Ted Van Heemst Stakes – 2021 tips, preview and runner by runner

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

There are only seven runners for the 2021 running of the $250,000 Ted Van Heemst Stakes. Three of them had their last start in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic over 1800m on 4 December and two runners had their last start in the G.A. Towton Cup over 2200m last Saturday. There are six geldings and one mare with three six-year-olds and a four, five, seven and nine-year-old. Two runners are sired by Maschino and Neville Parnham has two runners.

The short-priced favourite is six-year-old  Regal Power who won the Kingston Town Classic last start and won this race in 2019. Second favourite is Neufbosc who has three wins at this track and finished 2.7 lengths 6th in the Kingston Town. Third favourite is Platoon who finished 3.7 lengths 8th in the Kingston Town last outing.

Marocchino is a five-year-old with a good record at this distance who won the Listed JRA Trophy at this track and distance on 27 November before running 4 lengths 8th in the G.A. Towton Cup last week.  Cockney Crew has not been far from the winner at his last two starts, but is yet to win beyond 1800m. Temptacion is the only mare in the field and has also not won beyond 1800m, while Juicing Carrots finished 8.8 lengths 11th in the Towton and is the rank outsider of the field at triple figure odds.

1. Regal Power

He won this race in 2019 and has won eight  of his 26 starts, from 1300m to 2400m . This six-year-old Pierro gelding is trained by Grant & Alana Williams who have won this race the last three years in a row, and will be ridden by Patrick Carbery who partnered him in a 0.5 length victory in the Kingstown Town Classic a fortnight ago. Patrick won this race in 2017 on Pounamu and in 2008 on Gilded Venom. In 2006 he was on Daka’s Gem who dead-heated for the win with Scenic Shot. Regal Power has won prizemoney of $4.4 million which is more than the rest of the field put together have won. Looks the leading hope.

2. Neufbosc

One of two runners for Neville Parnham who won this race in 2011 with God Has Spoken. This seven-year-old Mastercraftsman gelding finished 2.7 lengths 6th in the Kingston Town and has finished in the second half of the field at his last nine races. However last year he finished 15th of 16 in the Kingston Town then was 2nd in the Towton, won the Listed A.T.A. Stakes then won the Perth Cup on 2 January, so clearly does his best in the Summer. Strong place chance.

3. Platoon

The second runner for Neville Parnham, this six-year-old Playing God gelding has five wins and 15 places from 41 starts, with four wins at this track. He was back on the rail and didn’t run on when 3.7 lengths 8th on the Kingston Town. Finished 3rd in this race last year and could place again. The jockey is Steven Parnham who won this race on Ihtsahymn in 2013 and God Has Spoken in 2011.

4. Juicing Carrots

This nine-year-old Black Tom gelding trained by Raquel Reid has 10 wins and 23 places from 87 starts. He has more than twice as many starts as any other runner. He won the York Cup over 1920m on 7 November before fading late in both the JRA Trophy and the G.A. Towton Cup, both at Ascot . He has had 46 races at Ascot for 2 wins and I’m not expecting that to change here.

5. Marocchino

One of two runners sired by Maschino (the other is Cockney Crew) this five-year-old gelding has a career record of eight wins and five places from 30 starts. He was a 0.6 length winner of the Listed JRA Trophy on 27 November before fading late for 4 lengths 8th in the GA Towton Cup. He has won three from four starts at this distance range and should run well again.

6. Cockney Crew

This six-year-old Maschino gelding trained by Kieran McDonagh has five wins and seven places from 23 starts. Since resuming he has been 0.7 length 3rd in the Group 3 R.J. Peters Stakes then 0.6 length 4th over 1600m at Ascot. Back in 2019 he ran 2nd in the Group 2 WATC Derby behind Regal Power, so the distance won’t trouble him. Could surprise.

7. Temptacion

She is the only mare in the field and is also the youngest runner at four-years-old. Trainer Daniel Morton trained Scenic Shot who was a dead-heat winner of this race in 2006. She has four wins and five places from 15 starts, with three wins at this track. She hasn’t won beyond 1800m, but made some ground when 2.5 lengths 6th in the JRA Trophy over 2100m here last start. Not the worst.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes 2021 (Eagle Farm 2100m)