2008 Emirates Stakes – 8 November 2008

The $1 million Group 1 Emirates Stakes over 1600 metres is race 7 on Flemington’s ten-race card this Saturday. There is a full field of sixteen runners and four emergencies, with only two mares in the field.

The early market suggests the betting is fairly open. All Silent is the early favourite at $4.80 after a solid win in the 1400 metre AAMI Stakes last Saturday. On the next line of betting at $5.50 are Bank Robber and Sea Battle. Sea Battle won the 1600 metre Crystal Mile on 25 October in impressive fashion, while Bank Robber had his last run in the Epsom on 4 October, when he came second to Theseo. Bank Robber is one of two horses Gai Waterhouse has in the race – the other is Royal Discretion. Royal Discretion was disappointing last week when running ninth in the AAMI Stakes behind All Silent, after a good win in the Moonga Stakes two weeks before that. 

On the third line of betting is the Bart Cummings trained mare Mimi Lebrock. She will be carrying less weight than she has for many races. Bart has trained a record six winners of the Emirates Stakes, with Catalan Opening (1997), Shaftesbury Avenue (1990), Maybe Mahal (1976), Skyjack (1974), Taj Rossi (1973) and Storm Queen (1966).

Next at $11 is Sniper’s Bullet who was a game second in last weeks AAMI Stakes.

Female jockey Clare Lindop will be riding the Leon Macdonald trained mare Serious Speed who is currently at $15. She won the Victoria Derby on Rebel Raider at 100 to 1 last week and won the Cadbury Roses Stakes on Oaks Day at 25 to 1 on Exalted Keetah, so is obviously riding well at the moment.

Last year Nikita Beriman became the first female jockey to win the Group 1 Emirate Stakes on Tears I Cry at 100 to 1. She also became the first female jockey to win a Group 1 race in Victoria. The results in 2007 produced the season’s record First 4 and Quaddie dividends in NSW and SuperTAB, both paying dividends of over $1 million.

Valedictum, trained by Danny O’Brien, is lining up for his fourth consecutive Emirates Stakes. He won in 2005, finished third behind Divine Madonna in 2006 and was fourth last year behind longshot Tears I Cry. Glen Boss will be riding the eight-year-old. Although the race was first run in 1881 only five horses have been duel winners – Seascay (1994 and 1995), Aquanita (1960 and 1961), Amounis (1926 and 1929), De Gama (1914 and 1917) and Iolaire (1907 and 1908). It is interesting that both Amounis and De Gama managed wins three years apart, so perhaps Valedictum can do it too!

by Jo Jackson