Favourites draw close in 2024 Northerly Stakes field

Barrier one has provided the past two winners of the Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) and Storyville has just edged into favouritism after drawing the inside gate in Saturday’s $1.5 million feature.

Three-year-old fillies have dominated the race in recent years with Perfect Reflection, Arcadia Queen, Kay Cee and Amelia’s Jewel all successful in the past nine years with Kay Cee also jumping from the inside gate in 2019.

William Pike combined with Grant, and Grant & Alana Williams to win aboard Perfect Reflection and Arcadia Queen and will take the ride at 50kg on Storyville, while Attrition will be out to provide an Eastern state clean sweep of the three Ascot Group Ones, drawing barrier five for Beau Mertens.

Also drawn well is Super Smink, who will jump from barrier six for Chris Parnham after getting a long way back from barrier 15 and rattling home for third in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) a fortnight ago, with trainer Daniel Morton pleased with the switch.

“This whole prep’s been seamless so far and I was very confident in all the races leading in this time around, she hasn’t drawn a marble. I think she threw a good gate when she won and all the others were outside gates,” Morton said.

“She’s been sort of forced probably further back than she needed to be in running a few times but I’m confident she’s going as good as ever.”

A winner of the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) first up, Morton says Super Smink hasn’t given him any indication she won’t run a strong 1800m, especially if able to hold a spot from her barrier.

“Who knows, you draw a better marble, you might win race, but we’ve drawn a good gat this week and we’ll give it another shot.”

I’ve never wavered from it (a mile) to be honest, I was confident then she’d run it out, after reviewing all the work that went into that preparation which I do consistently, I felt she probably just wasn’t really seasoned enough at that point but I’m very confident that she’s had that point now,” Morton said.

Storyville holds the call as a $4.40 favourite ahead of Attrition at $4.50 while Democracy Manifest has been steady at $6.50 after drawing barrier two. Super Smink is on the fourth line of betting at $7 while beaten Railway favourite Light Infantry Man is at $10 after drawing barrier 15.