Friday, 26 April 2024: A quality field of fillies and mares will line up in this year’s edition of the Group One Robert Sangster Stakes.
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Ladbrokes Blog.A quality field of fillies and mares will line up in this year's edition of the Group One
Robert Sangster Stakes.First run in 1983, the time honoured event was formally known as the Swettenham Stakes before being renamed in 2005, when it was elevated to Group One status.
The feature sprint carries a purse of $1m and this year, 14 runners will vie to have their name on the honour roll, alongside the likes of Black Caviar, Alinghi, and Our Egyptian Raine.
We've cast our eyes over each individual runner and here are our thoughts. (Prices current at time of publication)
 | | ZAPATEO | |
1. Zapateo (3) Price: $7.50
Zapateo looks well placed to make it back to back Group One wins after taking out The Galaxy last start.
The Godolphin mare has been racing in top form this campaign, beaten just over a length when resuming in the Rubiton Stakes she was then only collared in the shadows of the post in the Challenge Stakes.
She presents here at peak fitness, the rise to 1200m will suit and she did turn out a terrific performance to finish third in this race last year.
Jamie Kah goes onboard and barrier three will see her afforded a soft run throughout.
BET NOW: Zapateo
 | | I am Me | |
2. I Am Me (2) Price: $7.00
I Am Me was terrific when resuming in the William Reid Stakes five weeks ago, where she finished third behind Imperatriz.
Yet to win at the elite level, the daughter of I Am Invincible has been placed on three occasions and it only looks a matter of time.
Boasting an enviable record of nine wins from nineteen race starts, she's very honest and certainly capable.
She's been given an 800m jump out since that last run to keep her up to the mark and she's drawn to get all the favours under Blake Shinn.
BET NOW: I Am Me
3. Passive Aggressive (6)
Price: $10.00
Passive Aggressive kicked off her preparation in fine style with a strong win in the Group Two Challenge Stakes.
Last start she stepped out in The Galaxy but was always wide and exposed and did well to hold her ground over the final part.
With 35 days since that run, she comes here on the fresh side and looked sharp in an 800m jump out just over two weeks ago.
Only relatively lightly raced, the Fastnet Rock mare is on the way up and from the good gate, she's right in this.
BET NOW: Passive Aggressive
 | | BENEDETTA | |
4. Benedetta (1) Price: $8.00
Benedetta comes here full of confidence after deserved last start victory in the Group Three Irwin Stakes.
The ultra consistent daughter of Hellbent had finished off strongly in the Oakleigh Plate and the Newmarket Handicap in her prior runs and with that drop back in grade, she proved too good.
Yet to finish out of the top four in all thirteen career starts, she's highly talented and she looks beautifully placed here against her own sex.
From the inside draw, she'll likely settle closer in the run.
Daniel Stackhouse has built a great association with the mare and is riding in red hot form, so he's sure to afford her every chance.
BET NOW: Benedetta
5. Roots (9)
Price: $14.00
Roots returned with an encouraging effort in the Star Kingdom Stakes and she will have taken plenty of benefit from the run.
Prepared by Chris Waller, the Press Statement mare bounced back to her best last preparation with the addition of blinkers and she looks to have returned in top order.
A dual Group Two winner, she was also the runner up in the Group One Tattersall's Tiara during the Brisbane Winter Carnival, so she's certainly capable and she does race particularly well second up.
During her career, she's only had the three starts over the 1200m, where she saluted on two occasions before finishing third last start.
In a positive push, James McDonald takes the mount and she'll be doing her best work late.
BET NOW: Roots
6. Skew Wiff (5)
Price: $61.00
Skew Wiff hasn't had much go right for her in three runs back this campaign.
She pulled up with a slow recovery rate after contesting the Oakleigh Plate and then just wanted to overdo it in the Newmarket Handicap.
Last start she lined up here in the Irwin Stakes but had nowhere to go from the home turn until the 200m mark, where she hit the line strongly when it was all too late.
Already a Group One winner, the former Kiwi is certainly capable on her day.
Her New Zealand form is hard to overlook and is she can run up to her best, then she's not without a chance.
BET NOW: Skew Wiff
7. Climbing Star (14)
Price: $20.00
Climbing Star has performed very well in two runs back this time in.
The Zoustar mare showed plenty of talent early on but her form does read a bit 'hit and miss'.
She resumed in top order last month to take out the Listed Matrice Stakes here in dominant fashion and was strong to the line last time in the Irwin Stakes, with Benedetta just getting the better of her in the final bounds.
Better suited here with the slight rise in trip but she will need plenty of luck from the outside draw.
BET NOW: Climbing Star
8. Lempicka (4)
Price: $61.00
Lempicka has been racing well.
She didn't have the best of luck in the Begonia Belle or the Oakleigh Plate but when things went her way, she was able to get the job done, saluting in the Vobis Gold Comet.
She hit the line strongly last start to go down narrowly over 1100m at Flemington.
Whilst it is a big step up in grade, she's fit, she's in good form and she'll be doing her best work late.
BET NOW: Lempicka
9. Wonderful Tonight (5)
Price: $61.00
The New Zealand trained visitor Wonderful Tonight returns to Australia and she lines up here off a last start stakes win.
Originally prepared by team Hawkes, she made her way across the ditch after just three starts and has continued to improve.
Beaten less than length in the Group One Telegraph back in January, after a third placing in the Group Three Concorde, she has performed well at a high level and doesn't look out of her depth here.
A wet track would bring her well into contention and although that won't be the case, I still think she's currently over the odds.
BET NOW: Wonderful Tonight
10. Snapped (7)
Price: $35.00
Snapped comes here in good form.
The Not A Single Doubt mare showed a brilliant turn of foot to take out the Listed City of Marion Stakes here back in February and finished off strongly again last time in the Irwin Stakes, off a seven week let up.
Unbeaten in two goes over this course and distance, she is a very talented mare but does face her toughest test to date.
BET NOW: Snapped
11. Waltz On By (8)
Price: $34.00
Waltz On By was strong to the line when resuming over 1100m down the Flemington straight.
With the race fitness on her side, she then proved too strong against a handy field over 1200m at Caulfield.
A daughter of I Am Invincible, she is dual Listed winner and has performed well against quality opposition but over 1200m at this level, I think she'll be tested.
BET NOW: Waltz On By
 | | ESTRIELLA | |
12. Estriella (11) Price: $3.10
Estriella will start a deserved favourite as she looks to make it four successive wins.
The I Am Invincible filly has gone to a new level this campaign, taking all before her and this looks the logical next step.
Only lightly raced, she showed plenty of talent in her first preparation and was unlucky not to have won at both her second third race starts.
With the light weight, Mark Zahra takes over from regular rider Blake Shinn and with any luck from the wide draw she'll be right in this.
BET NOW: Estriella
13. Learning To Fly (13)
Price: $14.00
Learning To Fly comes off an eight week let up after a solid effort in the Group One Surround Stakes.
She was brilliant when resuming the start prior, powering home to just be denied in a photo finish in the Light Fingers Stakes.
A highly talented filly, the daughter of Justify was victorious in her first three outings before coming to grief in the Golden Slipper Stakes but thankfully both her and Chad Schofield escaped serious injury.
After spending nearly a year on the sidelines, she has returned in top order and I feel she's certainly capable in this calibre of race.
She does have the wide draw to contend with but with any luck, she'll make her presence felt.
BET NOW: Learning To Fly
14. Stretan Angel (10)
Price: $11.00
Stretan Angel is another filly that comes into this race in peak order.
Prepared locally by Phillip Stokes, the daughter of Harry Angel has performed well in all seven race starts.
She showed her class in the spring when taking out the Group Two Danehill Stakes and wasn't beaten far in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
The three year old didn't have the best of luck when resuming in the Sunlight Classic behind Estriella, or last start in the Redelva Stakes but was she was hitting the line hard.
She does race particularly well here and under the guidance of Damian Lane, she'll be be finishing off strongly.
BET NOW: Stretan Angel
