*Note Captain Sonador has been scratched from the 2010 Shannon Stakes
The next big meeting of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival will light up the Rosehill track on Saturday and as part of the action an exciting field of 14 horses will contest the $175,000 Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m).
The final race on the eight-event card, the 2010 Japan Racing Association Shannon Stakes features many spring hopefuls heading towards the feature Group 1’s later in the carnival.
Leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse will start two runners with Once Were Wild and Rabbuka.
Drawn well with barrier three, Johannesburg mare Once Were Wild should be a favourite in the odds comparison for Saturday as they head towards a run in the 2010 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday November 2.
Stablemate Rabbuka will start mid-field from gate seven with Tim Clark aboard.
David Payne’s improving gelding Centennial Park has secured the favourable barrier one in the Shannon Stakes, the Starlight Stakes runner-up backing up from a solid fifth to More Joyous in the Theo Marks Stakes at the same track.
Other top picks in the Shannon Stakes for Saturday are Tramway Quality Handicap winner Neeson (barrier five) and last start winner at Eagle Farm Captain Sonador (barrier 10) to be ridden by champion hoop Stathi Katsidis.
There will be nonstop betting action for punters at Rosehill on Saturday with four other Group races planned including the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1500m) featuring classy fillies More Strawberries and Parables, and the Group 2 Hill Stakes (1200m) where Chris Waller’s stablemates Triple Honour and Hawk Island will face off.
To be part of the fun all you need to do is sign up with SportsBet and enjoy better odds than the TAB on all of this weekend’s races!
2010 Japan Racing Association Shannon Stakes Final Field & Barriers
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ONCE WERE WILD | Gai Waterhouse | Glyn Schofield | 3 | 58 | 108 |
| 2 | RABBUKA | Gai Waterhouse | Tim Clark | 7 | 58 | 104 |
| 3 | CENTENNIAL PARK (NZ) | David Payne | Brenton Avdulla (a) | 1 | 57 | 102 |
| 4 | NEESON | Joseph Pride | Peter Robl | 5 | 57 | 102 |
| 5 | SPINNEY | Peter Snowden | Joshua Parr | 2 | 56 | 100 |
| 6 | STRYKER | Chris Waller | Tye Angland | 8 | 54.5 | 97 |
| SCRATCHED | CAPTAIN SONADOR | Roger Milne | Stathi Katsidis | 10 | 54 | 96 |
| 8 | SAINTHOOD | Rick Worthington | Rod Quinn | 4 | 54 | 96 |
| 9 | SACRED CHOICE | Joseph Pride | Tommy Berry (a) | 6 | 53.5 | 99 |
| 10 | KEEPIN’ THE DREAM (NZ) | Jim & Greg Lee | Jim Cassidy | 11 | 52.5 | 93 |
| 11 | RAIHANA | David Payne | Nathan Berry (a) | 13 | 52 | 96 |
| 12 | FIREBOLT (NZ) | Roger James | Daniel Ganderton | 14 | 52 | 89 |
| 13 | BARLAGARNEY | Graeme Rogerson | Peter Wells | 9 | 52 | 88 |
| 14 | NOTHIN’ LEICA CAT (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | Corey Brown | 12 | 52 | 87 |
