THE TANCRED STAKES
2400m, $1.5 million, weight-for-age, run at Rosehill
HISTORY:
* First run in 1963, won by Maidenhead
* Quality Handicap from 1963-76
* In 1964 was run over 10 furlongs (2000m)
* Until 1990 was the H E Tancred Stakes, until 1995 The BMW, until 2002 the Mercedes Classic, reverting to The BMW again before becoming the Kia Tancred Stakes in 2018
* Some greats of the Australasian turf have won the race: Hyperno (1978), Kingston Town (1980), Bonecrusher (1986), Beau Zam (1988), Octagonal (1996, 1997), Might And Power (1998), Tie The Knot (1999, 2000), Makybe Diva (2005) and Preferment (2016)
* The 2019 edition was won by the James Cummings-trained, Godolphin-owned Avilius
TALKING POINTS
* Avilius will be striving to join Octagonal and Tie The Knot as dual winners
* The Chris Waller-trained mare Verry Elleegant is favourite coming off a second to international visitor Addeybb in last Saturday’s Ranvet Stakes. Avilius was third.
* Verry Elleegant won the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes on the corresponding program a year ago
* Avilius’ jockey Hugh Bowman will be chasing his fourth win in the race in the past eight years after winning on Fiveandahalfstar (2013), Preferment (2016) and Jameka (2017)
* Verry Elleegant’s rider James McDonald has won two of the past five Tancreds on Hartnell (2015) and Avilius (2019)
* Trainer Kris Lees will saddle up three runners, all imports, including last year’s Ebor winner Mustajeer
WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:
“He’s looked well throughout this campaign, maybe too well. But he hasn’t been at his absolute best, making me feel that he’s been half-a-run short. This race has been his main target, he got to the line to finish third last start and this will be his first run over 2400m in 12 months” – Avilius ‘ trainer James Cummings
“Of mine, I’d say Mustajeer (is top pick) because it’s the race we always thought he’d show up in” – trainer Kris Lees
“He improved dramatically first-up to second-up and he has taken another good step so I expect him to run well in what is a pretty strong race. Everything we do now is about the Melbourne Cup” – Carif’s co-trainer Peter Snowden
