Sydney Cup winner Jessicabeel is the winner of the 2009/2010 Australian Stayers Challenge.
The prize is a ballot-exempt position in the Melbourne Cup 2010, meaning she cannot be taken out of the final field.
Jessicabeel is the winner of the Australian Stayers Challenge - sportpix.com.au
Although there is one race left to be run in the series, the Lexus Stakes (2500m), the only horses that can catch Jessicabeel are not entered for the race.
They are Zavite, No Wine No Song and Capecover.
There has been much conjecture over whether the VRC should use its discretionary balloting powers to eliminate out of form horses like Jessicabeel from the field.
Click here to read yesterday’s article, Should the VRC use its balloting powers?
With Jessicabeel’s Australian Stayers Challenge victory, she has assured that she will not be the one to be demoted from the field.
However, trainer John O’Shea has said that unless she runs well in the Lexus Stakes this Saturday, she will not press on to the Melbourne Cup.
“If we can get her back on track and have a positive run, then we are right back in it,” O’Shea told the Herald Sun.
Final acceptances for the Melbourne Cup are taken at 5pm on Saturday.
Written by Andrew Hawkins
