The Everest favourite Trapeze Artist is set to kick off his 2018 Spring Carnival campaign in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Trapeze Artist, above, is set to kick off his 2018 The Everest campaign in the Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trapeze Artist has drawn barrier three in the eight horse Theo Marks Stakes field and a win would cement his place at the top of the market order for the $13m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 13.
Trapeze Artist currently shares favouritism for The Everest at $4.80 with the Team Snowden trained Redzel at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Tye Angland will stick with Trapeze Artist in the Theo Marks Stakes after combining with the Gerald Ryan trained stallion for three Group 1 wins during his three year old season.
Trapeze Artist swung into the spotlight with a win at big odds in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill during the 2017 Sydney Spring Carnival and then secured a spot as favourite in The Everest with two Group 1 wins at Randwick during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival in the $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and in the $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m).
The Snitzel four year old hasn’t been pushed out in two recent unplaced barrier trials at Rosehill but Ryan still expects him to be in the firing line first up.
“He’s a bigger, stronger horse. He didn’t put on a lot of weight, he’ll probably race 20kg heavier but it’s just maturity,” Ryan said.
Godolphin import Home Of The Brave will be making his Sydney debut in the Theo Marks Stakes and trainer James Cummings is hoping for a good performance to gain the interest of the two remaining slot holders who are yet to sign up a candidate for The Everest.
Home Of The Brave has had one run on Australian soil for a second to Voodoo Lad in the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 11 and has drawn barrier five in thee Theo Marks Stakes with Glyn Schofield to ride.
Chris Waller will have three runners in the Theo Marks Stakes with Shillelagh (James McDonald, barrier 1), D’Argento (Hugh Bowman, barrier 4) and Foxplay (Kerrin McEvoy, barrier 7).
Final field for the 2018 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m)
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 410x14311x | TRAPEZE ARTIST | Gerald Ryan | Tye Angland | 3 | 61kg | 115 |
| 2 | 0x1x1230x2 | HOME OF THE BRAVE (IRE) | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 5 | 57.5kg | 108 |
| 3 | 1x076x462x | SHILLELAGH (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 1 | 56kg | 109 |
| 4 | 11x13714x3 | D’ARGENTO | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 4 | 56kg | 105 |
| 5 | 75x384850x | FOXPLAY | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 55.5kg | 108 |
| 6 | 19450x761x | GRANDE ROSSO | Peter & Paul Snowden | Andrew Adkins | 8 | 55.5kg | 104 |
| 7 | 8x6537513x | KINGSGUARD (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Corey Brown | 2 | 53kg | 98 |
| 8 | 112x1295x2 | SIEGE OF QUEBEC | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tommy Berry | 6 | 53kg | 98 |
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