A small but smart field has gathered for the running of the Manfred Stakes, a race which has been promoted to Group 3 status after being run as a Listed event last year. All bar one of the runners will be returning from a spell and early markets suggest it’s an open affair with five of the eight entrants quoted shorter than $6.50 when markets opened on Wednesday evening. Prince Harada was on top at $3.00 from Bull Point ($4.50), Fast’n’Rocking ($5.00) with The Quarterback ($5.50) and Monkstone from the Peter Moody yard, who won this race last year with Royal Haunt, at $6.50. It promises to be a very competitive race and one that should be a good form reference further into the autumn.
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1. FAST’N’ROCKING – C Williams (1) 58.5kgs
Very unlucky not to win first up last prep when contesting the G3 Vain Stakes (1100m) here at Caulfield before, surprisingly at start number nine, he finally registered his first win with a dominated two length win in the McNeil Stakes. His form tapered off in three subsequent runs and we haven’t seen the David Hayes trained colt since he finished last in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby Day back in November. Very smart performer on his day; goes well fresh and likes the Caulfield track. Will need a touch of luck from the inside draw but will entrust Williams to found the right way home.
2. THE QUARTERBACK – M Allen (8) 58.5kgs
Easily accounted for rivals with a 4 ½ length win in a Bairnsdale Maiden back in October and followed that up a fortnight later, with another big finish, coming from last on the turn and registering a 1 ¼ length win in a BM 70 (1400m) at Sale. Hasn’t been seen since but both wins last time in by the Robbie Griffith’s Street Boss gelding, were very polished and promising performances. Steps into the deep of the pool here though and will be giving some proven performers a start as they turn.
3. RESISTANT – C Newitt (2) 57.5kgs
After running a credible fourth (3.1 lengths) behind Long John in the Listed Henry Bucks (1400m) back in September, the Choisir colt failed to make an impression from the back of the field in a 3yo Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield on a slow rated track and was immediately spelled. Been well handled at two previous fresh runs and will find this race no easier than those events. Best to wait for him to get over more ground.
4. BULL POINT – D Oliver (4) 57kgs
The well bred son of Fastnet Rock has improved with each of his six runs, of which he has won two and been placed in three. One of those placings came at his most recent start, in the G1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) back in September where he produced a phenomenal effort coming from last to run third (1 ¾ lengths) behind Zoustar and Dissident. Gai Waterhouse has prepped the colt for his return with a barrier trial at Randwick in the first week of this year and if he has continued to progress at the rate which he did through his first campaign he’ll be right in this.
5. PRINCE HARADA – B Shinn (6) 57kgs
After commencing his career with two soft wins during the winter of last year, the Haradasun colt returned with a an encouraging second to Fast’n’Rocking in the McNeil Stakes (1200m) during the Spring. He then had little luck in both the G1 Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas at his next two starts and since then, has been given a good spell by trainer Tony Vasil. Not seen at the trials and interestingly, Sydney Jockey Blake Shinn as won the ride over local hoops on the favourite. He has always shown above average ability and despite six furlongs maybe not being his ideal trip, would still expect to see a forward showing.
6 MONKSTONE – L Nolen (7) 57kgs
Sent out the 2/1 favourite when making his debut here over 1000m back in July of last year, and ran second to the very promising Lord Of The Sky by making good ground late. With the benefit of that experience, he dominated rivals at his following start again at Caulfield (1200m) and recorded an emphatic 2 ½ length win before failing to run on from back in the field in the Listed Henry Bucks (1400m) and being spelled. Big colt who won’t mind being drawn out and would think the recent spell would served the son of Fastnet Rock well. His trainer won this race last year with Royal Haunt.
7. HARD STRIKE – D Lane (5) 56kgs
Returned from an eighteen week spell and broke his maiden status with a nose win in a Werribee Maiden (1005m). That was the Street Sense gelding’s sixth race start and the third time he had started favourite. He faces a very sharp rise in grade here and likely to find at least a few too slick.
8. WORTH A RANSOM – G Boss (3) 56kgs
The Red Ransom gelding has won an Echuca Maiden and a RST 64 on the Geelong Synthetic track in her four career starts. His other two races have been on metropolitan tracks and he has been beaten by margins of seven and fifteen lengths. Likely to struggle again here.
RACE OVERVIEW
Fast’n’Rocking is the only stakes winner in the race and at the weights, not too badly treated for being so. It’s Williams’ first run on him and he can be a handful however, given his first up and overall record, he represents very good value at $5.00 in early markets. Always been good wraps on Prince Harada and from gate six, he should tail the speed and be finishing hard. Unlucky not to finish closer than he did to Fast’n’Rocking when second to that horse in the McNeil last spring but is as short as you would want to see him first up at $3.00. The other danger is Bull Point. Really came into his own toward the end of last prep and given that he would have matured further again, he could be set for a big campaign.
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- FAST’N”ROCKING
- BULL POINT
- PRINCE HARADA
- MONKSTONE
Odds:
