Large Field Assembled For Tobin Bronze

A total of 17 final acceptances were taken on Wednesday morning ahead of Saturday's $250,000 Gr2 Tobin Bronze Stakes, with many of the runners on paper all appearing to have a chance. With multiple form lines coming into the race including the Gr2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint and the Listed Redevla Stakes, it could be a recent 1200m race at Sandown that holds the key to the winning chances. Sold for $975,000 through the Amarina Farm draft at the Inglis Easter yearling sale, the M Price & M Kent Jnr trained Pivot City (Not a Single Doubt-Di Lusso, by Lonhro) has always promised plenty, and while he hasn't made an impact to date in black type racing to date, this Saturday's Tobin Bronze Stakes may just be his day. A two-time winner from six starts to date, the colt is a half-brother to the Gr2-winning, Gr1 placed Contessa Vanessa (Bullbars) from the family of Shuffle Dancer (I Am Invincible) who herself appears a leading chance in the Gr2 Queen Of The Turf Stakes which will be run as the very next race on the nine-race card. With Blake Shinn sticking with the colt after riding the 3YO to success last time out, Pivot City has drawn barrier seven, and although he is on equal weights to some very talented stakes winners, this colt is one to watch. A winner of just shy of $1m in earnings, the Ben, Will & JD Hayes trained Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel-Florabella, by Exceed And Excel) is clearly the one to beat on form, especially at the weights, and if he can overcome barrier 16, the Mark Zahra-ridden stakes winner should be charging home late. A winner of her first three starts before ending her campaign with third in the Gr1 Thousand Guineas where she started second favourite, Mitchell Freedman's Sky Bird (Exosphere-Real Desire, by Wanted) resumed with a fifth carrying 61kg at Bendigo over 1100m. Stepping up to 1200m and a significant drop in weights is likely to see a return to form for the Beau Mertens-ridden filly.