The third leg of the two-year-old ‘triple’ crown, the Champagne Stakes (Race 6) over 1600m, is the co-feature on a bumper Easter Saturday card at Randwick.
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A late scratching out of the Slipper, Invader was able to score a tough win in the Sires Produce a fortnight ago.
With most of the country’s leading juveniles now in the paddock, he appears to have this one at his mercy.
Unsurprisingly, the Sires has proven to be a terrific guide to this race. No less than five horses have completed the double since 2003 and a number of other runners have produced eye-catching efforts there.
With history in his favour, a rails draw in his pocket and the services of the unflappable Hugh Bowman, everything points to an Invader win.
He’s been chalked up odds-on and we’re bracing for several of our big hitters to line up in support of him on the weekend.
Second favourite Whispered Secret is from the same yard as last year’s winner, Prized Icon.
Under the tutelage of James Cummings, she has followed a similar route into this after fighting off Toga Picta to win last week’s Fernhill Handicap.
She looks a pretty hardy filly and has been touted as a potential Oaks-type in the spring.
We probably feel she has further improvement to come at this stage though and will be looking towards others to lay down the challenge to Invader.
David Hayes has a stellar crop of young’uns in 2017 and will tackle this with Mornington Sires winner Eshtiraak. We’ve had our eye on this horse from the beginning and have kept him onside in betting.
It’s worth noting though, that he’s done all his racing on good surfaces down south to date and is thus an unknown prospect on what are likely to be soft-to-heavy track conditions.
At the prices, we also felt that David Payne’s Ace High would acquit himself well.
He remains a maiden after five starts but his recent runs have all been okay and he looks capable of running a place at least.
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Tips:
- Invader
- Whispered Secret
- Ace High
- Eshtiraak
