Bumper entries for Sydney autumn carnival

Monday 17 February 2014, 5:55pm

More than 1200 entries have been received for the 10 races which make up The Championships at the revamped Sydney autumn carnival.

Sydney's richest race, the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 19, has attracted 112 nominations headed by early favourite It's A Dundeel, winner of last season's three-year-old triple crown, and Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente.

The Doncaster Mile on April 12, which has received a boost to $3 million, drew 127 entries while 203 two-year-olds have been nominated for the Sires' Produce Stakes.

Three-year-old Zoustar is among the 77 entries for Sydney's premier open age sprint, the $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

"We are over the moon with the response," Ian Mackay, chief executive of The Championships, said.

"We were hoping for strong nominations and are thrilled to see the total number edge past the 1200 mark.

"Owners and trainers have embraced The Championships and it's now full steam ahead for what will be two days of superb racing in April."

Australian Turf Club executive general manager of racing, Matt Rudolph, said the quality of the entries placed the Sydney carnival among the best racing events in the world.

"Horses who traditionally might have targeted international races such as Zoustar or Fiorente, are instead staying for the Sydney carnival as their grand finals," he said.

Japanese mare Hana's Goal, who has been entered for both the Doncaster and the $1 million Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) a week later, arrived in Australia on Saturday.

She will be joined at the Werribee quarantine facility on March 8 by Irish horse Gordon Lord Byron who holds entries to the TJ Smith and the Doncaster.

Sydney's autumn Group One racing begins with the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) on March 8 at Warwick Farm on March 8.

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »