The final Group 1 sprint race of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the VRC Champions Sprint, has attracted 11 runners, with Imperatriz, trained by Mark Walker, emerging as the odds-on favourite. Imperatriz, a daughter of I Am Invincible, has claimed victories in the Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley in consecutive Group 1 starts. With these achievements, she opens as the market favourite at $1.90 for the 1200m contest on Saturday.
In her first appearance down the Flemington straight, Imperatriz will face 10 rivals, all of whom have previously raced the track and distance at least once. The only other contender within single-figure odds in the $3 million race is In Secret ($4.40) from the Godolphin stable. Trained by James Cummings, In Secret has won the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Newmarket Handicap at Group 1 level as a three-year-old filly, both races held down the Flemington straight. Despite being winless in her three starts this campaign, her straight-course form remains impeccable.
Bella Nipotina ($10.00) will be competing on a seven-day backup, having emerged victorious in the Giga Kick Stakes at Rosehill last weekend, defeating Private Eye and Think About It. However, her recent starts in Melbourne saw her finishing behind the two favourites during the autumn races.
Star mare Asfoora ($10.00), trained by Henry Dwyer, has had a four-week break and will return to the Champions Sprint to face Imperatriz again after being defeated by the Kiwi mare in the Moir Stakes two starts back. While she remains unbeaten down the straight, she has only managed one placing from two starts at the 1200m distance.
