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Sydney’s first Group race of the new season – the Group 2 $200,000 Iron Jack Missile Stakes – is run at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday as a pathway of sprint races begins towards spring and the ultimate prize, the $15 million TAB Everest.

Multiple Group 1-winning Kiwi mare Melody Belle is the early $3.60 TAB favourite in a super field of sprinters in the Iron Jack Missile Stakes.

The Jamie Richards-trained and Kerrin McEvoy ridden mare resumes from a spell, already the winner of 15 races from 30 starts and almost $3.4 million in prizemoney.

The Joe Pride-trained Eduardo with jockey Nash Rawiller is the $4.80 second favourite ahead of Godolphin and James Cummings-trained Flit ($6) for star jockey James McDonald, and her stablemate Savatiano ($7) with Rachel King aboard.

Godolphin won last year’s Missile Stakes with mare Alizee who went on to be the stable’s runner in the 2019 TAB Everest.

Saturday’s Iron Jack Missile Stakes field of 13 runners also includes last year’s inaugural Iron Jack Golden Eagle winner Kolding ($18) for Sydney’s champion trainer Chris Waller and jockey Glen Boss.

The Iron Jack Missile Stakes begins a pathway of Group sprint races ahead of the $15 million TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on 17 October.

Those races include the Group 3 Show County Quality at Royal Randwick on 22 August, Group 3 Concorde Stakes on 5 September at Royal Randwick, Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes on 12 September at Rosehill Gardens, Group 2 The Shorts at Royal Randwick on 19 September and the Group 2 Premiere Stakes on 3 October at Royal Randwick.

Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager Racing Services, James Ross said Saturday’s Group 2 Iron Jack Missile Stakes had attracted a strong and competitive betting field as early spring campaigns began.

“The Sydney spring sprint program continues to grow in stature as owners and stables across Australia and New Zealand look to gain a slot in the $15 million TAB Everest,” Mr Ross said.

“It is also pleasing to see an increase in the quality and size of the field in this year’s Missile Stakes following a change to a Set Weights and Penalties race.”

Saturday’s $140,000 Listed Schweppes Rosebud for the three-year-olds is also a pathway to another feature race this spring, the $1 million Group 1 De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose on 28 September at Rosehill Gardens.

Two highly promising Aquis youngsters Kumasi (trainer Gerald Ryan and jockey Brenton Avdulla) and Anders (trainers Ciaran Maher and David Eustace and jockey Jason Collett) are the early equal $4 TAB favourites for the Schweppes Rosebud.

The Rosehill Gardens track was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday morning with the rail back in the true position for Saturday’s feature meeting. General admission tickets for Saturday’s meeting must be booked online at  theraces.com.au

NOTE: In addition to full compliance with all NSW Public Health Orders, Australian Turf Club (ATC) is taking a proactive approach to minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19. ATC is committed to the health and well-being of all people visiting and working at all of our venues with CovidSafe plans including and not limited to:

– All patrons tested on arrival with temperature scanning equipment
– Hand sanitiser placed regularly across all venues
– Routine cleaning of all venues during raceday and non-raceday events

For all ticketing, racing and general information go to theraces.com.au