The Group 1 Australian Guineas will headline a 10-race card at Flemington on Saturday, with 17 runners — including one emergency — accepting for the feature three-year-old event.
The top six runners from the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes have chosen to push onto the Guineas, with most of them expected to peak in their target race of the campaign.
Another three are coming through the Group 2 Autumn Stakes, where Snow Patrol (+1300), Southport Tycoon (+1100) and Zipaway (+1800) made up the trifecta.
The top three in racebook order sit on the first few lines of betting with online bookmakers, with CS Hayes Stakes winner Riff Rocket opening as a +170 favourite.
After returning to the racetrack with a dominant performance at Flemington, the Chris Waller runner is expected to improve as he steps up in distance.
King Colorado (+550) was sent around as the favourite in the CS Hayes after he finished second in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes first-up, but the Ciaron Maher-trained galloper couldn’t stay with Riff Rocket in the final 200m.
The Tony & Calvin McEvoy stable has accepted with Veight (+650) for his third start of the preparation, coming off a strong win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes and an impressive fourth-place finish in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes.
Two three-year-olds have been sent over from New Zealand to take on some of Australia’s best, with The Pendragon (+2500) and Quintessa (+1600) making the trip across the ditch.
Apulia (+2500) and Sunsets (+4000) will be the only runners who go into the Guineas first-up, having run second and third, respectively, in last year’s VRC Derby last start.
The 2024 Australian Guineas will be race eight on the Flemington program and is scheduled to jump at 4:15pm AEDT.
Australian Guineas 2024 final field
Odds as of 11:50am AEDT 28/2/24
1. Riff Rocket (9)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Craig Williams
- W: 57kg
- F: 1×121
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: American Pharoah (USA)
- Dam: Missile Coda
-222.22
2. Veight (6)
- T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy
- J: Damian Lane
- W: 57kg
- F: 41×52
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Grunt (NZ)
- Dam: Neena Rock
+160
3. King Colorado (12)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 57kg
- F: 26×04
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Kingman (GB)
- Dam: More Aspen
+130
4. Apulia (15)
- T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes
- J: Luke Currie
- W: 57kg
- F: x2148
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Fiorente (IRE)
- Dam: Giannarelli
+500
5. Zipaway (10)
- T: Neville Parnham
- J: Steven Parnham
- W: 57kg
- F: 3×314
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Playing God
- Dam: Boutique
+400
6. Cap Ferrat (2)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Joshua Parr
- W: 57kg
- F: 6×237
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Snitzel
- Dam: C’est Beau La Vie
+500
7. The Pendragon (14)
- T: Michael Moroney
- J: Jordan Childs
- W: 57kg
- F: 21110
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: U S Navy Flag (USA)
- Dam: Kerre (IRE)
+500
8. Run Harry Run (16)
- T: Michael Moroney
- J: Daniel Stackhouse
- W: 57kg
- F: 9×111
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Written Tycoon
- Dam: Maybe Markle
+1900
9. Sunsets (13)
- T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
- J: John Allen
- W: 57kg
- F: x3142
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Dundeel (NZ)
- Dam: Waterloo Sunset
+800
10. Verdad (3)
- T: Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock
- J: Joe McNeil
- W: 57kg
- F: 3×526
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Justify (USA)
- Dam: Whistle Baby
+400
11. Snow Patrol (7)
- T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
- J: Blake Shinn
- W: 57kg
- F: 1×431
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Contributer (IRE)
- Dam: O’Rocker
+300
12. Southport Tycoon (4)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Jamie Kah
- W: 57kg
- F: 22×92
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Colt
- Sire: Written Tycoon
- Dam: Ready To Rule (USA)
+250
13. Otago (5)
- T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
- J: Ben Melham
- W: 57kg
- F: 4×11
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Ocean Park (NZ)
- Dam: Steel Stilettos
+360
14. Hey Fat Cat (1)
- T: Robbie Laing
- J: Ethan Brown
- W: 57kg
- F: 55411
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Rubick
- Dam: Keep de Rose (NZ)
+500
15. Quintessa (8)
- T: Mark Walker
- J: Michael Dee
- W: 55kg
- F: 4122x
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Shamus Award
- Dam: Chaquinta (NZ)
+360
16. Vieste (17)
- T: Benjamin Smith
- J: Brock Ryan
- W: 55kg
- F: 3×809
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Brown
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: Maurice (JPN)
- Dam: Blazing Dragon
+3400
17 (1E). Mah Ali (11)
- T: Benjamin Smith
- J: Fred Kersley
- W: 55kg
- F: 2×966
- Age: 3YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Filly
- Sire: More Than Ready (USA)
- Dam: Demanding Miss
+2900
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