Montefilia set to lead the mares’ charge in the Hill Stakes

Montefilia is the early favourite and among five classy mares who dominate early betting for the Group 2 $2 million Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

TAB Fixed Odds price assessors have framed an early market on the feature weight-for-age race with Montefilia as $3.50.

Remarkably, the Chris Waller-trained Montefilia is at the top of a market where of the first six in betting are mares.

Her stablemate, Atishu, is second favourite at $4.50 just ahead of Duais at $6 alongside former English gelding Hoo Ya Mal, then another mare, Hope In Your Heart is next at $8.

The only mare in the last decade to win the Hill Stakes was Waller’s former champion Verry Elleegant in 2019.

The Hill Stakes returns to its traditional Rosehill home for the first time since 2011 and has attracted a bumper 26 entries including a Melbourne Cup winner, Gold Trip, and Golden Slipper winner, Fireburn.

Waller’s decision to withdraw Waterford from the Epsom Handicap last Saturday and wait for the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) could prove a stroke of genius as the promising import is the early $4.50 favourite ahead of stablemate Olentia and Cepheus at $6.

The inaugural Alan Brown Stakes has a bumper 34 entries but the field limit is restricted to 18 starters.

Unbeaten Ozzmosis, who has been considered for a possible The Everest start, is the $2 favourite for the Group 2 $300,000 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m).

There are 13 early entries for the three-year-old sprint including King’s Gambit, Celestial Legend, Balkans, Royal Tribute, Barber, Libertad and Nadal.

#Just Fine is closer to securing a Melbourne Cup start after incurring a 0.5kg penalty for his win in the Group 1 The Metropolitan last Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Just Fine will carry 53kg in the Melbourne Cup after he smashed the Randwick 2400m track record in The Metropolitan, taking him to 30th in the Cup order of entry.