Extra Entries Boost Missile Nominations

Nominations for the Missile Stakes at Randwick on Saturday have almost doubled after the Australian Turf Club received just six original entries for the Group Two race.

The likelihood of a small field appears to have piqued the interest of several trainers, including premier Queensland horseman Tony Gollan who has thrown Group One winner Temple Of Boom into the mix.

First-up winner Boss Lane, the in-form Lord Leofric, Tony McEvoy's Shiraz and veteran Zaratone have also been entered since the ATC extended nominations for the race.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Liberty's Choice was one of the six original entries with stable spokesman Mark Newnham saying Tulloch Lodge had targeted the horse at the early-season sprint.

Newnham said they banked on the recent wet weather in Sydney delaying the campaigns of several horses who might otherwise have kicked off their campaigns in the Missile.

And it's a scenario the stable hope can work to the advantage of Liberty's Choice.

"A lot of horses are a little bit behind in their preparations with the amount of wet weather we've had," Newnham said.

"Gai has put him in the race thinking it wouldn't attract a big field and that looks like being the case.

"The horse is fit and well."

Nash Rawiller has been booked to ride Liberty's Choice who resumed with a close-up fourth to Rugged Cross in the Winter Stakes on July 18.

Newnham said the stable was satisfied with the horse's performance last start given the heavy track conditions.

"It was after a period where we had a lot of wet weather for three of four weeks and it was very hard to win with horses who were first-up," Newnham said.

Liberty's Choice will bid to give Waterhouse back-to-back Missile Stakes victories after the Randwick trainer produced Sweet Idea to win last year.

The Waterhouse-trained Kimberley Star has been nominated for the other stakes race on Saturday's program, the Listed Rosebud after landing her third win in succession at Rosehill on Saturday.

Newnham said the filly had come through the race well and a decision on whether she backed up would be made after discussions with her owners.

"Gai's intention was to nominate and have a look at the field," Newnham said.

The Rosebud has attracted some quality entries, among them Group One ATC Sires' Produce Stakes runner-up Rageese and Sebring Sun, an impressive first-up winner at Canterbury.