Outrageous Champagne Stakes

[Wandering Eyes]

With two top level chances in Saturday’s G1 Moet & Chandon Champagne S. over 1600m at Randwick, Team Hawkes’ runners Outrageous (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) and Irukandji (Aus) (Dundeel {NZ}) look capable of continuing their impressive form of late. Third in the G1 Sires’ Produce S. over a furlong shorter on Apr. 7, the Brenton Avdulla-ridden Outrageous gained clear running when it was too late last start before charging home, indicating that the step up to the mile should suit. A winner of the G3 Baillieu Qty (1400m) on Mar.31, the Spendthrift Australia-raced Irukandji, like his stablemate, indicates that the 1600m of Saturday’s race should suit and from gate four has the option of going forward, or settling behind those that try to cross him.

One of only two runners in the field to have contested the G1 Golden Slipper S. and the G1 Sires’ Produce S., the Hayes, Hayes and Dabernig-trained Long Leaf (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) finished in fourth last start after working home well out of the pack, and if still capable of performing at his peak on his fifth run in this campaign, should be a contender. Seemingly surprising all bar her trainer and owner by winning the G1 Sires’ Produce S. as the outsider of the field, El Dorado Dreaming (Aus) (Ilovethiscity {Aus}) needs to be included once again, purely just to show that her Group 1 victory was no fluke.

Successful in the G2 VRC Sires’ on Mar. 10, before a very unlucky run in the Sires’ Produce, the Ciaron Maher-trained Not A Single Cent (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) is looking to atone here, and a win would give his dam a second Group 1 winner in the space of a few weeks, with the colt being a half-brother to triple Group 1 winner Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}). With his dam capturing this race in 2013, Godolphin’s well-bred colt Encryption (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) had the gun run in the Sires’, a race also won by his dam Guelph (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), but failed to really make an impression, when beaten just under two lengths into sixth. His sire and dam recorded 11 combined Group 1 wins at 1600m and above, so on paper this colt should be in the finish.

 

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