A return trip to Sydney could be on the cards for Victorian miler Gold Fields if he can record a hat trick with a win in the Group 2 $250,000 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Gold Fields, above, is among the nominations for the 2019 Villiers Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The winner of the Villiers Stakes is exempt from the ballot for the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick during the 2020 Sydney Autumn Carnival and Gold Fields is in great form with wins at his last two starts in Victoria.
The Logan McGill trained Gold Fields had no problems in disposing of his opposition in the Listed $200,000 Sale Cup (1600m) at Sale on October 27 and then scored a nose win in the Group 3 $160,000 Ladbrokes Sandown Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on November 16.
The 1600m of the Villiers Stakes is Gold Fields pet distance with five of his eleven wins over that distance and the seven year old is one of seventeen nominations for the Sydney Summer Racing Carnival’s feature Mile.
McGill has earmarked the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 14 and a trip to Dubai as possible Autumn Carnival targets but will keep his options open if Gold Fields can win the Villiers Stakes on Saturday.
“It’s a good problem to have at the moment,” McGill told Racenet.
“We have already got plans on what we would like to head towards and one way or another a win on Saturday would cement those plans.
“He obviously has good options in Dubai or staying locally for that All-Star Mile.
“If he wasn’t voted into the All-Star mile, it will help his cause with prizemoney if he was to win the Villiers.
“There is always the option of going to Dubai a little bit later as well to try and get him in those better races around March.”
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au have Gold Fields marked as a $13 chance for the Villiers Stakes while the Mark Newnham trainer Quackerjack heads the betting at $4.60 just ahead of James Cummings’ Ranier at $6.50.
Early betting for the 2019 Villiers Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Quackerjack, $6.50 Ranier, $7 El Dorado Dreaming, Live And Free, $10 Bobbing, Noble Boy, $12 Invincible Gem, $13 Gold Fields, $14 Aqua D’Ivina, Cutadeel, $15 Strome, $21 Le Juge, $26 Goodfella, Mushaireb, Sambro, Siren’s Fury, $101 All But Gone.
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