Five Kiwis set to shine
Jason Collett, who rode La Bella Diosa to victory in the Surround Stakes, but was suspended for the Coolmore Classic, will take the ride on Saturday. The Chris Waller-trained Foxplay is a $3.50 favourite.
Three: Jon Snow Group II Tulloch Stakes Saturday 4.50pm Trackside 1
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Jon Snow will warm up for another clash with Gingernuts in the ATC Derby when he contests the Group II Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill. Saturday’s race will be Jon Snow’s first start on Australian soil. Twice Group I placed in New Zealand, including a third placing behind Gingernuts and Rising Red in the New Zealand Derby, Jon Snow is a $3 favourite for the $215,000 race but is far from good thing dropping back to 2000m from the 2400m in the New Zealand Derby. Jon Snow also ran third in the Group I Levin Classic at Trentham in January behind Hall Of Fame and Savile Row. The James Cummings-trained Prized Icon is second favourite at $4. The Busuttin-young trained Rising Red has been scratched and is an unlikely starter in the ATC Derby.
Four: Maria Ritchie Group I Dubai World Cup Sunday 5.45am Trackside 2
Race favourite Arrogate and his star trainer Bob Baffert will take all the headlines but a former Southlander will also be represented in what is one of the richest races in the world. Maria Ritchie, a former jockey who was based in Southland during the 1980-90s, will become just the second female trainer to start a runner in the race alongside Gai Waterhouse. Ritchie will line up Special Fighter in the race worth $14 million. She was only granted her trainers licence in Dubai last month. She was the assistant trainer to Musabah Al Muhair Al Muhairi but was placed in charge of the Oasis Stables when Al Muhairi was banned for 12 months for administering cobalt. Special Fighter is a $35-1 shot in the race but did finish fourth in the race last year.
Five: Lady Chatto Group I Bathurst Gold Tiara Final Saturday 10.20pm Trackside 2
Lady Chatto will provide Canterbury trainer Tim Butt with a realistic shot at another Australian Group I on Saturday night. Unbeaten in two starts, Lady Chatto is a $3 second favourite behind My Sweetchilliphilly ($1.50) in the $112,000 Bathurst Gold Tiara Final. Both two-yearold fillies easily won their heats but Lady Chatto will start from barrier five with My Sweetchilliphilly having to contend with a tricky second row draw which may be enough to get Lady Chatto home first. Lady Chatto will be driven by Butt’s Victorian based brother Anthony. He drove the daughter of American Ideal out of Lady Lozza to her heat win at Bathurst back on March 15. In her first start, Lady Chatto won the Leonard Memorial Stakes at Addington on March 5.