Accredited gets a shot at the 2025 Festival Stakes
Reliable campaigner Accredited will be out to finally snare the Stakes victory he has been threatening when he heads to Rosehill this Saturday.
The Joe Pride-trained gelding is set for a start in the $250,000 Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
Representing Proven Thoroughbreds, the six-year-old arrives on the back of two tough second placings, including a brave effort behind barnmate Coal Crusher in the $1 million The Hunter. Pride remains confident he will again prove competitive.
“Coal Crusher is a hard horse to beat at Newcastle and he did a really good job, he never gave up,” Pride said.
“He will be thereabouts and the 1500 metres will suit him.
“He will start in the market as he always does. He is an honest, consistent horse and he is never far away.”
Accredited has put together an impressive record, winning seven of his 21 starts and placing eight more times, with career prizemoney exceeding $700,000.
His second placing in The Hunter followed another near miss in the $300,000 Choisir Handicap at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, where stablemate Estadio Mestalla grabbed him late.
He wrapped up his last campaign with a narrow defeat to Robusto in the Listed Winter Challenge over the same course and distance as the Festival Stakes.
Prior to that, he finished third in the Listed Winter Stakes and will line up this weekend aiming for his first Stakes success.
Pride will rely solely on Accredited in the Festival Stakes, a race that has drawn 31 nominations including Robusto, The Kosciuszko victor Clear Thinking, Group 2 Shannon Stakes winner Waterford, rising runner Yorkshire and Queensland Oaks star You Wahng.
If you're placing a wager on the Festival Stakes, be sure to compare prices on the leading Australian betting sites first.
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