Australia: Criaderas finds more suitable spot in Villiers Stakes at Royal Randwick
Criaderas ran largely to bettors’ expectations with an eight-place finish in the $5.26 million Golden Eagle Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 4-year-olds at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Australia on Oct. 31.
Criaderas was 20-1 in a field of 18 and closed from 15th to finish 3 1/2 lengths behind winner and stablemate Colette, a filly who has won three stakes. Criaderas had his stakes debut in the Golden Eagle and can win his first race at that level in Saturday’s Group 2 Villiers Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.
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Trained by James Cummings for Godolphin Racing, Criaderas will break from the outside in a field of 14, a draw that may not be a hindrance considering his closing style. Kerrin McEvoy, who has a lengthy history of riding for Godolphin in several countries, has the mount for the first time. McEvoy has ridden Criaderas in training races, or barrier trials, including a third-place finish against five others at Newcastle Racecourse on Dec. 3.
The $188,250 Villiers Stakes is the most prestigious race on a nine-race program at Randwick that begins at 8:40 p.m., Eastern, or 5:40 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Criaderas is one of three runners in the field for Godolphin and Cummings, along with Best of Days and Phaistos. Best of Days began his career in England where he won the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes for 2-year-olds at Newmarket in 2016. Best of Days won the Group 1 Kennedy Mile at Flemington Racecourse in Australia in 2018.
On Nov. 21, Best of Days was ninth of 16 in the $730,200 The Gong Stakes at a mile at 50-1 at Kembla Grange Racecourse.
Phaistos was second and third in minor stakes in October, and fifth of 16 in the Group 3 Festival Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Nov. 28.
Through the Cracks could go favored. He was seventh in the Festival Stakes, but won his preceding start in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Newcastle on Nov. 14, his seventh career win. Through the Cracks has had 16 starts.
Of the others, Royal Celebration catches the eye. He was eighth in the same handicap as Through the Cracks on Nov. 14, but rebounded to finish second by a head in the Festival Stakes.
Earlier on the Rosehill Gardens program, the well-regarded 2-year-olds Overmann and Ashema will have their first start in the $376,500 Inglis Nursery Stakes at five furlongs.
Overmann, a colt by the late Fastnet Rock stallion Hinchinbrook, won a training race at 4 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Nov. 30. Ashema, a filly by I Am Invincible, also won a training race at 4 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Nov. 30.