Serious racing fans are set for a treat this Saturday with the sport’s hottest sprinters nominated for the Group 1 Pulse Pharmacy William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Boom three-year-old filly Black Caviar is joined in the entries by a star-studded cast including Nicconi, Starspangledbanner, Wanted, Headway, Shellscrape, Light Fantastic, Sniper's Bullet and Turffontein for what shapes as a salivating 1200-metre showdown.
A total of 14 horses, including the five first placegetters in last month's Coolmore Lighting Stakes (1000m, Group 1) at Flemington, were nominated for the $500,000 feature when entries closed with Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) today.
Black Caviar, who resumed with a stunning win in the Australia Stakes (1200m, Group 2) at Moonee Valley on 22 January, will be out to take her unbeaten streak to six in what is her maiden foray into open Group 1 company.
The monster filly is one of three entries from the Peter Moody stable with Lightning Stakes runner-up Wanted and Group 1-winning filly Headway the others.
Nicconi, who has won two of his three starts at Moonee Valley, will use the William Reid as his springboard to an international campaign after winning the Lightning Stakes, the opening leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, at his most recent appearance.
Along with Nicconi, trainer David Hayes has entered promising Salinger Stakes (1200m, Group 2) winner Eagle Falls who boasts wins at six of his 12 starts.
Three-year-olds Shellscrape and Starspangledbanner, who finished third and fourth respectively in the Lightning Stakes, are amongst several horses who will gallop at Moonee Valley tomorrow morning in preparation for the race.
Sniper's Bullet, who was scheduled to resume in the Sportingbet Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday but was scratched owing to a poor blood picture, is chasing a hat trick of Group 1 victories.
Light Fantastic and Turrfontein have both tasted success at the highest level and the pair will be chasing more Group 1 glory when they resume from spells in the William Reid.
The Mick Price-trained Light Fantastic is owned by Moonee Valley Racing Club chairman Bob Scarborough and has been set specifically for this Group 1 event.
A pair of $200,000 Group 2 miles spearheads Saturday's support card with the Top Cut Alister Clark Stakes (1600m) for three-year-olds and the Sunline Stakes (1600m) for mares.
The Alister Clark shapes as a rematch of the CS Hayes Stakes (1400m, Group 3) run at Flemington on 30 January with the first five placegetters, headlined by race winner Take The Rap, amongst the 12 entries.
In the Sunline Stakes, Zarita, a Group 2 winner at the track and distance last spring, is the star attraction, with emerging four-year-olds Casual Friday and Pagan Princess others creating interest amongst the 10 nominations.
Acceptances for the William Reid Stakes will be taken at 9am on Wednesday, 10 February, with acceptances for the remainder of the meeting taken 24 hours later.
Click to view the Pulse Pharmacy William Reid Stakes nominations.