| Race 7 – 5:00PM R.J. PETERS STAKES (1500 METRES) |
|---|
| Of $125,000.1st $80,000, 2nd $25,000, 3rd $11,250, 4th $5,000, 5th $2,500, 6th $1,250 GROUP 3 Handicap, Minimum Weight 54kg, Three-Years-Old and Upwards, Apprentices cannot claim. WestSpeed Bonus |
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| No | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GRAND NIRVANA | Fred Kersley | Paul Harvey | 9 | 61kg | |||
| 2 | KERRIFIC | Bruce Watkins & Gary Hitchcock | Peter Hall | 4 | 59.5kg | |||
| 3 | VERMEER | Bruce Watkins & Gary Hitchcock | Jason Whiting | 2 | 55.5kg | |||
| 4 | ROHAN | Vaughn Sigley | Glenn Smith | 1 | 54.5kg | |||
| 5 | COMFYSOFA | Simon A Miller | Peter Knuckey | 13 | 54kg | |||
| 6 | ELITE BELLE | Grant Williams | William Pike | 8 | 54kg | |||
| 7 | FANICIO | Simon Foster | Ms Kyra Yuill | 12 | 54kg | |||
| 8 | KEEPERS COURT (NZ) | Adam Durrant | Ben Paterson (a) | 7 | 54kg | |||
| 9 | LUKE’S LUCK | Daniel Morton | Shaun Mc Gruddy | 5 | 54kg | |||
| 10 | POP CULTURE | Colin Webster | Patrick Carbery | 6 | 54kg | |||
| 11 | REBELSON | Darren Mcauliffe | Jarrad Noske | 10 | 54kg | |||
| 12 | RED BLAST | Daniel Morton | Chris Parnham (a) | 11 | 54kg | |||
| 13 | WILD CHARGER | Peter & Matthew Giadresco | Shaun O’Donnell | 3 | 54kg |
In the news:
A busy week awaits jockey Craig Newitt who is preparing to chase victories across Australia and abroad.
Newitt has a good book of rides at Caulfield on Saturday including New Zealand Group One winner Ransomed in the Zipping Classic (2400m).
He’ll then fly to Singapore to partner Dragonfly in the Group One Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) on Sunday before returning to ride in his home state of Tasmania on Wednesday night.
After that, a Group One assignment in Perth on Saturday week awaits.
“I’ll be flat out but hopefully it’s worthwhile,” Newitt said.
The Gary Vile-trained Ransomed won the Group One Spring Classic (2040m) two starts ago in New Zealand and Newitt jumped at the chance to partner him in Saturday’s weight-for-age race.
“He’ll be hard to beat. He (Vile) has set the horse for this race and he actually rang and booked me for the ride before Caulfield Cup day.”
Newitt has watched Ransomed’s Spring Classic win and was impressed with his finishing sprint from back in the field.
The six-year-old gelding was beaten just over two lengths at his most recent start in a Group Three 2000m race at Ellerslie on November 5.
The Group Two Zipping Classic has attracted a field of 10 including Moonee Valley Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Precedence, and Bendigo Cup winner Sertorius.
Precedence and Sertorius have been installed equal favourites in early markets with Ransomed on the fourth line of betting at $9.
“He looks pretty much the only weight-for-age horse in the race,” Newitt said of his mount.
“I’ve watched his Group One win in New Zealand. He’s only got to reproduce that and he’ll be beating these on Saturday.”
Newitt’s other rides include last-start winner Lankan Rupee in the Group Three Kevin Heffernan Stakes and the Chris Waller-trained She’s Clean who has been installed favourite for the Group Three Summoned Stakes.
She’s Clean steps up to 1600m on the back of her third behind Plucky Belle and Arinosa in Group Three company over 1400m at Flemington.
Newitt says a good barrier draw gives She’s Clean the chance to run the mile out strongly.
“If the track is playing to run-on horses, she’s the best horse in the race and should be winning,” Newitt said.
Newitt finished fourth on the Cliff Brown-trained Tenzing in last year’s Singapore Gold Cup and was happy to take the ride on the Leticia Dragon-trained Dragonfly who has the minimum weight of 50kg in Sunday’s race.
Next Wednesday night he will partner Rebel Bride in Tasmania’s Newmarket Handicap at Launceston, and on Saturday week he will ride one of the favourites, Longport, in the Group One Railway Stakes in Perth.
