Winx Dominates 2016 George Ryder Stakes Nominations

Chris Waller’s champion mare Winx is the headline nomination taken for the George Ryder Stakes 2016 this weekend at Rosehill Gardens on Golden Slipper Stakes Day.

Four-time Group 1 winner Winx is the headline entry for the 2016 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Racing NSW have extended nominations for this year’s $1 million Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) until 11am (AEDT) on Tuesday after just 11 weight-for-age gallopers made up the early entries.

The inclusion of four-time Group 1 winner Winx could have something to do with the low numbers, the four-year-old Street Cry mare looking to extend her winning streak to eight consecutive victories dating back to May last year.

Her latest turf triumph was the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 27 and on Saturday she is out to complete the Chipping Norton – George Ryder Stakes double without another run between for the first time since Lonhro won his first of the latter in 2003.

She is also out to break a notable hoodoo with no filly or mare winning the George Ryder Stakes since Heat Of The Moment won as a three-year-old back in 1986.

Waller meanwhile has a dominant record in the race preparing three straight winners from 2010 – 2012 with Danleigh, Rangirangdoo and Metal Bender.

Along with the sure favourite Winx he has also nominated for Redoute’s Choice colt Counterattack who ran third to Japonisme in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in the spring, last year’s Doncaster Mile winner Kermadec and Press Statement.

Teofilo four-year-old Kermadec is second-up this weekend after a smart first-up third to Holler at Randwick in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) on March 5, a race that has produced three of the past five George Ryder Stakes winners.

Press Statement meanwhile if accepted will be having his third run of the season, the dual Group 1 winning Hinchinbrook colt having taken out the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) first-up at Rosehill before his shock loss to Le Romain in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) last time out.

Kris Lees’ Newcastle-trained Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain is also nominated for the George Ryder Stakes on the weekend, out to become the first three-year-old winner of the race since Pierro (2013).

The last youngster to compete the Randwick Guineas – George Ryder Stakes double was Weekend Hussler (2008).

The other headline last start winner in the mix is the Murray Baker-trained Kiwi star Turn Me Loose aiming for his third Group 1 win down under.

In the spring the Iffraaj stallion won the Emirates Stakes at Flemington and returned this autumn at Caulfield atoning for a first-up CF Orr Stakes fourth to win the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) in late February.

He is yet to race in Sydney however, so how he handles the other way of racing in Australia will be key.

First Seal is also nominated for the George Ryder Stakes this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the John Thompson-trained Fastent Rock mare coming off a Canterbury Stakes second where she worked home really well after a Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) win at Rosehill the start before.

See below for the current George Ryder Stakes 2016 nominations, the final field and barriers out on Wednesday with markets to open soon after at our preferred online sportsbook Ladbrokes.com.au!

2016 George Ryder Stakes Nominations

Rosehill Racecourse – 19/03/2016