- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Attention now turns away from Melbourne and onto Western Australia for the final Group 1s of the calendar year. Join us from 7.05 AEST for the running of the 2013 Winterbottom Stakes.
The Winterbottom Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age event run over 1200m at Ascot in Western Australia, with half a million dollars in prize money up for grabs.
Super mare Ortensia won the Winterbottom back in 2009 before winning it again in 2011 when the race was upgraded to Group 1 status.
Two international sprinting stars have taken out this race with Takeover Target winning in 2008 and Miss Andretti winning the 2005 edition.
Who could forget the Winterbottom of 2008 when crowd favourite Takeover Target beat the baldy faced chestnut Apache Cat by less than a whisker.
Favourites have a great record in the Winterbottom with six of them saluting in the last 10 years.
The favourite in this year’s race is the dual Group 1 winning Buffering trained by Robert Heathcote.
Three starts ago he was searching for his maiden Group 1 win, now he is looking to take out three in a row after recently winning the Manikato (Group 1, WFA, 1200m) and VRC Sprint Classic (Group 1, WFA, 1200m) in Melbourne.
It would take a brave man to bet against Buffering taking out his third Group 1 and he is going to be well and truly hard to beat here.
2012 winner Barakey is back this year for another crack and is currently second favourite in the betting.
He won the Group 3 Prince of Wales Stakes at Ascot first up and is undefeated at the track. His only career defeat came earlier this year in the Group 1 Newmarket Hcp at Felmington, finishing a disappointing 11th behind Shamexpress. He is a place chance.
Moment of Change hasn’t won a race in over a year but been gallant in his two recent runs behind Buffering.
Finishing third in the Manikato and fourth in the VRC Sprint. But will he be able to turn the tables on the Buff? In my opinion he won’t be able too but will be the main contender to finish second.
The only other runner with a winning chance is the Tony Gollan trained Spirit of Boom.
He has been racing in the second grade sprint races in Victoria but was very impressive in winning the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint two starts back. I don’t think he is in the same class as Buffering but will definitely be running on late as usual.
Selections
1. Buffering
2. Moment of Change
3. Barakey
4. Spirit of Boom
Have you ever tried your skills in a Racing daily fantasy competition? Put your best picks to the test for one day and see if you can scoop the pot with Draftstars. Looking for great odds on racing and sport? PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.