The order of entry for next Saturday’s semi-finals of the NSW Breeders Challenge Series for the two-year-olds has been finalised following the competition of the heats.
It comes after a qualification phase which started at Young on 14 September and included races at eight different tracks across New South Wales.
Under the rules of the NSW Breeders Challenge Series, the winners of all 11 heats fill the first 11 spots in the order of entry lists for both the 2YO fillies and the colts and geldings categories.
They are ranked according to their prizemoney earned this season.
The runners-up fill the next positions on the lists – again, ranked according to prizemoney earned this season.
There is no doubt this year’s qualifiers are as good as any crop of two-year-old pacers we have seen in the proud history of the NSW Breeders Challenge Series.
Ray Walker’s speed machine Mister Rea heads the list of colts and geldings, although an injury concern has put his place in the semi-finals in considerable doubt.
He is followed on the list by two dominant Tabcorp Park Menangle winners in Jarrod Alchin’s My Ultimate Byron and Brian Portelli’s Smaltese.
Clayton Harmey’s Skyfall Benchmark is fourth after clocking an automatic qualifier with his win at Tamworth on 23 September. He also secured the last direct entry spot last night when his colt Saint Crusader won at Newcastle.
The 2YO fillies semi-finals shape as open and highly competitive affairs with the order of entry list headed by the first to gain automatic entry - Young winner Captains Queen for Russell Jack.
To showcase the vast depth across the state in this series, she is followed by Menangle winner Miss Ex for David Thorn, Amanda Turnbull’s Parkes victor Pas De Cheval and Jarrod Alchin’s super-impressive filly Madrid.
The last automatic qualification spot was wrapped up at Newcastle last night by Mystical Jazz for Darren Elder.
Owners and trainers are reminded that despite the order of entry positions, they are still required to nominate for the semi-finals by the deadline time – 9:30am on Monday, 11 October. Semi-final fields will be released at 4pm on Monday.
The NSW Breeders Challenge Series semi-finals for the 2YO’s will be held at TABCORP Park Menangle on Saturday, 16 October with the final to be held at the same venue as part of a blockbuster program a fortnight later on 30 October.
The full order of entry lists are available here
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLIES ORDER OF ENTRY
TWO-YEAR-OLD COLTS & GELDINGS ORDER OF ENTRY
The top 20 are:
Colts and Geldings
- MISTER REA
- MY ULTIMATE BYRON
- SMALTESE
- SKYFALL BENCHMARK
- ALLSTARZZZ FRANKIE
- SAINT VERAN
- BAXTER RED
- SAINT CRUSADER
- IM IN TROUBLE
- MY ULTIMATE RONNIE
- MARVELLA
- PROMISING
- MAHOMES
- ARMA ROLLING STONE
- BLING IT UP
- RUNFROMTERROR
- OFFYAROCKA CROCKER
- DUGGEE SLOY
- CHATHERUP
- EXCELENTE
Fillies
- CAPTAINS QUEEN
- MISS EX
- PAS DE CHEVAL
- MADRID
- MARTINI STRIDE
- FLARE UP
- NOT TO BE DENIED
- ROCKNROLL SASS
- LULU MAE
- MYSTICAL JAZZ
- WEONA MISS FORTUNE
- SILK CLOUD
- LETS PARTY BABY
- AFRICANA
- FINERY
- IDEAL IN DREAMS
- SHES LUSH
- KUDOS ALBERTINA
- BETTORS BEYOND
- WHEREYABINTWISTIN
