Contributer bids for a first Group One victory in the Liverpool City Council Chipping Norton Stakes, with Hartnell making his Godolphin debut in the mile contest at Warwick Farm, Australia, on Saturday, February 28.
Time/Date - 16.15hrs local time/Saturday, February 28, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Warwick Farm/Australia
Surface/Distance -Turf/1m
Contributer bids for a first Group One victory in the Liverpool City Council Chipping Norton Stakes, with Hartnell making his Godolphin debut in the mile contest at Warwick Farm, Australia, on Saturday, February 28.
Five-year-old Contributer (John O'Shea/James McDonald) has won on two of his three starts in Australia since moving from the UK and was the impressive winner of the seven-furlong Group Two Optus Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick on February 14.
He was eighth in the mile Group One Emirates Stakes at Flemington on November 8 and ran on strongly for a length success in the 10-furlong Group Three David Jones Cup at Caulfield on October 18.
Four-year-old Hartnell (John O'Shea/James Doyle) raced in the UK last year and came home seventh in the Group One Ladbrokes St Leger over an extended 14 furlongs at Doncaster on September 15.
He was sixth in the 12-furlong Group Two Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on August 20 and gained a pair of victories including when making all to take the Group Three Bahrain Trophy over 13 furlongs at Newmarket on July 10.
The son of Authorized posted a neck success in the Listed Queen's Vase over two miles at Royal Ascot, and was third over 10 furlongs in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud at Saint-Cloud, France, in November, 2013.
John O'Shea said: "Contributer has trained on well since his win in the Apollo Stakes. The mile is a more suitable distance for him although the circumference of the Warwick Farm track does pose a few issues for his racing pattern.
"He is in exceptional order and has delighted us since the Apollo Stakes. Such improvement should have him in the finish of this race.
"Hartnell has been a delight since arriving in Sydney. He has drawn a very wide gate (14), so we will ride him conservatively and we expect to see him hitting the line positively.
"His two barrier trials were excellent and his track work has been first class, so he is ready to run a nice race and lay a foundation for the rest of the autumn."
The Godolphin challengers face 13 others including Ninth Legion, Weary, Lucia Valentina, Silent Achiever and Boban, who all finished behind Contributer in the Apollo Stakes.
