2008 J.J. Liston Stakes – 16 August 2008

The $200,000 Group 2 Aveo Live Well J.J. Liston Stakes at Caulfield this Saturday is shaping up as a very interesting race. The standard weight-for-age race for three-year-olds and upwards over 1400 metres has attracted a star-studded field of eleven.

The early (odds on) favourite is Weekend Hussler who has won nine of his 11 starts, including six Group 1 wins. He hasn’t raced since April when he made it four Group 1 wins in a row by taking out the 1500 metre George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill. During the past week he has had a fitness scare with a foot abscess which burst on Tuesday, but the problems seem behind him now and he is almost a certainty to start.

Second favourite is the big grey gelding Light Fantastic who is unbeaten in his four race starts including the Cadbury Guineas. He is yet to be tested at WFA but he looks as if he will measure up. Both Weekend Hussler and Light Fantastic are aiming for the Cox Plate in October, so whatever they do on Saturday they will improve on.

Don’t expect it to be a two horse race however, as there is a lot of talent among the other nine horses. New Zealand horse Sir Slick is a multiple Group 1 winner and raced in international Group1 races in Hong Kong and Singapore during April and May.

Alexander of Hales is a beautifully bred horse who was runner-up in the Irish Derby and has not raced for over a year. Kibbutz, trained by David Hayes, won the Victoria Derby and has never finished out of a place. Jungle Ruler is race fit and has won his last three starts in a row, all over 1400 metres. Maldivian, Alamosa and Mission Critical are also Group 1 winners. On top of that the track will be rain affected, which may favour the New Zealand horses. This should be a great race to watch, with many horses having the first start leading to their spring campaigns.

by Jo Jackson

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