A total of 72 horses have been nominated for the 150th running of the Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m).
Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva, a half brother to 2006 AJC Derby winner Headturner, headlines the nominations.
Other Group 1 winners nominated include VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse, Kingston Town Classic winner Playing God, TJ Smith Stakes winner Pressday and Australian Guineas winner Shamrocker.
Makybe Diva’s first foal Rockstardom is among nominations, as is her three quarter brother Shadowofexcellence.
Sunline’s half sister Daline is also nominated.
Other notable entries are UCI Stakes winner Eclair Surprise, Fernhill Handicap winner Kudakulari, Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner Lights of Heaven and Caulfield Guineas placegetter Masquerader.
As always, there is a strong New Zealand contingent entered for the race.
While last Saturday’s NZ Derby winner Jimmy Choux is entered for the AJC Derby, he is more likely to go to the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
Other Kiwis nominated include On The Level, who ran third in the NZ Derby, Sierra Nevada, who finished fifth, and He’s Remarkable, who ran ninth.
The lightly raced Rimsky, who didn’t race in the New Zealand Derby, is the other Kiwi entrant.
The AJC Australian Derby will be run at Randwick on April 9.
Here are the nominations:
| 1 | ABSOLUTELYAWESOME (NZ) | Michael Moroney | 70 |
| 2 | ALMODOVAR (NZ) | Peter G Moody | |
| 3 | ANACHEEVA | Peter G Moody | |
| 4 | APRES | Clinton McDonald | |
| 5 | BLACKIE (NZ) | Michael Kent | |
| 6 | BRAZILIAN PULSE (NZ) | Michael Moroney | 104 |
| 7 | CHICO BONITO | Jason Coyle | 62 |
| 8 | CORAL REEF | David Hayes | |
| 9 | COUNT YOUR FINGERS | John P Thompson | |
| 10 | DALINE | Guy Walter | |
| 11 | DIAMOND JIM | David Payne | 68 |
| 12 | DOMESKY | Michael Kent | |
| 13 | DON’T PUT IT THERE (NZ) | Jim & Greg Lee | |
| 14 | DUCARIUS | Paul Perry | |
| 15 | ECLAIR SURPRISE | Peter G Moody | |
| 16 | EDELSTONE | Guy Walter | |
| 17 | ELUSIVE KING | Peter G Moody | |
| 18 | EMERITUS (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | |
| 19 | GILDED SPUR | Anthony Cummings | |
| 20 | GOLDSTONE | Bart Cummings | 74 |
| 21 | HE’S REMARKABLE (NZ) | Roger James | |
| 22 | HIGH DENSITY | Joe Cleary | |
| 23 | I THINK I DO | Bart Cummings | |
| 24 | JETER | John P Thompson | |
| 25 | JETHRO (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | |
| 26 | JIMMY CHOUX (NZ) | John Bary | |
| 27 | KIM DIVINE | Bart Cummings | |
| 28 | KING GLADIATOR | Chris Waller | 63 |
| 29 | KUDAKULARI (NZ) | Bart Cummings | 80 |
| 30 | LIGHT BRIGADE | Gai Waterhouse | 68 |
| 31 | LIGHTS OF HEAVEN (NZ) | Peter G Moody | |
| 32 | MASQUERADER | David Payne | 94 |
| 33 | MAULES CREEK | John P Thompson | 71 |
| 34 | MEAISIN (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | |
| 35 | MISSING IN ACTION (NZ) | Michael Moroney | |
| 36 | MOONSTONES (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | |
| 37 | MR CONSOLIDATOR | Leon Corstens | |
| 38 | MUIRFIELD (NZ) | Michael Moroney | |
| 39 | MUKARRAR | David Hayes | |
| 40 | MUST HAVE (NZ) | Fran Houlahan & Brian Johnston | |
| 41 | NEEDS FURTHER | Gai Waterhouse | 67 |
| 42 | NONINO | Nick Olive | |
| 43 | OFORAWESOME (NZ) | Michael Kent | |
| 44 | ON THE LEVEL (NZ) | Murray & Bjorn Baker | |
| 45 | PLAYING GOD | Neville Parnham | |
| 46 | PRAECIDO (NZ) | David Payne | 92 |
| 47 | PRECIOUS LORRAINE | David Hayes | |
| 48 | PRESSDAY | Chris Waller | 99 |
| 49 | QUARTERBAR | Michael Moroney | |
| 50 | QUEEN’S FASHION | David Hayes | |
| 51 | RAFFLES KNIGHT | Stephen Mckee | |
| 52 | REDWIN | Leon Corstens | |
| 53 | RETRIEVE | Peter Snowden | 99 |
| 54 | RIMSKY (NZ) | Bruce Wallace | |
| 55 | ROCKSTARDOM | Danny O’Brien | |
| 56 | ROYAL EQUERRY | Bill Prain | |
| 57 | SCOTTU | Joanna Methven | |
| 58 | SEA LORD | David Payne | 78 |
| 59 | SECOND DRAW | John P Thompson | |
| 60 | SHADOWOFEXCELLENCE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 67 |
| 61 | SHADOWS IN THE SUN | Anthony Cummings | 80 |
| 62 | SHAMROCKER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | |
| 63 | SHOOTOFF (NZ) | Graeme Rogerson | 69 |
| 64 | SIERRA NEVADA (NZ) | Richard Otto | |
| 65 | SLATER | Chris Waller | |
| 66 | SPACE STATION | Bede Murray | 53 |
| 67 | STRAIGHT ALBERT | Michael Dobie | 59 |
| 68 | STRAIGHT ARROW (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | |
| 69 | STRATOCRACY | Michael Moroney | |
| 70 | TAKE THE OATH | Joseph Pride | 67 |
| 71 | TOOLBAG | John P Thompson | |
| 72 | VADER | Anthony Cummings |
