The field this year features six colts in the field of eight with the two top fancies being Menari (Snitzel) and Siege of Quebec (Fastnet Rock). (images Steve Hart)
The Gerald Ryan trained Menari is yet to win a stakes race, but a good second
to Pariah in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes and a brave fourth to She Will
Reign in the Group I ATC Golden Slipper have shown he's not far off top class.Recent trials would indicate he's come back well and Menari could easily take the next step to convert Group I potential to Group I wins.
As a homebred for Corumbene Stud, who bred and sold leading sire Sebring, Menari will be on the radar for commercial stallion farms and has an appealing pedigree.
He is the best of two winners from stakes-winning General Nediym mare Isurava, a full sister to Group II winner Ichihara and stakes-winner Au Chocolat from the family of $6million earner Tie the Knot.
Menari is bred on the same cross as Snitzel's Group I winning son Sizzling, who stands at Newgate Farm and will have his first two year-old runners this season.
Given the ever increasing profile of Snitzel as our reigning Champion Australian Sire, his sons are hot property and deservedly so.
A $1.2 million Inglis Easter purchase for Coolmore and partners, the Gai
Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Siege of Quebec has won each of his two
starts to date in lesser grade, but has race fitness on his side and a pull in
the weights as he takes on stakes company for the first time.By proven sire of sires Fastnet Rock, Siege of Quebec is a full brother to Group III winner Bull Point and brother-in-blood to Group III winner Comin' Through.
He is the third winner from Rose of Cimmaron, who is a full sister to celebrated producer Mica's Pride the dam of $7million earner Criterion.
This has become a highly successful and highly commercial family in recent years and has also produced Fastnet Rock stakes-winners Upon this Rock and Amah Rock, so it seems a foregone conclusion that at some point in his career going forward Siege of Quebec will follow suit and gain some Black type of his own.
The level of that Black Type success will determine his future and no doubt connections will be hoping he's Group I standard so he can follow in the footsteps of his champion sire Fastnet Rock at Coolmore Stud.
Spendthrift Australia have been investing heavily in Australian colts with the aim of creating stallions and already have two on their roster this year in Hampton Court and Swear, both sons of champion sire Redoute's Choice.
They have a Rosebud runner in I Am Invincible colt Overshare, who has shown good ability in three starts to date and will be well primed for this assignment by Team Hawkes.
Click here for the Rosebud form.
Footnote : Nearly all of the stakes racing during the Sydney Autumn Carnival was run on heavy tracks, so be prepared for some form reversals as two year-olds that sank like a stone in the mud find their true form.
