Birthday Card Stakes

Saturday’s $125, 000 Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) is set to be an entertaining showdown between two of Peter Snowden’s top mares when Beaded and Renaissance face off.

A classy daughter of Lonhro boasting an impressive winning strike rate of seven wins from nine career starts, Beaded has drawn wide and will jump from barrier eight on Saturday with Kerrin McEvoy aboard.

Last start Beaded managed to beat home Coolmore Classic winner Alverta at Randwick and will be hard to beat if she can find the front early and overcome her awkward barrier draw

Last start Beaded managed to beat home Coolmore Classic winner Alverta at Randwick and will be hard to beat if she can find the front early and overcome her awkward barrier draw.

Beaded’s less consistent stablemate Renaissance is coming off a burst of recent good form and has been put right into the race with a favourable barrier three draw giving her a chance to shine.

Other quality females filling out the 12-horse final field for the 2010 Birthday Card Stakes include Gerald Ryan’s duo Melito drawn wide in gate 11 and Beaucoup who has snared the prized barrier one.

The Graeme Rogerson-trained Illuminates, coming off a gallant third place behind Beaded last start, is also a top chance on Saturday and will start from barrier five.

The 2010 Birthday Card Stakes will run as the closing race at Rosehill on Saturday and is programmed to start at 5:30pm. Two races earlier is the scheduled highlight at the meeting, the $500, 000 Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.

2010 Cleanevent Birthday Card Stakes Final Field & Barriers