The delayed first-up run for co-Doncaster Mile 2017 favourite Omei Sword is scheduled for Chipping Norton Stakes Day in the Surround Stakes in Sydney on Saturday.
Omei Sword is set to make a delayed return to racing in Saturday’s 2017 Surround Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.
A slight muscle injury has seen earlier first-up targets for Chris Waller’s highly-spruiked filly Omei Sword scratched, but she looks on track to finally take to the track at Royal Randwick in the $200,000 Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) after a good gallop at Rosehill on Saturday.
Stablemate Winx steals the show in Sydney on Saturday shooting for her 15th consecutive win in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).
A key act on the card sees a gun field of three-year-old fillies face off in the Surround Stakes, including Omei Sword who is also being kept safe in futures Doncaster Mile betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.
All-in markets on the $3 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 1, weights for which were announced this week, have Omei Sword at an equal $10 with the John O’Shea-trained Hauraki.
The daughter of High Chaparral won the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last August and hasn’t run since her second to Astern in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) in September.
In pre-field Surround Stakes betting Omei Sword is listed as the $4 second elect behind dual Group 1 winning filly Global Glamour ($2.30) from the stables of Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.
Global Glamour also holds a 2017 Doncaster Mile nomination and is exempt from ballot for the classic having won the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at the track and distance last year.
She also won the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) over the mile in Melbourne during the spring and has had three runs this time in.
The latest saw her back in the winners’ stall, the daughter of Star Witness narrowly beating home the Waller-trained Foxplay in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 13.
Foxplay is another key Surround Stakes nomination for Saturday’s Group 2, improvement tipped from the gun daughter of Foxwedge second-up.
Last season the grey enjoyed back-to-back Group 2 wins at Royal Randwick and she was beaten by the barest of margins in an eye-catching returning Light Fingers Stakes performance.
The bookies still have Omei Sword as the better fancied of the Surround Stakes fillies for Waller on Saturday with Foxplay at an all-in price of $5.
Another headline entry is the Garry Frazer-trained Hinchinbrook filly Spright coming off a third in the Light Fingers Stakes.
From four Randwick runs she has enjoyed a black-type win and three third place efforts, making her a definite top three chance again this weekend.
Other notable fillies in the mix include the Matthew Smith-trained Faraway Town coming off a Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) second at the track and So You Think filly La Bella Diosa from New Zealand in her first Australian run shooting for a fourth win on the trot first-up.
La Bella Diosa is the current $11 co-favourite with Crown Oaks runner-up Harlow Gold to win the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in April and is out to prove her potential in the Surround Stakes in her first run since winning the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) last November.
Check out the full Surround Stakes 2017 nominations below before backing your early favourites for this weekend including Winx to win the Chipping Norton Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Surround Stakes Nominations
Royal Randwick – 25/02/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1x3611x921 | GLOBAL GLAMOUR | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 1 | 56kg | 107 |
| 2 | 129x12x | OMEI SWORD | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 2 | 56kg | 92 |
| 3 | x212x114x2 | FOXPLAY | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 3 | 56kg | 92 |
| 4 | 3323x111x3 | SPRIGHT | F | 3 | Garry Frazer | 4 | 56kg | 87 |
| 5 | 534×394852 | FARAWAY TOWN | F | 3 | Matthew Smith | 5 | 56kg | 76 |
| 6 | 3110×6 | FRENCH FERN | F | 3 | David Payne | 6 | 56kg | 82 |
| 7 | 14x3111x | LA BELLA DIOSA (NZ) | F | 3 | Mandy & Matt Brown | 7 | 56kg | 92 |
| 8 | 24x11422x6 | SEZANNE | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 8 | 56kg | 80 |
| 9 | 112×411 | PUMPKIN PIE | F | 3 | Danny Williams | 9 | 56kg | 77 |
| 10 | 0x4311x9 | ZENALICIOUS | F | 3 | Les Bridge | 10 | 56kg | 75 |
| 11 | 16x2231x5 | LUBITON | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 11 | 56kg | 71 |
| 12 | 7x2285111x | DIDNT EVEN KISS ME | F | 3 | Scott Spackman | 12 | 56kg | 63 |
| 13 | 36×93 | PERFECT RHYME | F | 3 | Ron Leemon | 13 | 56kg | 59 |
