2017 Ajax Stakes Field Chases Doncaster Mile Run

A dozen smart gallopers face off in Saturday’s Ajax Stakes 2017 field at Rosehill Gardens with the winner of the Coolmore Classic Day clash exempt from Doncaster Mile ballot.

2017 Ajax Stakes top weight It’s Somewhat chases back-to-back wins in the Rosehill Gardens clash this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to run as Rosehill Race 8 at 5:00pm (AEDT) as the penultimate event on the card, the $200,000 Group 2 Hyland Race Colours Ajax Stakes (1500m) has attracted a final field of twelve hopefuls.

Heading the Ajax Stakes weights with 59kg is the rails-drawn It’s Somewhat prepared by John O’Shea for the Godolphin stable.

The now six-year-old son of Dynaformer won last year’s Ajax Stakes and defends his title first-up on the weekend carrying 1.5kg more than his winning weight twelve months ago.

The stable has also accepted for French import Floodlight, the four-year-old Medaglia D’Oro stallion making his Australian race debut in the handicap clash.

Head Sydney trainer Chris Waller has accepted for his French import Arod, the progressive Teofilo stallion drawn wide out in barrier 11 with Tye Angland retaining the ride.

Angland rode the stallion last time out on a Heavy (9) Randwick track for a second to stablemate McCreery in the Group 2 Liverpool City Cup (1300m).

Arod should appreciate the step-up in distance three runs into his autumn campaign this weekend and is currently rated a $34 chance at Ladbrokes.com.au in pre-field markets for the $3 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 1.

The only last-start winner lining-up in the Ajax Stakes field for 2017 is the Desleigh Forster-trained Queensland Cylinder Beach.

A winner of three of his past four starts, the Showcasing four-year-old comes off back-to-back Brisbane wins.

Last start he carried 60kg to victory over 1350m at Doomben on February 25 and the notable drop back to 56kg for his Rosehill debut here should suit.

Also coming off a nice lead-up run are the likes of the Gary Portelli-trained Liverpool City Cup third placegetter Testashadow and Dibayani for Lindsay Park.

Testashadow has had eight starts at Rosehill to date for two wins, a second and a third and also won the $1 million Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on the Gold Coast in an upset back in January.

A $26 shot in futures Doncaster Mile odds, Dibayani comes off a fourth behind champion mare Winx in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) back in mid-February and looks well-suited to the 1500m of the Ajax Stakes.

Other notable hopes in the mix include the fellow Lindsay Park-trained He’s Our Rokkii looking to return to the form that saw him win the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield in the spring and lightly-raced four-year-old No Doubt.

Check out the full Ajax Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys and weights below before checking out all the Sydney racing odds and offers online at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Ajax Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Rosehill Race 8 (5:00pm) – 11/03/2017