BENDIGO’s Yalumba Golden Mile Raceday on Saturday will showcase some potential spring carnival stars.
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The stand-alone metropolitan class meeting has more than $1million in prizemoney and bonuses up for grabs and Victoria’s premier stables have responded strongly with some outstanding nominations.
The feature event the $150,000 Yalumba Golden Mile (1600m) has attracted 29 nominations, headed by Group One winner Wall Street from the Michael Moroney stable.
The most intriguing entrant is David Hayes’ United Kingdom import Jet Away which will have its first start in Australia.
A winner of six of his 16 career starts, Jet Away is a listed winner in England over 2000m and was purchased with the Caulfield and Melbourne cups in mind. Last year’s Bendigo Cup runner-up Practiced, raced by Lloyd Williams, is also in the Golden Mile nominations.
The most lucrative event on the program is the $250,000 UAM Vobis Gold Rush (1000m) for two-year-olds.
The Hayes, Danny O’Brien, Team Hawkes, John Sadler and Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stables all have juveniles entered for the race.
The $150,000 First Light Racing Bendigo Guineas (1400m) could well be the best form race going forward.
The in-form Peter Snowden-trained Complicate, Crystal Web, trained by Ellerton and Zahra, Road Trippin, trained by Stephen Theodore, and Ninth Legion for Team Hawkes head a highly-talented group of three-year-olds in the Guineas.
Talented Bendigo filly Hai Lil, trained by Allen Browell, will chase her third-straight win if she lines up in the Guineas.
The promising Grand Emporer will line up in the Bendigo Guineas after running unplaced in the Australian Guineas last start.
Grand Emperor won in Adelaide last June and scored a city win in Melbourne two starts ago on Blue Diamond Stakes day at Caulfield.
The in-form Secret Liason heads the weights for the $110,000 Catanach’s Jeweller’s Gold Bracelet (1400m) for mares.
A winner of four of her past five starts, Secret Liason is also entered for the Golden Mile.
The Gold Bracelet is likely to mark the return of Peter Moody’s classy mare Chateau Margaux.
The daughter of Redoute’s Choice hasn’t started since running second behind Gatewood in last spring’s Geelong Cup.
Consistent Bendigo mare Motto’s Gem is a nomination for the Bracelet and the Golden Mile, but trainer Sean Mott has decided to save her for the 0-78 Handicap over 1600m.
“That race will suit her better than the other two,’’ Mott said.
“She won at Bendigo two starts ago over a mile and we’re looking for her to get a similar run to what she had that day.”
BJC chief executive Ian Hart said everything was in place for the Golden Mile raceday to be a stellar conclusion to a sensational week of sport in Bendigo.
“We’re very happy with the nominations...it should be a great day,’’ Hart said.
“The weather looks like it’s going to be really kind to us with the temperature back to the mid-20s.
“Within six days Bendigo will have two national sporting events on free to air coverage straight out of Bendigo. That’s great for the city.”
The meeting will be televised live on channel 7TWO.
Final fields for the meeting will be released this morning.