2012 Chester Manifold Stakes Preview & Tips

2012 Chester Manifold Stakes

Flemington – Sat 14 January 2012

There is an 8 race program at Flemington on Saturday where the feature event is the Listed $150,000 Chester Manifold Stakes over 1400 metres. The open handicap had attracted a field of 13 runners, but the early scratching of Let’s Be Happy has brought the field back to 12. The topweight is Danzylum who won this race in 2011 and 2010. He will carry 60kg, while early favourite Pied A Terre has 54.5kg. The Peter Moody stable has 3 runners with Mr Make Believe, Shout Out Loud and There’s Only One. The track was rated as dead at acceptance time, with some showers expected for the rest of the week. The running rail will be out 3 metres.

Runners in the 2012 Chester Manifold Stakes

Pied A Terre ($3.50) is an Ad Valorem gelding from the Peter Snowden stable who has had 3 starts for 3 wins. Back in July 2011 he won over 1200m at Moonee Valley and 1400m at Flemington, then resumed with a 1.5 length win over 1200m at Moonee Valley in a field of 11 on New Year’s Eve. He has drawn the widest barrier but that should not stop him from winning again.

There’s Only One ($7) is a four-year-old Testa Rossa mare from the Moody stable. She has 6 wins and 3 placings from 11 starts and won 4 races straight at the end of last campaign at Sandown (twice), Flemington and Moonee Valley. She resumed with a win over 1200m at Caulfield on 26 December in a mares handicap where she finished with a powerful run. She has won both starts over this distance and is going for her 6^th straight win. Although up in grade she has won both of her second-up starts previously and rates highly.

Second Effort ($7.50) is a 1200m specialist with 5 of his 6 wins being at this distance. He strung together 4 consecutive wins during May and June on slow and heavy tracks. He has had two starts back from a spell where he ran 5^th of 14 over 1200m at Caulfield on 26 December in the Christmas Stakes won by Zedi Knight, then was 0.4 lengths 4^th at Caulfield . in a Listed race over 1200m on 7 January. Will improve with every drop of rain that falls.

Shadowfax ($10) can mix and match his form a little but has 2 wins and 4 places from 9 starts at this distance. He finished a long head 2^nd to Alpha Proxima over 1400m at Caulfield on 3 December, then ran 12^th of 16 in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes over 1600m at Warwick Farm on 17 December where he didn’t run on.

By The Way ($10) is a six-year-old Street Cry gelding trained by Mark Lewis at Ballarat. He is in excellent form and has had 3 runs back from a spell. He won over 1420m at Flemington on 17 December then was a short neck 2^nd to Let’s Be Happy over 1400m at Flemington on 2 January where he made up a ton of ground from the rear of the field and just missed. One to watch.

Mr Make Believe ($12) is a five-year-old Commands gelding from the Moody stable that won 4 races in a row during the winter. He has had one run from a spell for 6^th of 14 over 1200m in the Listed Christmas Stakes at Flemington on 26 December. He will be fitter now and with 8 wins from 14 starts he is sure to run well.

Jo’s Tips – Chester Manifold Stakes

- Top Tip: (12.) Pied A Terre
- Danger: (8.) By the Way
- Trifecta: (10.) There’s Only One