Recognition Stakes at Eagle Farm – 29 November 2008

The $75,000 Listed Tattersall’s Recognition Stakes Handicap over 1600 metres is the feature race at Eagle Farm this week, and has attracted a field of fourteen runners. It is likely the early favourite Alverta will be scratched to run in the Canberra Cup on Sunday, to avoid the expected bad weather in Brisbane.
 
In the market at lunchtime on Thursday Alverta was $3.20 favourite, followed by Hey Elvis at $7 and three horses – Cocktail Supreme, Daedalus, and Nellie Got There – all at $8. Hard To Catch wais next at $9.

Alverta will carry 58 kg, but if she goes to Canberra she will have only 55.5kg over the 2000 metre Cup distance. The prizemoney of $200,000 is likely to be more tempting, even though she has not won over the distance, and the track conditions will be better.

Hey Elvis is likely to be the new favourite and has won four of his eleven starts, including both starts this campaign. His latest win was by 2 lengths in a Class 6 event on 15 November over 1400 metres.

Pat Duff has two of the best hopes in the race with topweight Hard To Catch who will carry 61 kg, and Cocktail Supreme who ran a good second to Forestreno at Eagle Farm over 1200 metres last week. Cocktail Supreme can handle a heavy track, and finishes his races off well so the step up to 1600 metres should not bother him.

Daedalus is an improving type who was won six of his fourteen starts, including back-to-back wins at his last 2 starts. He hasn’t really been tested on a heavy track and seems to prefer Doomben to Eagle Farm, but has shown improvement at each of his four starts this campaign.

Nellie Got There ran second to Alverta at his last start on 15 November over this track and distance, and has won three of six starts on a slow track.

If the track is heavy it will make it hard for Hard To Catch who is carrying 8 kg more than the bottom-weighted horses in the field.

by Jo Jackson