The Championships Day 1: Improving mare Lady Laguna the ‘best-weighted horse’ in Group 1 Doncaster Mile

Annabel Neasham is confident her in-form mare is weighted to win the Doncaster Mile. Get the wash-up from the Group 1 barrier draws for day one of The Championships.

Trainer Annabel Neasham is convinced the most improved horse in Sydney racing, Lady Laguna, is weighted to win the Group 1 $4m Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Lady Laguna goes to the Doncaster in career-best form after beating Think About It in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes before closing fast for a narrow loss to Veight in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes.

Her form is so impressive she is into $13 in latest TAB betting for the Doncaster – and all this from a mare who started her campaign with a loss in a restricted race at Randwick back in December.

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But Lady Laguna has got better with every start since and her official handicap rating has soared to 115, the equal highest in the race alongside Think About It, yet Neasham’s mare is carrying only 51kg on Saturday.

“To my mind, Lady Laguna is the best-weighted horse in the field,’’ Neasham said.

“She proved in the George Ryder that her Canterbury Stakes win was no fluke.

“This is her first time out to the mile (1600m) but she ran on very well at Rosehill in the Ryder over 1500m carrying 57kg and she drops to 51kg for the Doncaster.

“She’s very deep into her preparation, she’s very fit and has done really well between runs.’’

Lady Laguna is in career-best form heading into the Doncaster Mile Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Neasham is hopeful Lady Laguna can provide her with an elusive Doncaster Mile after the trainer came so close last year when My Oberon was narrowly beaten by Mr Brightside.

The Doncaster Mile was one of four Group 1 races which had final fields and barrier draws declared on Tuesday for day one of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The highlights included:

■ The Doncaster Mile has nine individual Group 1 winners with another, Hinged, made second emergency.

■ The Everest hero, Think About It, and the Golden Eagle winner, Obamburumai clash in the Doncaster.

■ Another Wil remains $3.50 Doncaster favourite despite drawing barrier 21.

■ Champion trainers Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher both have five Doncaster starters plus an emergency.

■ The TJ Smith Stakes is challenging for race of the day status and features the clash of Imperatriz, I Wish I Win, Espiona, Bella Nipotina, Sunshine In Paris and Cylinder.

■ Godolphin trainer James Cummings has accepted with his filly, Zardozi, in the ATC Australian Derby.

■ The top five finishers in the Golden Slipper meet again in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Annabel Neasham, at the Doncaster Mile barrier draw is chasing an elusive win in the race on Saturday. Picture: Richard Dobson

Think About It is Doncaster topweight with 57kg and is attempting to become only the fourth horse this century to shoulder that handicap or more to win the famous Randwick mile after Happy Clapper (57kg, 2018), More Joyous (57.5kg, 2012), and Sunline (58kg, 2002).

The mighty Sunline is the last horse to wear the number one saddlecloth and win the Doncaster.

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Joe Pride, trainer of Think About It, is aware race history is against his stable superstar, particularly if the forecast rain later this week leaves the Randwick course proper rated in the soft-heavy range on Saturday.

“I guess carrying 57kg on a wet track makes it a little harder for Think About It but he is a tremendous horse,’’ Pride said.

“Most of the time, we see lightweights winning on heavy tracks for obvious reasons.

“Other than Think About It’s first start in race which he won on a soft 7, he hasn’t been on anything worse than a Soft 5.’’

Pride maintains Think About It is in top form despite successive defeats this autumn when second in the Canterbury Stakes behind Lady Laguna before his fifth in the George Ryder Stakes won by Veight.

“He goes to the Doncaster after two tough seasoning runs, I’m very happy with his condition,’’ Pride said.

🎥 How will Everest winner Think About It handle a wet track? Joe Pride speaks to @RayThomas_1 about his Doncaster Mile hope + his three runners in the TJ Smith Stakes pic.twitter.com/0k6ffmkxRI

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) April 2, 2024

Think About It is out to $17 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the big race behind boom chestnut Another Wil ($3.50).

A brilliant winner of last Saturday’s Doncaster Prelude, Another Wil gets into the big race with only 50kg and remains firm in betting despite his outside draw.

Another Wil is among five starters for trainer Ciaron Maher who also has Detonator Jack (barrier two), Berkshire Shadow (barrier 13), Semana (barrier 17) and Southport Tycoon (barrier 20). Their stablemate Nugget (barrier nine) is first emergency.

Trainer Chris Waller is chasing a record-equalling seventh Doncaster Mile win and has a strong representation with crack colt Militarize (barrier four), Zougotcha (barrier 19), Kovalica (barrier 12), Democracy Manifest (barrier 11) and Lindermann (barrier 22).

The Waller-trained Hinged (barrier 14) is second emergency.

There are 14 three-year-olds lining up for the nation’s premier three-year-old classic, the Group 1 $2m ATC Australian Derby (2400m) including Waller’s top colt and race favourite Riff Rocket ($3.50).

But the Derby has added intrigue with Godolphin trainer James Cummings deciding to accept with his filly, Zardozi.

Godolphin stable representative Darren Beadman revealed it had always been in Cummings’ mind to start Zardozi against the colts and geldings in the Derby.

🎥 Godolphin assistant trainer Darren Beadman speaks to @RayThomas_1 about Pericles and Golden Mile (Doncaster Mile) and Zardozi (Australian Derby) pic.twitter.com/fBiL5VVNDf

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) April 1, 2024

Zardozi ran third in last Saturday’s Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes and is proven on the quick back-up, as Beadman pointed out.

“When Zardozi won the (Victoria) Oaks over 2500m last spring, she was in a league of her own that day and was backing up after her second in the Wakeful (Stakes) the previous Saturday,’’ Beadman said.

“She is the only filly in the race but gets a bit of weight relief from the boys and she can handle wet tracks.’’

Zardozi is into $4 second favouritism for the Derby with stablemate Tom Kitten at $6.

“It’s nice to have a filly and a colt in the race, they are two of our classiest three-year-olds,’’ Beadman said.

“Tom Kitten, on face value, was a little disappointing last start (sixth in the Rosehill Guineas behind Riff Rocket). He looked a bit dour but he was on the worst part of the track as well.

“I really think he is looking for 2400m now, he won the Spring Champion Stakes here last spring, and he’s as fit as James can get him.’’

Imperatriz is racing for Horse of the Year honours in the Group 1 $3m TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and has been installed as the $3 favourite but has strong opposition from the likes of I Wish I Win ($3.50), and top mares Sunshine In Paris ($9), Espiona ($13) and Bella Nipotina ($13).

Originally published as The Championships Day 1: Improving mare Lady Laguna the ‘best-weighted horse’ in Group 1 Doncaster Mile