Sheza Alibi goes for four in a row in Doncaster Mile

The Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old filly Sheza Alibi will carry a mere 108 pounds when she starts against older males for the first time in Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

Sheza Alibi, who has won her last four starts and 6 of 9 races in her career, must overcome a wide draw in post 13 in a field of 16.

Trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Sheza Alibi’s stalking style may not be hampered by the post position. In her last start, she closed from sixth of nine to win the Grade 1 Randwick Guineas at a mile by about 3 1/4 lengths over Autumn Boy, another contender in the $3.85 million Doncaster Mile.

In early betting on Wednesday, Sheza Alibi was the even-money favorite, while Autumn Boy was 7-1, the only runners in the big field at single-digit odds.

Autumn Boy, who will start from the inside post and carry 114.6 pounds, had a busy March. After a second in the Randwick Guineas, Autumn Boy won the Grade 1 Rosehill Guineas for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, closing from fifth of eight.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for international racing, including Australia

The Doncaster Mile will be Autumn Boy's first start against older horses. He has won 4 of 8 starts for trainer Chris Waller. Gringotts, a Group 1 winner in November, will carry top weight of 129 pounds.

T.J. Smith Stakes

Saturday’s 10-race program at Randwick includes three other Group 1 races, notably the $2.08 million T.J. Smith Stakes at six furlongs.

The Smith Stakes drew a field of nine. Tentyris (5-2), Joliestar (3-1), and Jimmysstar (7-2) were prominent in early betting.

Tentryis, a winner of 5 of 9 starts, finished fifth of 14 as the 6-5 favorite in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at six furlongs at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on March 7. A 3-year-old colt, Tentyris was found to have cardiac arrhythmia in a post-race examination. Tentryis was sixth of nine in a schooling race at 5 1/4 furlongs at Randwick on March 27 to clear a veterinarian’s list and be allowed to start on Saturday.

Joliestar, a 5-year-old mare, won the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Randwick on March 7 as the 5-4 favorite.

Inglis Sires' Stakes

The first of the four Group 1 races on Saturday is the $694,000 Inglis Sires’ Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. Post time for the Inglis Sires’ Stakes is 12:20 a.m. Eastern on Saturday.

Streisand, second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes at six furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, was the 5-2 favorite in early betting. Trained by Clinton McDonald, Streisand was sold privately to Yulong Investments in late March.

Campione d’Italia, who finished a troubled fourth by two lengths in the Golden Slipper, was the 3-1 second choice in a field of 14.

* The final Group 1 on the program is the $1.38 million ATC Australian Derby at 1 1/2 miles. Green Spaces and Observer, second in the Rosehill Guineas, lead a field of 13.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.