Rosehill will welcome back metropolitan racing to Sydney, after a two-week stint in provincial regions for the running of The Hunter and The Gong.
Headlined by the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m), Saturday’s return to Sydney will also include two other black type races in the Starlight Stakes (1100m) and ATC Cup (2000m).
With Golden Eagle runner up Count De Rupee taking out last week’s The Gong, early markets suggest those form lines will continue to stand tall as Ellsberg lines up equal first elect after running a game seventh in the $7.5 million feature.
Ellsberg is one of 21 nominations for the 1500m event. Other notable runners include Kosciuszko champion Art Cadeau, Goulburn Cup winner Al Mah Haha and Brutality who is on the third line of betting.
Bandersnatch will be looking to defend the crown for the Hawkes team, after the trio took out last year’s edition with Outrageous.
Chris Waller won’t be without a strong hand in the race, potentially represented by 2019 Bondi Stakes winner Kubrick and stablemates Linas Hero, Order Again and Mubariz.
Having won the 2013 running of the Festival Stakes with White Sage, John O’Shea will be hoping either Blesk or Kirwan’s Lane can repeat the heroics after both were scratched from ‘Gong’ raceday at Kembla Grange.
Furthermore, O’Shea’s last start winner Southern Lad headlines the 15 nominations for the Listed Starlight Stakes.
In a ‘hit and run’ type mission that has been successfully executed by him many times before, Queensland trainer Tony Gollan has nominated last start Listed winner Tambo’s Mate to contest the 1100m event.
Edward Cummings-trained and ex-Queenslander Amiche is also expected to line-up and will be looking to make it back-to-back wins to start her Sydney campaign.
Only drawing nine nominations, the Listed ATC Cup is well within the grasp of champion trainer Chris Waller, with three stable runners nominated.
Djukon could head back up the highway after winning over 1800m during Cup Week. Other potential Waller representatives in the ATC Cup include smart mare Polly Grey and Kiwi gelding Mightybeel.
The deadline for both Listed races have now been extended to 11:00am Tuesday.
