Protostar field taking shape

28 June 2026 | Adam Hamilton
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Ideal Frankie

Ideal Frankie

JUST one spot remains in Australia’s richest juvenile race, the $500,000 Group 1 Rising Sun on July 11.

Champion Victorian trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin will have three runners in their quest to defend the crown they won with Loucasso last year.

They also had The Highlight Reel finish a close second to Fate Awaits in the inaugural Protostar the previous year (2024).

“We’ve got Comeandsee, Cardigan Major and Kahula,” Stewart said.

Ideal Frankie, who is trained at Stewart and Tonkin’s Cardigan stables by Allan McDonough, also has a slot.

Ideal Frankie made it three wins from as many starts with another runaway performance in last night’s $100,000 Australian Gold final at Melton.

It will be fascinating where they land with drivers.

With Courtney Barton’s Nutrien final winner Smack Bang Bart also confirmed, Victoria will have at least half the 10-horse field.

NSW is set to have three representatives in Jason Grimson’s new stable addition Jacwill Kid, Team Morris’ brilliant filly Birdsong and the Luke McCarthy trained-and-driven Don Hunter.

The other confirmed runner and only local at this stage is Chantal Turpin’s Havtimemajor, who runs in the Solid Earth (Kevin and Kay Seymour) slot.

So, that only leaves the N40 slot of Josh Davine.

All slot owners must confirm their runners by nomination time on Monday week (July 6).

PHOTO: Claire Weston Photography

 

 

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