Australian Racing: Eliyass eyeing Champions Stakes glory

There’s plenty of racing action for punters to get stuck into on Saturday with Group action from Flemington, Rosehill and Ascot.

Race 8 Flemington

Eliyass @ 10.00

Race 6 Flemington

Giga Kick @ 5.00

Race 7 Rosehill

Belclare @ 3.60

Eliyass for Champions Stakes glory

Flemington is set to play host to three Group 1 races, including the 2000m Champions Stakes which comes up as the eighth race on a nine-race card.

Via Sistina has been in great form since returning this season, winning three of her four starts including twice at the top level.

The most recent of those victories saw her triumph by eight lengths in the 2040m Cox Plate at Moonee Valley two weeks ago.

This daughter of Fastnet Rock raced on a good 3 track that day, having triumphed on a wet track in the 2000m Turnbull Stakes over this track and trip prior.

While expected to prove hard to beat, Chris Waller’s mare is expected to start at cramped odds and ELIYASS may prove up to springing a minor upset.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, the gelding recorded a set weights Group 3 win in the Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick three starts back.

The six-year-old was registering his fifth consecutive victory that day, a run that had started with a synthetic track win in France in August last year.

Eliyass performed well when finishing just under two lengths third in the previously mentioned Turnbull Stakes over this track and trip five weeks ago.

The gelding performed best of those to race close to the speed that day and similar tactics are expected here.

While he has a bit to find with the favourite on that form, he brings solid form into this contest, despite disappointing in the 2400m Caulfield Cup last time.

Nash Rawiller takes the ride for the first time and his mount is selected to return to winning ways.

Giga Kick to salute in Champions Sprint

The first of the three Group 1 races at Flemington is the 1200m Champions Sprint.

Bella Nipotina is expected to start favourite, having registered her third Group 1 win of 2024 when taking out The Everest last month.

The seven-year-old raced on a soft 5 track on that occasion and went on to deliver a near two-length victory over 1300m in the Russell Balding Stakes at Rosehill.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, she has regular pilot Craig Williams up and rates highly as she chases her 12 win in 57 career starts.

Runner-up in The Everest was GIGA KICK, who had taken out the valuable contest as a three-year-old in 2022.

The gelding caught the eye in finishing strongly, to be narrowly beaten at Randwick and that marked his best effort in three starts so far in 2024.

Prior to that second-place finish, Giga Kick had been beaten a length when contesting the 1200m Premiere Stakes, a Group 2 event over the same track and trip.

Trained by Clayton Douglas, the selection is a dual winner at his level, including when taking the Group 1 All Aged Stakes over 1400m here in April last year.

Mark Zahra, on board last time out, is again set to ride and he looks up to steering the son of Scissor Kick to his first victory in over a year.

Belclare to take Hot Danish Stakes

Away from Melbourne, the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes is set to take place as the seventh race of 10 at Rosehill.

The 1400m contest, restricted to fillies & mares, has attracted a field of 10 with BELCLARE the selection to complete a Group 2 double.

The seven-year-old jumped at $26 when taking out The Invitation, a Group 2 event over this distance at Randwick two weeks ago on her most recent start.

This mare raced from the front that day and had a couple of her rivals here, most notably Magic Time and Olentia, behind her on that occasion.

Prior to that, Belclare had finished seventh in the Alan Brown Stakes, a race that was working out well at Rosehill two weeks earlier.

Trained by Bjorn Baker, the selection is making just her fourth start since crossing the Tasman Sea and she is taken to prove her last start win was no fluke with a victory here.