One time Golden Slipper favourite Performer is ready to take centre stage again when he resumes for the Autumn in the Group 3 $150,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Performer, above, is among the nominations for the 2018 Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Chris Waller trained Performer is one of nine two year olds among the nominations for the Canonbury Stakes with the Australian Turf Club extending the entry deadline until 11am on Tuesday January 30, 2018.
Performer shot to the top of the market order for the 2018 Group 1 $3.5m Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24 following his debut win in the Listed $150,000 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate (1000m) at Randwick on September 30.
The Exceed And Excel colt is now the second pick at $8 after being overtaken by the Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Sunlight who sits at the top of the market at $6.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said that Performer has developed physically since his his debut win in the Breeders’ Plate and will go to the post on Saturday a much more mature race horse who has won both his recent barriers trials at Rosehill in preparation for his return to the race track.
“He’s taller, stronger and put on a considerable amount of weight,’’ Duckworth told Racing New South Wales News.
“He’s a more mature colt. We never tightened the screws at all last preparation, he did it on raw ability and that’s the reason why we didn’t tighten the screws because we had to allow his body to develop and strengthen.
“It gets everyone excited because it’s not in Chris’s methods of training to put them under pressure to win these early races.’’
“Everything else has been perfect. He’s still unbeaten, whether it be races or trials. So far as we’re all concerned we still think he is the one to beat.’’
Last year’s Golden Slipper winning trainer Gary Portelli has nominated three of the nine youngsters with Dio D’Oro and Patron Black having race experience while Excelebration colt Exceltic will be facing the starter for the first time.
Dio D’Oro has been to the races once for a second to the Team Hawkes trained Estijaab in a 1000m two year old Plate at Randwick on January 20 while Patron Black finished sixth in the same race.
2018 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) nominations
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54x | CATANZARO | C | 2 | Edward O’Rourke |
| 2 | 2 | DIO D’ORO | C | 2 | Gary Portelli |
| 3 | – | EXCELTIC | C | 2 | Gary Portelli |
| 4 | – | GEISSLER | C | 2 | Anthony & Edward Cummings |
| 5 | 6x | HIEMAL | C | 2 | James Cummings |
| 6 | 6 | PATRON BLACK | C | 2 | Gary Portelli |
| 7 | 1x | PERFORMER | C | 2 | Chris Waller |
| 8 | 260 | SKYRAY | C | 2 | Clarry Conners |
| 9 | – | STRATOSPHERE | C | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
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