Mahuta Heads 2016 Autumn Stakes Nominations

Super consistent colt Mahuta headlines the Autumn Stakes 2016 nominations for the Australian Guineas lead-up at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne this weekend.

2016 Australian Guineas bound Mahuta headlines the Autumn Stakes nominations for Caulfield this weekend in Melbourne. Photo: Steve Hart.

One of the key CF Orr Stakes Day support races, the $200,000 Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) attracted 23 three-year-olds at nomination stage on Monday.

Of those the best are heading towards Flemington’s $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) next month, including the Darren Weir-trained Mahuta.

A winner of his past five starts on the trot including the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) in the spring, Flying Spur colt Mahuta was last seen taking out the Gold Coast Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) in Queensland last month.

Mahuta is the shortest-priced of the Autumn Stakes entries in futures Australian Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $8 in markets led by his now stablemate, Perth Group 1 winning filly Perfect Reflection ($7).

The other best fancied in the all-in Australian Guineas betting markets nominated for the Autumn Stakes is the Chris Waller-trained Press Statement.

A dual Group 1 winner, Hinchinbrook colt Press Statement was last seen winning the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last October.

He is currently rated an $8 fancy for the Australian Guineas, but is also nominated for the $500,000 Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday as well as the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) in Sydney.

Waller has a total of five Autumn Stakes nominees this Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

His other possible runners are Devil Hawk, black-type Melbourne Cup Carnival winner Hursley, Northern Meteor colt Metallic Crown and Vanbrugh.

A $13 hope for the upcoming Australian Guineas, Encosta De Lago colt Vanbrugh has won his past three starts all in Sydney last time in including Randwick’s Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and will improve as he steps up in distance.

Mick Price has nominated for his returning 2016 ATC Derby-bound Victoria Derby champion Tarzino, but he is a likely non-acceptor with the CF Orr Stakes the preferred first-up option for the Tavistock colt.

There is just one filly in the Autumn Stakes mix this year with Tarzino’s stablemate Sailing By who was last seen running fourth to Badawiya in Flemington’s Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) before her February 1^st trial win at Geelong by three lengths.

Price’s third nominee is Celtic Tiger, a son of O’Reilly who won Adelaide’s Listed Morphettville Guineas (1600m) last September.

Godolphin’s head trainer John O’Shea also has three Autumn Stakes nominations including Holler.

The Commands colt took out the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Day in the spring before resuming with a one length win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) on January 23 over his older rivals.

He is joined by stablemates Inner Circle and Medaglia D’Oro colt Shards who ran fourth last Saturday to TJ Smith Stakes-bound Spill The Beans in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) in Sydney.

Other notable hopes include the Team Hawkes-trained Caulfield Guineas fifth placegetter Rageese looking to improve on his Australia Stakes 11^th of 12 runners and Robert Smerdon’s undefeated gelding Popovich.

See below for the full Autumn Stakes 2016 nominations before opening a new account with Ladbrokes.com.au and quoting the code BETBONUS to have your initial deposit matched 100% up to $500!

2016 Autumn Stakes Nominations

Caulfield Racecourse – 13/02/2016