Some of Australia's classiest fillies will line up in Saturday's Group 3 Schweppervescence Stakes as they have their final hit-out before the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks on 6 May.
The Darren Weir trained Kenedna will start favourite with UBET after an impressive display in the Listed Laelia Stakes where she wore down bolter With a Bit of Dash in the final 100 metres to win the feature.
Seven horses are coming through the Laelia Stakes including the the Daniel Clarken trained Peninsula Links who ran third behind Kenedna, while Pretty Punk who has a listed win to her name, is on the third line of betting in Schweppervescence.
The horse to watch in the race looks to be the New Zealander Savvy Dreams. She finished in third place behind Bonneval in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks in March. Bonneval has since gone on to win the Group 1 ATC Oaks in Randwick, so on that form she looks to be right in this race. Jockey Paul Gatt takes the ride on Savvy Dreams and he has had precious success in this race on a NZ filly winning on the David Hayes trained Purde way back in 2006.
Trainer David Hayes knows what it takes to win this race, having won the Schweppervescence on three occasions. His first in 1994 with Ascona, Purde in 2006 and Global Balance in 2013. He has two runners in the race on Saturday in Sebring Dream and Domesticated.
Previous Winners of the Schweppervescence Stakes
Year | Winner | Previous Run | Next Run |
2016 | Silent Sedition | 2nd Sandown HCP 1600m | 2nd Group 1 Schweppes Oaks |
2015 | Fitocracy | 7th Morphettville Listed Laelia 1600m | 9th Group 1 Schweppes Oaks |
2014 | Girl in Flight | 3rd Moonee Valley Listed Alexandra Stakes 1600m | 12th Group 1 Schweppes Oaks |
2013 | Global Balance | 1st Launceston Listed Tasmanian Oaks 2100m | 9th Group 1 Schweppes Oaks |
2012 | Crucial | 4th Caulfield HCP 1600m | 14th Group 1 Schweppes Oaks |
Form heading into the Schweppervescence has been a mixed bag over the last five years with horses coming from a range of lead up races. Winners have also had mixed success in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks, with Silent Sedition's second placing being the best of the recent winners.
Since 2012 when the Oaks has fallen after the Schweppervescence, three of the five winners have come through this race including Invest (2012, 4th), Maybe Discreet (2013, 2nd) and May's Dream (2014, 3rd) showing that a good run in the Schweppervescence can go a long way to winning the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks.
Market for the Group 3 Schweppervescence Stakes
Kenedna $3.50
Savvy Dreams $4.80
Pretty Punk $7.50
Sedanzer $9
Smart As You Think $12
Others 15+