Ingham Stakes draws capacity field for $2m contest

Nash Rawiller and Cepheus streak clear to claim the Group 2 Shannon Stakes. (Photo: Racing NSW)

The Group 2 Ingham Stakes (1600m) is the headline act this Saturday at Royal Randwick, with a capacity field of 20 set to duke it out over $2 million.

Formerly known as the Villiers Stakes, the winner earns ballot exemption from the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) in the following autumn.

The Matthew Dunn-trained Cepheus leads the field as top weight, with the seven-year-old gelding yet to be seen since finishing runner-up in The Big Dance (1600m) at this course on November 7.

Nash Rawiller is set to take the reins once again, but he is sure to have his hands full with the son of Sea The Stars drawing barrier 19.

Detonator Jack will be searching for back-to-back wins after proving too strong in The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange a fortnight ago, while the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace barn will also have Cranbourne Cup winner Charterhouse in the mix.

It’s no surprise to see the Chris Waller yard bring a strong contingent of six, with Hinged, Osipenko and Waterford all needing to improve from winless campaigns so far.

The John O’Shea-trained pair of Kirwan’s Lane and Lion’s Roar ran into the Ingham quinella last year and will be looking to replicate that feat this weekend.

The 2023 Ingham Stakes is the first leg of the Randwick quaddie and is set get underway at 4pm local time.

Ingham Stakes 2023 field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Cepheus	Matthew Dunn	Nash Rawiller	19	60kg
2	Detonator Jack	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jason Collett	15	58kg
3	King Magnus	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	Thomas Stockdale	20	58kg
4	Vilana	James Cummings	Adam Hyernonimus	6	58kg
5	New Mandate	Chris Waller	TBC	17	57.5kg
6	Osipenko	Chris Waller	Tim Clark	24	57.5kg
7	No Compromise	Chris Waller	TBC	21	57kg
8	Rustic Steel	Kris Lees	Sam Clipperton	1	56.5kg
9	Surf Dancer	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	TBC	23	56.5kg
10	Attractable	Sara Ryan	Regan Bayliss	3	56kg
11	Kirwan’s Lane	John O’Shea	Joshua Parr	2	56kg
12	Dark Destroyer	John O’Shea	TBC	10	55.5kg
13	Hinged	Chris Waller	Zac Lloyd	7	55kg
14	Charterhouse	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Tyler Schiller	7	55kg
15	Excellent Proposal	Michael Freedman	TBC	12	55kg
16	Communist	Michael Freedman	Rachel King	9	54.5kg
17	Phearson	Brad Widdup	TBC	11	54kg
18	Waterford	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	13	54kg
19	Lion’s Roar	John O’Shea	Tom Sherry	5	53.5kg
20	Age Of Kings	Chris Waller	Kerrin McEvoy	8	53kg
21	Williamsburg (1E)	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	TBC	4	53kg
22	Military Expert (2E)	Annabel Neasham	Reece Jones	14	53kg
23	Loch Eagle (3E)	Kris Lees	Dylan Gibbons	22	53kg
24	Foxy Cleopatra (4E)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Craig Williams	18	54kg