After missing out on winning The Hunter, Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has the race favourite for the inaugural $1 million The Gong on Saturday at Kembla Grange.
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Four-year-old Group 1 Coolmore Classic runner-up El Dorado Dreaming has opened as $5 fixed odds favourite with the TAB, after the fields and barrier draw were released on Wednesday morning.
The four-year-old mare drew ideally with barrier five for the 1600m event, and will likely jump from four with the Gwenda Markwell entry Esteem Spirit - who drew barrier two - still the second emergency.
The Chris Waller-trained Asterius was the first emergency, but comes into the field after Gary Portelli's eight-year-old Testashadow was immediately scratched from The Gong after drawing barrier 15.
While El Dorado Dreaming is favourite in a wide-open market, Lees' New Zealand import Nicoletta and Bryan Dais' Queensland raider Looks Like Elvis will have to overcome horror barrier draws to take out the inaugural $1 million The Gong on Saturday.
Nicoletta drew 19 for Saturday's big race at Kembla Grange, meaning she will likely jump from barrier 15.
Looks Like Elvis also drew wide with barrier 16 and Joe Pride's Tamarack at $34 after landing the extreme outside gate.
Tickets are available through Moshtix, with prices at $25 for pre-sold general admission or $35 on the day.
There will be a food truck lawn, live entertainment and more than $10,000 in fashion on the field prizes, as well as a new entertainment area beyond the stables called Little Wollongong.
Gates are open at 11am, with the first of nine races at 1.15pm.
$1 million THE GONG (1600m)
Saturday, Kembla Grange, (4.20pm)
1 MISTER SEA WOLF (Chris Waller, James McDonald)
Weight: 59kg
Barrier: 9
Odds: $8.50
2 STAR OF THE SEAS (Chris Waller, Glen Boss)
Weight: 55.5kg
Barrier: 7
Odds: $6
3 NICOLETTA (Kris Lees, Tommy Berry)
Weight: 54.5kg
Barrier: 19
Odds: $17
4 EL DORADO DREAMING (Kris Lees, Kerrin McEvoy)
Weight: 54kg
Barrier: 5
Odds: $5 favourite
5 LOOKS LIKE ELVIS (Bryan Dais, Blaike McDougall)
Weight: 53.5kg
Barrier: 16
Odds: $15
6 LUVALUVA (John Sargent, Tim Clark)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 6
Odds: $6
7 MILITARY ZONE (Peter and Paul Snowden, Andrew Adkins)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 8
Odds: $8.50
8 SIR PLUSH (Bjorn Baker, Jason Collett)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 17
Odds: $51
9 NOBLE BOY (Todd Blowes, Brodie Loy)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 4
Odds: $14
10 GOODFELLA (Bjorn Baker, Glyn Schofield)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 13
Odds: $26
11 JONKER (David Atkins, Brock Ryan)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 11
Odds: $34
12 TESTASHADOW (Gary Portelli)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 15
Odds: SCRATCHED
13 TAIKAMOCHI (Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott, Winona Costin)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 3
Odds: $16
14 ARTICUS (Kris Lees, Andrew Gibbons)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 18
Odds: $34
15 QUACKERJACK (Mark Newnham, Rachel King)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 14
Odds: $11
16 TAMERACK (Joseph Pride, Jay Ford)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 20
Odds: $34
17 ASTERIUS (Chris Waller, TBC)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 1
Odds: $16
18e RANIER (James Cummings, Kathy O'Hara)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 10
Odds: $23
19e ESTEEM SPIRIT (Gwenda Markwell, TBC)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 2
Odds: $201
20e ALL BUT GONE (Damien Lane, Serg Lisnyy)
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 12
Odds: $201
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
