Waller Four-Handed for Queen of the Turf

Just three trainers are responsible for better than half of the field in Saturday's G1 Queen of the Turf S. at Royal Randwick. 

Noble Protector (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) is a fascinating contender and is bidding for a hat trick of wins since being exported to Australia from England for the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Running in the Qatar Bloodstock colors of Sheikh Fahad and trained by Robert Smerdon, the filly is climbing the ladder step by step having won the G3 Matron S. at Flemington Mar. 14 and the G2 Sunline S. at Moonee Valley Mar. 27 in her two starts this preparation. A solid listed class performer last summer in England when trained by Stuart Kittow, Noble Protector has kept improving all year and will be hard to beat on her first attempt in Group 1 company. 

Trainer Chris Waller saddles a quartet of runners with Catkins (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) probably the pick of the group. She is also bidding for her first Group 1 success but brings high class form to the table. Conqueror of next-out Group 1 winner Plucky Belle (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) in the G2 Millie Fox S. Feb. 21, she was runner-up in the G1 Canterbury S. at this venue Mar. 7 and her recent win in the G2 Emancipation S. at Rosehill Mar. 28 sees her arrive in top form. Joao Moreira jets back into Sydney to ride. 

First Seal (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) bids to make amends for a narrow defeats in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. Mar. 14 and in the G1 Vinery Stud S. at Rosehill a fortnight later and takes her chance despite a recent scare. Having finished with blood in her nostril after Rosehill, First Seal was subsequently cleared to race after an inspection by Racing NSW vet Craig Suann. Her trainer John Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News on Wednesday, “She worked over 1200 metres with a mate this morning. I think once they saw the cuts on her head it was obvious something had happened but the stewards are just doing their due diligence and all is good.” 

Fresh from landing his third Australian Derby on Monday, New Zealand trainer Murray Baker fields two fillies in the 1600-meter event. Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}), winner of the G1 Thoroughbred Breeders S. at Te Aroha Apr. 4 has the valuable assistance of Ryan Moore, while Sports Illustrated (NZ) (Fast 'N' Famous {Aus}), reopposes her stablemate having been denied by just a neck in the same race last week.