Annabel and Rob Archibald have paid up for four fillies in the P J Bell Stakes and while one has already been withdrawn due to a wide draw, their best chance remains outside the field.
At the time of writing, Nepo Baby ($8) was second emergency for Saturday’s Group 3 sprint and needed one more scratching to be vaulted into the starting line-up.
If she can secure a berth, she will join stablemates Kujenga ($23) and Wootton Lass ($51), while Tupukara will chase an overdue maiden win at Wyong instead.
“I was surprised she was an emergency,” Annabel Archibald said.
“You’d think a filly that placed in the Light Fingers (Stakes) would get in. She is going great guns, and she is drawn quite well.
“She is probably the best (chance) of them.”
Lightly raced, Nepo Baby is yet to miss a top three finish in four runs, winning her first two outings in country and provincial grade in the spring before resuming with a placing in benchmark grade at Rosehill.
She then ran the race of her life in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m), settling on the speed and holding down third behind proven performers Savvy Hallie and Apocalyptic.
Wootton Lass has been honest at her past two starts in easier grade, while multiple stakes placegetter Kujenga is first-up and did finish a solid fourth in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1200m) on resumption last campaign.
While Archibald was lukewarm on Kujenga’s recent trial, she said the filly did have a genuine excuse and had been going well at home.
“I didn’t like her trial last week, but it was raining, and the ground was really shifty. Tom Marquand was on her and said she just lost her confidence slipping around the corner a bit,” Archibald said.
“She did a little piece (Wednesday) morning and looked great, and she gets Zac Purton on in an open race.”
The Archibalds will also have progressive three-year-old Pappa Blue in the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m), the gelding scratched from an easier assignment at Warwick Farm midweek to take his chance in black type grade.
Rounding out their team are Cristal Clear and roughie Hellsing in the Doncaster Mile (1600m), the former coming into the race off a tough first-up win in the Ajax Stakes (1500m).
“You’d suggest that first-up win probably shows he has gone to another level, which he will need to here,” Archibald said.
“I’m really happy with him. He looks great and the barrier (eight) is good. Half the field has 50 kilos, or near enough, but nice light weight and he has got a lovely racing pattern up on the speed.
“He’s a real trier, so I think he will be in it for a long way.”
Connections have rewarded Cristal Clear’s regular rider, apprentice Braith Nock, with the Doncaster mount and the horse is a $34 chance, with Hellsing the outsider of the field at $151.
