2016 George Ryder Stakes Tips & Selections

Winx will jump odds-on favourite to make it five Group 1 wins this Saturday in the George Ryder Stakes 2016, but is she the one to lock in at the short price for the Rosehill Gardens win on Golden Slipper Day?

Chris Waller’s multiple Sydney Group 1 winner Kermadec looks good value to chase home stablemate Winx in Saturday’s 2016 George Ryder Stakes quinella. Photo: Steve Hart.

The $1 million Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) features a final field of only eight runners led in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au by the Chris Waller-trained champion Winx ($1.70).

She has won her latest seven starts including four elite level wins, the latest of which was the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) by one and a half lengths second-up on February 27.

Three weeks between runs, peaking third-up, she is ticking every box.

It’s a small field, Hugh Bowman retains the ride and the heroic Cox Plate winner Winx on face value will be too classy for these rivals.

That said, it is racing and anything can happen.

So will Winx salute for the punters and become the first female galloper to win the George Ryder Stakes since the filly Heat Of The Moment (1986) or is there a boilover on the cards from the likes of the young stablemate Press Statement ($5) drawn the rails or the Futurity Stakes winner Turn Me Loose ($7.50)?

1^st

#5 Winx ($1.70)

She is odds-on, but she deserves to be this short and will be very hard to beat. The Queen is simply flying and only improving heading towards the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April. She has beaten some of the best at weight-for-age and had nearly five lengths to spare for her Cox Plate success in the spring proving her ability. She does come back from a mile to 1500m, and whether that’s ideal remains to be seen. But class should prevail, and likely by a notable margin.

2^{nd             Â} 

#2 Kermadec ($12)

Waller’s Doncaster Mile winner from last autumn, Teofilo four-year-old Kermadec is seemingly the forgotten horse in this field. He’s not going to beat Winx, but second-up he’s got a good record (3-0-2-1) and he’s a dual placegetter from two previous Rosehill runs. His Canterbury Stakes third when resuming saw him beaten only 1.6 lengths and was brave. The extra metres here will suit, he won the George Main Stakes in the spring too so looks overs for a place here.

3^rd

#6 First Seal ($9.50)

John Thompson’s former Flight Stakes winner resumed with a Millie Fox win at Rosehill two back and was impressive. She’s got plenty of Group 1 form including the Coolmore Classic – Vinery Stud Stakes seconds at Rosehill last March. This is one of her pet tracks (4-1-3-0) and she’s yet to finish worse than second at the course. Her Canterbury Stakes second was nice, form we think can hold here for another place.

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