Savoureux Heads 2016 Tibbie Stakes Field

Locally-trained Savoureux heads a class field of fillies and mares set to face off on Friday afternoon in the Tibbie Stakes 2016 at Newcastle Racecourse.

Kris Lees’ local mare Savoureux is on the quick six day back-up into the 2016 Tibbie Stakes field at Newcastle on Friday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Set to run as Beaumont Race 5 at 3:25pm (AEST), this season’s $125,000 Group 3 Yarraman Park Tibbie Stakes (1350m) has attracted a final field of 13 hopefuls.

Sitting top of the line-up and the weights with 57kg under the set weights plus penalties conditions is the Kris Lees-trained Nadeem five-year-old Savoureux.

She chases her first win since the Group 3 Wenona Girl Handicap (1200m) back in early March and has improving to do on the back of a dead last (14^th) last Saturday in Rosehill’s Group 3 Sheraco Stakes (1200m).

Lees has a total of three acceptors in the Tibbie Stakes field this Newcastle Gold Cup Carnival with Savoureux joined by stablemates Fashion Sniptz and Little Shocker drawn in barriers seven and two respectively.

Shocking filly Little Shocker is the only three-year-old taking on the older mares in this spring’s Tibbie Stakes and from the good gate looks a genuine chance.

She is yet to win over further than 1250m, but comes off back-to-back victories including a big four length success at Kempsey on September 5 in a Class 2.

Her regular rider Andrew Gibbons continues his association with her this Friday on 54kg, Little Shocker making her Black-Type debut.

The rails run on Friday following the Tibbie Stakes barrier draw belongs to the John O’Shea-trained Fitou drawn gate one with James McDonald booked for the ride.

A classy Godolphin-raced Street Cry five-year-old, Fitou comes off a September 2 win at Wyong in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m).

That was her fourth win from 11 starts over the Tibbie Stakes distance and with McDonald retaining the ride, the versatile mare could be looking at back-to-back victories.

Also coming off a win is the Matthew Dale-trained Court Command mare from Canberra Rocket Commander who saluted in Adelaide’s Listed Penny Edition Stakes (1400m) on August 20.

She is yet to run at the Newcastle track but boasts a stellar record over the distance range (11-5-2-1) and is drawn nicely in barrier four for jockey Blake Shinn.

James Cummings saddles-up the widest-drawn chance, Perth expat Spirit Bird (13) having her first run outside of Western Australia.

The Savabeel four-year-old has just the one run from 15 starts on her record and hasn’t raced since finishing last (11^th) behind Arcadia Dream at Ascot in the Group 2 WATC Derby (2400m) from mid-April.

She has had two Randwick trials since including a September 5 winning hit-out over 1045m and from three first-up runs to date has two second place finishes to her name.

Also out wide in the Tibbie Stakes line-up jumping from barrier 12 is the Tracey Bartley-trained Tears In Heaven coming off three top two runs including the second to Fitou in the Mona Lisa Stakes a fortnight ago.

Mona Lisa Stakes third placed Snitzel mare La Muse and the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained former New Zealander Replique are the other standouts.

See below for the full Tibbie Stakes 2016 field, barriers and jockeys before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au who will be offering the best Newcastle racing odds this Friday.

2016 Tibbie Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw