THE past two Emirates Melbourne Cup winners, Shocking and Viewed, are set to return to the racetrack at Caulfield this Saturday as part of the Melbourne Festival of Racing.

The pair feature amongst 20 horses nominated for the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Orr Stakes (1400m) for which entries closed with Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) today.

Shocking has not raced since winning the Melbourne Cup on 3 November, as has Viewed who finished seventh in that race after claiming the BMW Caulfield Cup at his previous start.

Both horses are treading a path towards the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Super Saturday, 6 March.

Viewed is one of three horses nominated for the Orr Stakes by master trainer Bart Cummings with 2008 Australian Cup winner Sirmione and Moatize, both of whom are on the comeback trail, being the others.

Australia’s premier race mare Typhoon Tracy, dual Group 1 winner Heart Of Dreams, evergreen weight-for-age star Zipping and brilliant New South Wales pair Sniper’s Bullet and O’Lonhro are other high profile entries for the Caulfield feature.

Star Sydney three-year-old Denman and locally trained The Age Caulfield Guineas (Group 1) runner-up Carrara feature amongst the nominations too, but both were entered for the Listed $100,000 Wellington R.C. Stakes (1400m) for three-year-olds on Saturday also.

Cannonball, the first USA-trained horse to compete in Australia, adds an international flavour to the nominations for both the Orr Stakes and Saturday’s Group 3 co-feature, the $125,000 Rubiton Stakes (1100m).

Although unplaced at his Australian debut in the Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m, Group 1) at Flemington on Saturday, he finished strongly over the concluding stages suggesting a step up in distance will aid his chances of a breakthrough win.

Three-year-olds headline the nominations for the Rubiton Stakes with boom colt We’re Gonna Rock and star fillies Irish Lights and Avenue featuring alongside veteran speedster Lucky Secret in the list of 23 entries.

Saturday’s meeting also continues the countdown to the $1m Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on 20 February with two Group 3 $125,000 Preludes (1100m) to feature.

Included amongst the nominations for the colts and geldings’ Prelude is the highly fancied Secession, million dollar baby Beneteau, the unbeaten General Truce and Blue Diamond Preview winner Innocent Gamble.

Crystal Lily, the TAB Fixed Odds favourite for the Blue Diamond after her stunning Preview win on Australia Day, spearheads the entries for the fillies’ Prelude with Sweet Cheeks and She’s Got Gears other entries of note.

Acceptances for the Sportingbet Orr Stakes will be taken at 9am on Wednesday, 3 February, with acceptances for the remainder of the Caulfield program taken 24 hours later.

RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE

CONTACT: Shaun Kelly – RVL Communications Manager M: 0417 145 796 P: (03) 9258 4252 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.