| 14 | x2497x380x | BRING ME THE MAID | M | 4 | Peter G Moody | – |
| 15 | 11x6x | CANA | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 68 |
| 16 | 250513310x | CASINO DANCER | M | 5 | Mike Van Gestel | 100 |
| 17 | 21226x159x | CATKINS | M | 6 | Chris Waller | – |
| 18 | 323x24226x | CHASTENED | M | 5 | David Vandyke | 71 |
| 19 | 5591128x1x | CHOOSE | M | 5 | Lee & Shannon Hope | – |
| 20 | 313x43175x | CORONATION SHALLAN | M | 6 | Brett Scott | – |
| 21 | 42x1x | DAISY DUKE | M | 4 | Tony McEvoy | 65 |
| 22 | x84315x54x | DIG A PONY | M | 5 | Peter G Moody | – |
| 23 | 11x | DIXIE BLOSSOMS | F | 3 | Ron Quinton | 72 |
| 24 | 13x341613x | DONâT DOUBT MAMMA | F | 3 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 25 | 1x11233x | EGYPTIAN SYMBOL | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | – |
| 26 | 1126x | ENGLISH | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | 95 |
| 27 | 1x | EURO ANGEL (NZ) | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 67 |
| 28 | 28x321016x | EXCLUSIVE LASS | M | 4 | Nigel Blackiston | – |
| 29 | 22x | FALKENBERG | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 30 | 4412x9102x | FENWAY | M | 4 | Lee & Shannon Hope | – |
| 31 | 112x21226x | FIRST SEAL | M | 4 | John P Thompson | 107 |
| 32 | 11x | FLASHING SPEED | M | 4 | Anthony Cummings | 70 |
| 33 | 4211x9x14x | FLIPPANT | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 34 | 11x | GHISONI | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 72 |
| 35 | 3x3x | GLOBAL GOOD | F | 3 | Jim Conlan | – |
| 36 | 221x36x | HARLEM RIVER | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | 73 |
| 37 | 0130x2231x | HEAVENS ABOVE | M | 4 | Tim Martin | 82 |
| 38 | 1x4x59058x | HOLY COW | M | 5 | Michael Kent | – |
| 39 | 6204x1129x | INTO THE MIST | M | 4 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 40 | 1312x | JALAN JALAN | F | 3 | Colin Little | – |
| 41 | 271153337x | JESSY BELLE | M | 5 | Luke Oliver | – |
| 42 | 386210287x | JUST A BLUR | M | 5 | Barbara Joseph & Paul Jones | 82 |
| 43 | 431112336x | KIMBERLEY STAR | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | 84 |
| 44 | 164414110x | LA PASSE | M | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 45 | 319x11x33x | LADY LE FAY (NZ) | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 89 |
| 46 | 154013x90x | LOOK TO THE STARS | F | 3 | David Vandyke | 84 |
| 47 | 76x648915x | LUCIA VALENTINA (NZ) | M | 5 | Kris Lees | – |
| 48 | 36x103438x | LUCKY LAGO | M | 6 | Lee & Anthony Freedman | – |
| 49 | x511x5305x | MAHARA | M | 6 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 96 |
| 50 | 6x71x | MALI ROSE | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | 62 |
| 51 | 348x93252x | MARY LOU | M | 5 | Anthony Cummings | 76 |
| 52 | 8x0x43240x | MAYâS DREAM | M | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 53 | x14291410x | MISS ROSE DE LAGO | M | 5 | Danny O’Brien | – |
| 54 | 121x251x | NANCY | M | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 77 |
| 55 | 6416765x3x | NO TRICKS (NZ) | M | 4 | Wayne Walters | – |
| 56 | 24x113x00x | NOBLE PROTECTOR (GB) | M | 6 | Robert Smerdon | – |
| 57 | 18157x554x | NOELAâS CHOICE | M | 5 | Peter G Moody | – |
| 58 | 48x764430x | ORIENTAL LADY (GER) | M | 6 | Kris Lees | – |
| 59 | 1x3x29x | PAINTED FIRETAIL | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 70 |
| 60 | 141x25444x | PASADENA GIRL (NZ) | F | 3 | Peter G Moody | – |
| 61 | 1214x | PEARLS | F | 3 | John O’Shea | 89 |
| 62 | 2125x1918x | PEEPING | M | 4 | Ron Quinton | 102 |
| 63 | 11111x | PERFECT REFLECTION | F | 3 | Darren Weir | – |
| 64 | 41572x253x | PERIGNON | F | 3 | Gerald Ryan | 90 |
| 65 | 6000x1112x | POLITENESS | M | 5 | Robert Smerdon | – |
| 66 | 116617x62x | PRIVATE SECRETARY | M | 6 | Gregory Hickman | 89 |
| 67 | 116x75544x | QUEEN OF KARIBA | M | 4 | John Sargent | 80 |
| 68 | 41x | RAVI | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 67 |
| 69 | 81150x162x | REDASUN | M | 4 | Greg Eurell | – |
| 70 | 2x61211x | RISQUE (NZ) | F | 3 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | – |
| 71 | 3x31324x | SAILING BY | F | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 72 | 8x21x0125x | SANTA ROCKS | M | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 68 |
| 73 | 1122x267x | SARDAAJ (NZ) | M | 4 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | – |
| 74 | 3x169x5x | SATYA | M | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 75 | 48x054152x | SAVANNAH ROSE | F | 3 | Gary Nickson | 66 |
| 76 | 77x004510x | SCARLET BILLOWS | M | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 77 | 2x1613x | SERENE MAJESTY | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | – |
| 78 | 64x1x | SHOTGUN ROULETTE | F | 3 | Wayne Wilkes | 52 |
| 79 | 32098x402x | SINGLE GAZE | F | 3 | Nick Olive | – |
| 80 | 3171x4740x | SLIGHTLY SWEET | M | 4 | Jason Coyle | 92 |
| 81 | 120x281x2x | SOLICIT | M | 5 | Gerald Ryan | 104 |
| 82 | 4x113310x | SOMETHING SECRET | M | 4 | Jason Coyle | 72 |
| 83 | x210x1121x | SPEAK FONDLY | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse | – |
| 84 | 1102320x3x | SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (NZ) | M | 5 | Murray Baker | – |
| 85 | 25x11616x | STAY WITH ME | F | 3 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 104 |
| 86 | 2N311x117x | SUAVITO (NZ) | M | 5 | Nigel Blackiston | 109 |
| 87 | 2349x9700x | SUPARA | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse | 79 |
| 88 | 21213x661x | SWEET FIRE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 85 |
| 89 | 86190x909x | SWIFT LADY (NZ) | M | 4 | John Sargent | 68 |
| 90 | 114x2x10x | TAKENJA (GER) | M | 6 | Mick Price | – |
| 91 | 13x25x58x | TAP THIS | F | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 65 |
| 92 | 4x3211664x | TELEPATHIC (NZ) | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 93 | x6535x470x | THINKING OF YOU (NZ) | M | 4 | Peter G Moody | – |
| 94 | 167x70211x | TINTO | M | 5 | Rex Lipp | – |
| 95 | 1x6x2x31x | TROIS CHOIX | M | 4 | Joseph Pride | 69 |
| 96 | 102x15460x | VERGARA | M | 5 | Anthony Cummings | 93 |
| 97 | 15211x111x | WINX | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 116 |
| 98 | 00549x149x | ZANBAGH | M | 5 | John P Thompson | 93 |
| 99 | 30x2210x | ZARA BAY | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 100 | 5734x7317x | ZARZALI | M | 4 | James Cummings | – |