Alizee Leads 2018 Surround Stakes Betting
Alizee was too good in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes Photo: Steve Hart

Alizee Leads 2018 Surround Stakes Betting

Sights are set on Winx’s return at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, but a smart field of eleven has also been confirmed for the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) and we are set for an exciting race between some of the country’s best three-year-old fillies.

Godolphin filly Alizee has been simply outstanding as a three-year-old and she looms as the filly to beat in the Surround Stakes after opening a clear $2.10 favourite.

Alizee resumed in spring for a smart win in an 1100m race at Warwick Farm, before making a competitive transition to black type company when second behind Formality in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on August 19th.

Weathering a tough run in transit before finishing off well for fourth in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) on September 2nd, the Sepoy filly was finally rewarded for her consistency with her first black type win in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 16th, before repeating that effort and result with a dominant win in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).

Sent to the paddock after she finished third behind Aloisia and Shoals in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m), Alizee resumed this time for an impressive win in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) a fortnight ago and she will only improve second-up and at 1400m.

Interestingly, only one other filly is currently available at Surround Stakes odds of less-than $10 and Shumookh has so-far received the greatest attention in out market; firming into $4.20 from her opening quote of $4.50.

Shumookh has only made three competitive appearances at the races since debuting in January, but she has more than stamped herself as a filly in failing to finish worse that second.

An easy winner over 1250m at Canterbury first-up, the daughter of Dream Ahead placed second behind smart colt D’Argento in the Nelune Foundations BM76 (1300m) at Randwick ten days later, before a strong performance for second to Alizee last time out.

In-form hoop Tim Clark has retained the ride on Shumookh in the Surround Stakes and he’ll have plenty of options from the rails draw.

Shoals is arguably the class horse of the Surround Stakes field and while she failed to fire first-up, she appears to be over the odds at her current $11 quote.

Shoals was the stable star for Anthony Freedman’s in-form stable in 2017 and failed to finish worse than second in a total of seven starts.

Resuming in spring for a smart win over a classy field in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m), the Fastnet Rock filly progressed to close second placings in both the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) and Thousand Guineas, before becoming only the second three-year-old in history to win the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m).

She only managed to beat one runner home in the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) first-up on February 10th, but has trialled well in the lead-up to this race and could receive the run of the race form barrier 4.

Kiwi raider Melody Belle ($12) is a Group 1 winner at the distance and will have the notable advantage of Hugh Bowman in the saddle for the Surround Stakes, while consistent filly Frolic ($10) will take plenty of benefit from her smart first-up run in the Light Fingers into this race.