Needs Further is the 2011 Carbine Club Stakes winner

Needs Further, who began as the $2.80 favourite for the race, shot away from the remainder of the field at the 200 metre mark to win the 2011 Carbine Club Stakes by over a length.

The three-year-old colt has been very lightly race, and is currently taking part in only his second ever preparation.

Needs Further won the 2011 Carbine Club Stakes ahead of second-place-getter Divorces and Shadows In the Sun, who ran on well for third.

Gai Waterhouse was full of praise for her young colt’s winning performance.

“All I can tell you is he’s a very exciting horse in the making,” Ms Waterhouse said.

“(The Carbine Club Stakes) is a great indication of horses that are going to make great middle distance stayers.”

Gooree Pastoral Company Thoroughbred Manager, Andrew Baddock, is confident that Needs Further will be sent to longer distance races in the future.

“As his name suggest he probably will go further,” Mr Baddock said.

“He’s a mile to 2000 metre horse for sure.”

Mr Baddock will now look to send Needs Further to the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate on April 23, 2011.

“(Needs Further is a) really nice colt, slow maturing colt, beautifully bred” Mr Baddock said.

“We’ve looked after him, he’s taken a while to fill out and he has a bright future”.

The young Encosta De Lago colt won now remains unbeaten across his past three starts and has never fallen out of the placings.

The $125,000 Group 3 race hasn’t received quite as much attention with online bookmakers as most of the other races with betting focused on a few key runners.

In fact throughout the entire field Luxbet.com can report that only four starters have budged from their initial quotes.

“All the action so far has been around Gai’s runner Needs Further,” Spokesman Paul Vincent said.

“He opened at $3.30 and went straight out to $4.40 but form there he’s had steady support into $4.20 and now $4.00.”

Needs Further has won both his races this year but it will be his first attempt at the 1600m distance.

The first of the other three to have had some early support from punters is Kudakulari which opened at $4.80 and is now into $4.60.

He won the Canberra Guineas last start in a great return to form after running last in the Victoria Derby in 2010.

Top rated runner Divorces has had the lightest of touches and moves from $4.50 into $4.40.

She’s done well in good company previous to this race placing in the Kewney Stakes behind Brazilian Pulse and Do Ra Mi.

At the other end of the field and the biggest mover is Song Shan from Anthony Cummings.

The form doesn’t look too impressive for this horse and that was reflected with an opening quote of $51.

Despite this the fixed price has dropped markedly down to $34 with some punters forecasting a change in luck for Cummings after a few weeks to forget.

The 2011 Carbine Club stakes will jump as Race #2 on the Australian Derby Day card at midday local time.

The $125,000 event has attracted 13 entrants for 2011 and will be held at Randwick Racecourse as Race #2 on Australian Derby Day.

2011 Carbine Club Stakes Form Guide

#1 – Kudakulari (Barrier – 4) (57.5kgs)

• Trainer: Bart Cummings
• Jockey: Corey Brown
• Career Stats: 11s – 2w – 1p
• Last Start: 1st at Canterbury

Won the Canterbury Guineas last start in his first up run for the year. Last season he started in both the Caulfield Guineas and Victoria Derby and although well beaten it proves his class against this field.

Bet on Kudakulari now at Luxbet

#2 – Shadows In The Sun (Barrier – 12) (56kgs)

• Trainer: Anthony Cummings
• Jockey: Craig Williams
• Career Stats: 15s – 2w – 2p
• Last Start: 4th at Rosehill

Has won over the mile before and is on the improve this preparation. Best result was a last start 4th in the Tulloch Stakes as a $31 chance.

Bet on Shadows In The Sun now at Luxbet

#3 – Divorces (Barrier – 11) (55.5kgs)

• Trainer: Peter Snowden
• Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
• Career Stats: 11s – 1w – 4p
• Last Start: 3rd at Flemington

First up run for the year saw her finish third in the Kewney Stakes behind names like Do Ra Mi and Brazilian Pulse. Top rated runner who’s in this up to her neck.

Bet on Divorces now at Luxbet

#4 – Happy Trails (Barrier – 2) (55kgs)

• Trainer: Paul Beshara
• Jockey: Damien Oliver
• Career Stats: 9s – 1w – 5p
• Last Start: 5th at Morphettville

Last start was his first run at the distance and it didn’t seem to be too much of a test. Look for him to sit a bit closer from barrier 2 and don’t discount him in your exotics.

Bet on Happy Trails now at Luxbet

#5 – Circle Of Power (Barrier – 1) (55kgs)

• Trainer: Rod Craig
• Jockey: Glen Boss
• Career Stats: 18s – 2w – 9p
• Last Start: 1st at Kensington

Has struggled to get across the line until a last start victory which was building for weeks. Outclassed here though and even barrier 1 surely won’t be enough for Rod Craig..

Bet on Circle Of Power now at Luxbet

#6 – The Ruffian (Barrier – 6) (55kgs)

• Trainer: Lee Freedman
• Jockey: Hugh Bowman
• Career Stats: 11s – 2w – 4p
• Last Start: 1st at Albury

2011 performances have been great especially last start in Albury with Hugh Bowman aboard. He’ll take the reins again and isn’t without a chance.

Bet on The Ruffian now at Luxbet

#7 – Needs Further (Barrier – 10) (55kgs)

• Trainer: Gai Waterhouse
• Jockey: Nash Rawiller
• Career Stats: 3s – 2w – 1p
• Last Start: 1st at Kensington

Came out as a two year old in January last year and went head to head with the likes of Skilled and Top Drop. After 12 months off he’s won two from two but faces his first big test here.

Bet on Needs Further now at Luxbet

#8 – Diamond Jim (Barrier – 5) (55kgs)

• Trainer: David Payne
• Jockey: Michael Rodd
• Career Stats: 16s – 2w – 3p
• Last Start: 7th at Kensington

Had a great start to the year at Warwick Farm but has slipped away a touch since then. Got thumped last start and will need a huge rebound to be any hope of snagging a place.

Bet on Diamond Jim now at Luxbet

#9 – Quarterbar (Barrier – 8) (55kgs)

• Trainer: Michael Moroney
• Jockey: Glyn Schofield
• Career Stats: 7s – 1w – 1p
• Last Start: 5th at Sandwon

Went well enough last year to score a start in the Caulfield Guineas but hasn’t showed a thing this prearation.

Bet on Quarterbar now at Luxbet

#10 – Riva De Lago (Barrier – 13) (55kgs)

• Trainer: Con Karakatsanis
• Jockey: Brenton Avdulla
• Career Stats: 4s – 1w – 1p
• Last Start: 1st at Hawkesbury

Breakthrough win last start on a slow Hawkesbury track but this field will leave him for dead.

Bet on Riva De Lago now at Luxbet

#11 – Potions (Barrier – 3) (53kgs)

• Trainer: John P Thompson
• Jockey: Jim Cassidy
• Career Stats: 6s – 1w – 1p
• Last Start: 1st at Warwick Farm

Jim Cassidy rode her to a win last start from barrier 10 in her first career victory. Has a great barrier for this one and her career record isn’t too bad given three of her starts have been stakes races.

Bet on Potions now at Luxbet

#12 – Money Tree (Barrier – 9) (53kgs)

• Trainer: Kevin Moses
• Jockey: Jim Byrne
• Career Stats: 5s – 1w – 2p
• Last Start: 11th at Warwick Farm

Ran last in her previous race against competition that wasn’t up to this grade so she won’t be one for your calculations.

Bet on Money Tree now at Luxbet

#13 – Song Shan (Barrier – 7) (53kgs)

• Trainer: Anthony Cummings
• Jockey: Tim Clark
• Career Stats: 7s – 0w – 1p
• Last Start: 2nd at Warwick Farm

Yet to win a race but went extremely close last start. Anthony Cummings deserves some luck of late but this is just too much of an ask.

Bet on Song Shan now at Luxbet

The 2011 Carbine Club Stakes will be no different with 13 horses to contest the 1600m trip worth $125,000.

In a good show of form nearly half the runners in the field are coming off last start victories and only two horses in entire race finished worse than 5th in their last run.

Peter Snowden has the top rated runner in the field with Divorces considered the best horse coming into the race despite not claiming a victory in the last five starts.

Also working against Divorces is a horror barrier draw taking gate 11, although it’s at least one better than Shadows In The Sun for Anthony Cummings.

It hasn’t exactly being the best couple of weeks for Cummings with a Golden Slipper Day to forget but he has two chances in this race, Song Shan drawing better with gate seven.

The pick of the barriers went to Rod Craig’s Circle Of Power and barrier two was taken by Damien Oliver’s mount Happy Trails.

Gai Waterhouse’s entry is sure to attract plenty of attention with Needs Further coming into the race having won two from three, both this preparation.

Nash Rawiller will have plenty to do from gate 10 but it’s the only horse in the race coming in with back-to-back wins.

The form of many of these three-year-olds is a little tough to read so be sure to come back tomorrow when we publish the complete form history.

Also coming soon are our expert tips for every race on the Australian Derby Day card.

2011 Carbine Club Stakes Field

It’s always exciting to see so many runners on track at once and it would give another dimension to the 1600m Group 3 event.

The race is worth $125,000 and is part of a full card of Group racing at Randwick Racecourse on AJC Derby Day.

The top rated runner in the field is Divorces from Peter Snowden which has a fairly solid recent history.

Other horse which are more well known include Halekulani form Gai Waterhouse, Willow Creek from Peter Moody and Anthony Cummings’ Shadows In The Sun.

Overall there are plenty of three-year-olds with winning chances in this race and a diverse mix of trainers are represented.

The final field for the 2011 Carbine Club Stakes will be published as soon as it’s known as well as expert tips and from guides so be sure to check back later in the week.

2011 Carbine Club Stakes Nominations