Moving day is upon us with the Turnbull Stakes meeting at Flemington on Saturday. The field for the Group 1 features plenty of Cups contenders and the current Cox Plate favourite Via Sistina. The undercard will see the running of the Danehill Stakes over 1100m for the 3YOs, The Bart Cummings over a staying trip provides the winner with a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup and also the Rose Of Kingston Stakes will shape some of the key contenders for the Empire Rose. The Turnbull Stakes will have some of the biggest names in the country in the nominations, including Via Sistina, Aeliana, Antino, Half Yours, Buckaroo, Zardozi and Land Legend. James McDonald is in town to ride Via Sistina and Jamie Melham will keep the ride on Half Yours, leaving the ride on Zardozi open after Melham partnered her in the two runs she’s had this preparation. Chris Waller could have as many as four runners with Buckaroo, Land Legend, Via Sistina and Aeliana, while Ciaron Maher could have a few himself with Middle Earth and Zardozi.

TURNBULL STAKES, 2000m, Group 1, Set Weights & Penalties

ANTINO (T Gollan) B Shinn

BUCKAROO (C Waller)

DEAKIN (P Stokes) D Stackhouse

LAND LEGEND (C Waller)

MIDDLE EARTH (C Maher) M Zahra

ADELAIDE RIVER (K Lees) M Dee

HALF YOURS (T & C McEvoy) J Melham

VIA SISTINA (C Waller) J McDonald

ZARDOZI (C Maher)

AELIANA (C Waller) D Lane

GOLDEN PATH (M Price & M Kent Jnr) J Childs

 

Saturday’s Danehill Stakes is set to be a cracking contest with a host of Stakes winners from their previous starts racing against each other, including Legacy Bound (Poseidon Stakes), Rosberg (McKenzie), My Gladiola (Cap D’Antibes) and Alpha Sophie (Atlantic Jewel). They are to be joined by Godolphin’s Todman winner Tentyris, who returns for his first run this Spring carnival. Mark Zahra will pilot him for the Freedmans, leaving Jye McNeil to take the ride on the undefeated Legacy Bound.

DANEHILL STAKES, 1100m, Group 2, 3YOs

TYCOON STAR (B, W & JD Hayes) M Dee

LEGACY BOUND (R Griffiths) J McNeil

JIMMY RECARD (C Maher) J Melham

TENTYRIS (A & S Freedman) M Zahra

MCGAW (D & E Browne) D Lane

ROSBERG (C McDonald) B Melham

MY GLADIOLA (J McArdle) J Mott

ALPHA SOPHIE (P Moody & K Coleman) Z Spain

 

Western Australian speedster West Star will make his debut in Victoria in the G2 Gilgai Stakes, with Damian Lane to take the ride on Simon Miller’s exciting runner. Stradbroke Handicap winner War Machine could make his return to the races here but will also be entered in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick and Airman is another who could be in the nominations for both races. Maligned galloper Buenos Noches is another who could make his racetrack return here. In-form La Fracas will be given his first chance at G2 level, with Melham booked for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained horse.

GILGAI STAKES, 1200m, Group 2, Set Weights & Penalties

WAR MACHINE (B, W & JD Hayes)

STAR PATROL (C McDonald) B Melham

BUENOS NOCHES (C Maher)

AIRMAN (M, W & J Hawkes)

STEPARTY (P Preusker) M Zahra

GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS (M Freedman) J McNeil

WEST STAR (S Miller) D Lane

ROYAL INSIGNIA (G Begg) C Williams

LA FRACAS (M Price & M Kent Jnr) J Melham

 

The Bart Cummings has become one of the most important races on this day, with its golden-ticket status for the Melbourne Cup ensuring a good field each year. Archer winner Revelare will run here and risk a weight penalty for the Cups if he wins, while he will be joined by a horse higher than him in markets for the big race on the first Tuesday in November in Gilded Water, who is to be ridden by Melham. Grand Pierro, Mark Twain, Mormona, Jennivamoose, Interpretation, Trav and Berkshire Breeze will also be in the nominations for the 2500-metre feature.

THE BART CUMMINGS, 2500m, Group 3, Handicap

POST IMPRESSIONIST (A & S Freedman) B Shinn

RIVER OF STARS (C Waller)

REVELARE (R Hickmott) D Bates

TRAV (R Connors)

ASTERIX (C Waller)

BERKSHIRE BREEZE (C Maher)

INTERPRETATION (C Maher)

GRAND PIERRO (J Warren) Z Spain

MARK TWAIN (R James & R Wellwood) J Mott

MISTER WOLFGANG (P & S McKay)

MORMONA (R & A Archibald) M Dee

SAYEDATY SADATY (C Maher) M Zahra

JENNIVAMOOSE (C Maher) H Coffey

GILDED WATER (C Maher) J Melham

 

In Sydney on Saturday, racing action heads to Randwick for the running of Epsom Handicap Day, one of the most-anticipated meetings on the calendar each year. The Epsom itself will have a big field but is expected to be won by undefeated star Autumn Glow, who on social media has been dubbed ‘Baby Winx’, given her likeness to the great champion. Kerrin McEvoy will keep the ride after partnering her to win the Theo Marks Stakes as she tries to emulate Winx by doing the double as a four-year-old. Last year’s winner Ceolwulf is likely to run here and carry topweight alongside Royal Patronage who may run here. Waller could have a host of runners with Lindermann, Militarize, Osipenko and Saturday’s Shannon Stakes winner Waterford all being considered as runners to join Autumn Glow in the acceptances on Tuesday for the famous mile race. Albeit, Waller has stated that he is keen to run fewer horses against Autumn Glow in the famous race. Swiftfalcon may sneak in with 20 runners to make the field in the Epsom and a stack of horses ahead of him in the Order of Entry not running. Below is our predicted list of runners for the Epsom in ballot order.

EPSOM HANDICAP, 1600m, Group 1

1. WATERFORD (C Waller) 51.5kgs

2. PERICLES (B Baker) J Parr 57kgs

3. AUTUMN GLOW (C Waller) K McEvoy 54.5kgs

4. CEOLWULF (J Pride) 58kgs

5. ROYAL PATRONAGE (G Waterhouse & A Bott) T Clark 58kgs

6. LINDERMANN (C Waller) 57kgs

7. YELLOW BRICK (T & M Sears) A Mallyon 55.5kgs

8. MILITARIZE (C Waller) 54.5kgs

9. PIER (D & B Weatherley) E Brown 53.5kgs

10. BOSUSTOW (A & R Archibald) 53kgs

11. OSIPENKO (C Waller) 53kgs

12. RISE AT DAWN (B, W & JD Hayes) 53kgs

13. WILLYDOIT (C Maher) 53kgs

14. HEADLEY GRANGE (J Pride) J Ford 53.5kgs

15. CAFE MILLENNIUM (B, W & JD Hayes) 52kgs

16. DEMOCRACY MANIFEST (C Waller) 52kgs

17. ENCAP (G Portelli) 52kgs

18. EL CASTELLO (J Pride) A Adkins 51kgs\

19. FIRM AGREEMENT (A & R Archibald) 50kgs

20. OUR GOLD HOPE (R & L Price) 50kgs

21. SWIFTFALCON (M, W & J Hawkes) 50kgs

22. DEPTH OF CHARACTER (A & R Archibald) 50kgs

 

Birdman will start favourite in Saturday’s Metropolitan over 2400m. Again, another big field is expected for the feature handicap, with a maximum of 20 starters to face the judge. Vauban and Arapaho head the weights at 58.5kg and 58kg respectively. Colin Stephen winner Piggyback goes to top of the ballot on 50kg for the G1 contest. Waller could have a host of runners in the race with leading contenders Travolta and Newcastle Cup winner Soul Of Spain both well down in the official order of entry but with plenty ahead of them not running including Adelaide River and Half Yours, who go to the Turnbull Stakes. Below is our predicted list of runners for the Metropolitan in ballot order.

METROPOLITAN HANDICAP, 2400m, Group 1

1. PIGGYBACK (C Maher) A Adkins 50kgs

2. VAUBAN (G Waterhouse & A Bott) T Clark 58.5kgs

3. ARAPAHO (B Baker) R King 58kgs

4. MORE FELONS (C Waller) 55kgs

5. CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (K Lees) E Brown 54.5kgs

6. ELAMAZ (G Waterhouse & A Bott) 53.5kgs

7. ATHABASCAN (J O’Shea & T Charlton) 52kgs

8. BIRDMAN (C Waller) K McEvoy 51.5kgs

9. NAVAL COLLEGE (A & R Archibald) 51kgs

10. SON OF SUN (B Wallace & G Cooksley) 51kgs

11. ETNA ROSSO (C Waller) J Ford 50kgs

12. WYCLIF (C Maher) 50kgs

13. GLORY DAZE (C Maher) 50kgs

14. ROYAL SUPREMACY (C Maher) 50kgs

15. DON DIEGO DE VEGA (A & R Archibald) 50kgs

16. FLYING BANDIT (K Parker) 50kgs

17. TRUST IN YOU (B Wallace & G Cooksley) 50kgs

18. TRAVOLTA (C Waller) 50kgs

19. TAJANIS (C Waller) 50kgs

20. GOD’S WINDOW (C Waller) 50kgs

21. STRATHTAY (C Waller) 50kgs

22. SUN ‘N’ SAND (B Joseph, M & P Jones) 50kgs

23. SOUL OF SPAIN (C Waller) Z Lloyd 50.5kgs

24. JUJA KIBO (C Maher) 50kgs

25. GOLDEN CENTURY (C Waller) 50kgs

 

The third of the G1 races on Saturday is the Flight Stakes for the three-year-old fillies. Tea Rose Stakes winner Apocalyptic will start a short-priced favourite in the big race, with plenty that finished behind her that day also set to be in the mile. Exciting Newcastle maiden winner Magenta Skies will be ridden by Tim Clark and has been specked in all-in markets. She may be one of the key dangers to her stablemate Apocalyptic.

FLIGHT STAKES, 1600m, Group 1, 3YO Fillies

APOCALYPTIC (M Freedman) T Berry

WITHIN THE LAW (B Baker) J Collett

TUPAKARA (A & R Archibald) E Brown

QUEEN OF CLUBS (G Portelli)

ARTISTIC VENTURE (J O’Shea & T Charlton) D Gibbons

MAGENTA SKIES (M Freedman) T Clark

KARINSKA (C Waller)

NEXT JEN (A & R Archibald)

ENVIABLE (C Waller)

 

The $1 million Premiere Stakes is another of the key features at Randwick and will feature a few key Everest contenders in Jimmystar, Briasa and Private Harry. They could also be joined by The Shorts winner Joliestar.

PREMIERE STAKES, 1200m, Group 2, Weight-For-Age

JIMMYSSTAR (C Maher) E Brown

BRIASA (M, W & J Hawkes) T Schiller

WAR MACHINE (B, W & JD Hayes)

IOWNA MERC (B Baker) J Parr

AIRMAN (M, W & J Hawkes)

MAZU (J Pride)

JEDIBEEL (B Widdup)

OSTRAKA (A & R Archibald)

PRIVATE HARRY (N Doyle) T Clark

JOLIESTAR (C Waller)

GENEROSITY (C Waller)