Little Brose heads strong McNeil Stakes field

The Group 3 McNeil Stakes has drawn a quality field of 12 three-year-olds, with 11 colts and geldings and one filly accepting for the 1200m contest at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.

Of the 12 runners, seven will be making their return to the racetrack for their first starts as three-year-olds.

Legacies from the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman yard will be the only undefeated runner in the McNeil Stakes, with the daughter of Justify looking to build on her Listed Anzac Day Stakes win from her first racing preparation.

Ben, Will & JD Hayes have accepted with Blue Diamond Stakes winner Little Brose, who returned two weeks ago in the Group 3 Vain Stakes but didn’t finish in the placings.

Golden Gift and Blue Diamond Prelude winner Barber will be the lone runner from the Godolphin team, with trainer James Cummings choosing to resume the colt in Melbourne.

Similarly, Tony & Calvin McEvoy have chosen to resume Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Veight, who will link up with Damian Lane once again for his fourth career start.

The McNeil Stakes is the fifth race on the Caulfield program and is scheduled to jump at 2:20pm AEST.

2023 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes final field

No.	Silks	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1		Little Brose	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Michael Dee	10	59.5kg
2		Barber	James Cummings	Blake Shinn	6	58.5kg
3		Veight	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	Damian Lane	2	58.5kg
4		Le Zebra	Emma-Lee & David Browne	Jamie Mott	11	57kg
5		Scheelite	Ken & Kasey Keys	Daniel Stackhouse	12	57kg
6		Make A Call	Peter & Paul Snowden	TBC	7	57kg
7		Coincide	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jordan Childs	4	57kg
8		Armed Forces	Chris Waller	Jye McNeil	9	57kg
9		Heman	Peter & Paul Snowden	TBC	5	57kg
10		Deadly Press	Nick Ryan	Blaike McDougall	1	57kg
11		Hedged	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Beau Mertens	3	57kg
12		Legacies	Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman	Jamie Kah	8	56kg