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Australian Turf Club’s hugely successful Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival concludes this Saturday at Royal Randwick with two Group 1 races on a bumper Schweppes All Aged Stakes Day.
The Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes and Group 1 $500,000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes are part of a nine-race card to cap a spectacular six Saturdays of racing at Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick.
Off the back of sold-out crowds for the past two weeks at Royal Randwick, Sydney's glorious Autumn weather promises a final celebration of world-class racing under clear skies.
Saturday's Group 1 Schweppes All Aged Stakes – a race which continues to be amongst the highest rating races each year in Sydney – includes nine individual Group 1 winners and runners with combined prizemoney of more than $25 million.
Hawkes Racing-trained Masked Crusader with jockey Tommy Berry aboard is a clear $2.80 TAB favourite in the 13-horse field. The James Cummings-trained Godolphin pair Savatiano ($7; jockey Hugh Bowman and Cascadian ($9; Jamie Kah) are next in betting.
Three-year-old colt Tagaloa for trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young ($10; Luke Currie) and Epsom and The Golden Eagle winner Kolding for trainer Chris Waller and jockey Brenton Avdulla ($11) are next.
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager Racing and Wagering, James Ross said the Schweppes All Aged Stakes field was among the strongest of the Carnival.
"The field includes last-start Group 1 winners and form lines through The Star Doncaster, Heineken TJ Smith Stakes, Heineken Canterbury Stakes and also strong form through the Agency George Ryder Stakes," Mr Ross said.
"With the addition of a trio of three-year-olds, the Schweppes All Aged Stakes again shapes as one of the strongest and most interesting betting races of the carnival."
Hawkes Racing and Tommy Berry combine with another favourite in The Group 1 $500,000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Stakes. Hilal – a last-start second in the Inglis Sires – is at $3.40 with TAB, ahead of Sires' third placegetter Captivant ($4) for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden and jockey James McDonald.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Converge – ridden by Tim Clark – is at $6 ahead of two fillies in Gin Martini at $10 (John Sargent/Brenton Avdulla) and Queen Of Wizardry (Annabel Neasham/Jamie Kah) at $11.
Saturday's program includes three more Group 3 races – the $160,000 Mostyn Copper J H B Carr Stakes, $160,000 ACY Securities Frank Packer Plate and $160,000 Sharp Extensive IT JRA Plate.
The Royal Randwick track was rated a Good 4 on Thursday.
