Phillip Stokes’ Group 1 winning mare Maybe Discreet is the headline acceptor for this Saturday’s RA Lee Stakes 2014, a race that produced the Stradbroke Handicap winner Linton in Brisbane last winter.
Last year's Schweppes Oaks winner Maybe Discreet is nomianted for the 2014 RA Lee Stakes this weekend. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
One of the key races on The Goodwood Day at Morphettville, this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Tapestry Shiraz RA Lee Stakes (1600m) drew 16 entries at nomination stage on Monday.
Heading those is local Shamardal four-year-old Maybe Discreet after her second on the trot following a second-up victory in the Listed City Of Adelaide Stakes (1400m) on April 12.
Winner of the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) last Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival, Maybe Discreet is slowly returning to form after a failed spring season and looks the one to beat on Saturday if accepted.
Also coming via a top run in the City Of Adelaide Handicap is runner-up Golden Penny for another local horseman, Richard Jolly.
While Jolly is focused on winning his second Group 1 race in as many weeks following his success in the SA Derby last Saturday, the trainer saddling up Karacatis in The Goodwood, he will also have one eye on the RA Lee with Blevic six-year-old Golden Penny.
She’s out to atone for her disappointing ninth last time out after backing up from the City Of Adelaide Stakes to run a below par ninth to Tango’s Daughter in the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at the track on April 26.
Queen Of The South Stakes third placegetter Vivi Veloce is also nominated for the RA Lee this weekend, Lee & Shannon Hope’s Seymour-based More Than Ready filly relishing the step up to the mile in that run.
Fourth in the Queen Of The South, Saturday Affair is another top chance for the weekend’s clash, the Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas-trained four-year-old having won at Oakbank the start before her step up in grade.
Also coming via the race is David Jolly’s Dane Shadow mare Danish Spy who ran seventh, still beaten only two and a half lengths, on the back of a Morphettville win against easier rivals over the 1600m on March 22.
Jolly’s other RA Lee hope is Lion Heart gelding Streetcar Valour who has run second in their past five runs, the perennial runner-up looking to finally cross the line first.
Another last start winner in the race along with Maybe Discreet is Michael Moroney’s Victorian raider Rhythm To Spare, the Pins four-year-old having taken out a 1610m handicap at Flemington back on Anzac Day.
Other notable hopes include Nadeem mare Crucial coming off a mile Caulfield win from last Saturday, Robert Sangster Stakes sixth placed Gig and the Andrew Noblet-trained Notice Received coming off a Queen Of The South Stakes fifth.
The full R A Lee Stakes 2014 nominations are listed below, the final field due for release on Wednesday.
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2014 RA Lee Stakes Nominations
Morphettville Racecourse – 10/05/2014
| # | Horse | Trainer | Ballot | Wgt. | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAYBE DISCREET | Phillip Stokes | 1 | 57kg | 101 |
| 2 | VIVI VELOCE | Lee & Shannon Hope | 2 | 54kg | 75 |
| 3 | GOLDEN PENNY | Richard Jolly | 3 | 54kg | 97 |
| 4 | OREGON SPIRIT | Peter G Moody | 4 | 55.5kg | 94 |
| 5 | RIVER’S LANE | David & Ryan Balfour | 5 | 55.5kg | 90 |
| 6 | RHYTHM TO SPARE (NZ) | Michael Moroney | 6 | 55kg | 97 |
| 7 | CRUCIAL | Anthony Freedman | 7 | 54kg | 91 |
| 8 | GIG | Shawn Mathrick | 8 | 54kg | 85 |
| 9 | STARKIATO | Lloyd Kennewell | 9 | 55kg | 84 |
| 10 | STREETCAR VALOUR | David Jolly | 10 | 55kg | 82 |
| 11 | DANISH SPY | David Jolly | 11 | 54kg | 81 |
| 12 | SATURDAY AFFAIR | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | 12 | 54kg | 80 |
| 13 | NOTICE RECEIVED (NZ) | Andrew Noblet | 13 | 54kg | 79 |
| 14 | BORISTAR | John MacMillan | 14 | 55kg | 77 |
| 15 | KINGS PALACE | Rod Symons | 15 | 55kg | 72 |
| 16 | HALAYR JET | Grant Young | 16 | 55kg | 69 |
