English visitor Addeybb brings an international form line to the Ranvet Stakes, prompting his favouritism for the Group One race.
Trained by William Haggas, Addeybb has been domiciled at the Canterbury quarantine centre for some weeks with stablemate Young Rascal who runs in Saturday’s Group Three Manion Cup as a lead-up to the Sydney Cup.
Addeybb finished second to Magical in the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot in October and was well clear of third placegetter, high class Japanese mare Deirdre.
The TAB opened Addeybb at $2.80 ahead of last year’s Ranvet Stakes winner Avilius at $4 and Verry Elleegant, one of four Chris Waller-trained runners, at $4.80.
Waller is looking to Verry Elleegant to regain the form that resulted in her Group One win in last year’s Australian Oaks.
After a mixed spring campaign, the mare goes to the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) for her third campaign run, her most recent a second to Te Akau Shark in the Chipping Norton Stakes,
“It’s clear to see she is better in the autumn. That’s the pattern I’m seeing and what I’m seeing at home,” Waller said.
“She’s eating well and is clearly a lot stronger than what she was in the spring.
“Her two runs this campaign have been very good. Track conditions won’t be a concern to her.
“It was good to see her take up a position last start. She had a wide draw and James (McDonald) made her begin.
“He got her to switch off and that was a big tick in my opinion.”
Waller’s other runners are former New Zealander Danzdanzdance, third in last year’s Ranvet, Youngstar, the 2018 Queensland Oaks winner, and Norway.
Formerly trained by Aidan O’Brien, Norway finished third in the Irish Derby and will be having his first Australian start with Waller opting for the 2000m-race over the George Ryder (1500m).
Leading New Zealand jockey Opie Bosson, who is in Sydney primarily to ride for the Te Akau team, will be reunited with Danzdanzdance who he rode to two Group One wins across the Tasman in December 2018.
After riding Melody Belle in Melbourne last weekend, Bosson made a double Tasman crossing, getting back to Sydney in time to beat the midnight Sunday deadline to avoid self isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.
English jockey Tom Marquand, who had a successful summer stint in Sydney, got back late last week to ride the Haggas horses and the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Prague in the Golden Slipper.
Saturday’s meeting featuring five Group One races, will be closed to the public in accordance with government guidelines on outdoor gatherings of 500 or more people.
