Manikato Stakes 2024 Barrier Draw & Final Field
- The Manikato Stakes headlines Friday night's Moonee Valley card
- 13 runners have accepted for the 2024 edition
- Final field is included below
I Wish I Win has drawn barrier 12 in the 2024 Manikato Stakes. (Getty)
I Wish I Win (barrier 12) broke a 14-month winning drought when saluting in the 2024 Kingsford-Smith Cup on June 1, with that 1300m feature win following two placings to open his autumn campaign.
While 1000m proved too sharp on his most recent return, the son of Savabeel was strong late for a fifth-of-eight finish in the Moir Stakes and stepping to 1200m second-up will be ideal.
Hayasugi (barrier 2) was the biggest eye-catcher in the Moir Stakes, where the Blue Diamond winner was first-up and she's another who will be suited up to 1200m in the Manikato Stakes.
The Clinton McDonald-trained filly hasn't finished outside of the top two in her last four Melbourne appearances, with a winning hat-trick recorded at Caulfield last summer.
Estriella (barrier 10) had to settle for fourth as a beaten favourite in the Moir Stakes, however, there were some excuses in that first-up attempt, where the four-year-old covered ground in what was her second appearance at Group 1 level.
Growing Empire (barrier 7) is arguably the best three-year-old sprinter of his crop, with the in-form youngster having won his last four starts and that includes two victories this season.
Sepoy (2011) was the last colt to win the Manikato Stakes, however, three-year-old filly Loving Gaby took this feature out for the Maher & Eustace stable in 2019.
Recommendation (barrier 5) is another in-form galloper from the Ciaron Maher yard, with the five-year-old opening this campaign with a winning hat-trick, although this is a big rise in grade.
Veight (barrier 9), Southport Tycoon (barrier 3), Chain Of Lightning (barrier 4) and Climbing Star (barrier 11) are among the Group 1 winners that have accepted for the 2024 Manikato Stakes.
Manikato Stakes 2024 Barriers & Final Field
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Wish I Win (NZ) | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Luke Nolen | 12 | 58.5kg | $4.40 |
| 2 | Veight | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Damian Lane | 9 | 58.5kg | $11 |
| 3 | Recommendation | Ciaron Maher | Michael Dee | 5 | 58.5kg | $15 |
| 4 | Southport Tycoon | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 3 | 58.5kg | $19 |
| 5 | Johnny Rocker | Nick Ryan | Ben Melham | 13 | 58.5kg | $26 |
| 6 | Caballus | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 8 | 58.5kg | $51 |
| 7 | Chain Of Lightning | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Ethan Brown | 4 | 56.5kg | $26 |
| 8 | Estriella | Ciaron Maher | Blake Shinn | 10 | 56.5kg | $7.50 |
| 9 | Kimochi | Gary Portelli | Jason Collett | 6 | 56.5kg | $19 |
| 10 | Climbing Star (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Stackhouse | 11 | 56.5kg | $34 |
| 11 | Coleman | Matt Laurie | Kerrin McEvoy | 1 | 52kg | $13 |
| 12 | Growing Empire | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 7 | 52kg | $4.20 |
| 13 | Hayasugi | Clinton McDonald | Jamie Kah | 2 | 50kg | $5.50 |
Odds courtesy of Betr & correct on 24/09/2024.
Manikato Stakes Winners
First contested in 1968 as the Freeway Stakes, the Manikato Stakes is one of Melbourne's premier sprint races.
This race gained its name in 1984 to honour the legendary Manikato, who recorded two victories in this event and after being moved to the Friday night before the Cox Plate from 2012 to 2022, the Manikato Stakes spent two days on the Cox Plate day program.
From 2024, the Manikato Stakes will replace the Moir Stakes timeslot and be contested on the Grand Final public holiday (Friday).
Several of Australia's favourite horses have delivered wins in this event, including the brilliant grey Chautauqua, while Buffering, Hay List, Miss Andretti, Sunline and Vain are also among the champions to have won this 1200m Group 1.
Jonker (2021), Bella Nipotina (2022) and Imperatriz (2023) have won the last three editions of the Manikato Stakes.
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