Manighar: beat Americain in the Group 1 BMW at Rosehill last time out
PICTURE: Getty ImagesManighar set to renew rivalry with Americain
Preview: Australia, Saturday
Randwick: Sydney Cup meeting
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) (7.15am BST) 1m2f
Damien Oliver expects track conditions at Randwick on Saturday to be significant for what is shaping as a mouth-watering clash of weight-for-age stars inthe Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Oliver is excited to be reunited with the Peter Moody-trained Manighar in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth in which he will meet Americain and More Joyous.
The imported galloper won the Australian Cup, Ranvet Stakes and BMW Group 1 treble with Luke Nolen aboard this autumn.
Nolen will be in Adelaide to ride Black Caviar in the Sportingbet Classic as the great mare shoots for her 20th consecutive win.
Oliver rode Manighar in the past two Caulfield and Melbourne Cups when the gelding was trained by Luca Cumani.
He said it would be fantastic if Manighar could continue his autumn winning run on Saturday.
"It would be nice after having ridden him in all those Cups to win a good one on him," Oliver said.
"He's been in great form and Peter has done a great job with him.
"I expect him to run pretty well. Americain is obviously going to be hard to beat. I think the conditions of the track will be important.
"Manighar is probably a horse that's better on top of the ground and Americain is a horse that's better on softer ground."
Sydney's pin-up horse More Joyous is set to back up in the Queen Elizabeth after her thrilling win in last Saturday's Group 1 Doncaster Mile.
"That will add another dimension to it," Oliver said.
"It will bea great race."
Also on Saturday
Champagne Stakes (Group 1) (4.40am BST) 1m, 2yo
Peter Snowden has Limes poised for a career-best performance in the Champagne Stakes but fears it still might not be enough to topple Pierro.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained favourite has won all five starts, including the first two legs of the juvenile triple crown - the Golden Slipper and Sires' Produce Stakes.
The Champagne Stakes is the final hurdle and if Pierro can win he will become the first youngster sincethe Waterhouse-trained Dance Hero in 2004 to make a clean sweep.
Snowden has won the past two runnings of the Champagne with Helmet (2011) and Skilled (2010) and he will saddle up both Limes and Tatra on Saturday.
All Aged Stakes (Group 1) (5.55am BST) 7f, 3yo+
Unbeaten filly Atlantic Jewel will be tested at weight-for age in Saturday's All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
The three-year-old was entered for three races on theprogramme with trainer Mark Kavanagh announcing on Tuesday she would take on the Group 1 feature.
Her jockey Michael Rodd believes it is the right call to run in the All Aged and is confident ahead of the race.
"She is going great. She has pulled up very well," Rodd said.
"I think it was a good call to stick at the 1400 (metres) at weight-for-age where she is pretty well in.
"I'm looking forward to Saturday. A Group 1 win against the older horses would be a real feather in her cap at this stage of her career."
Sydney Cup (Group 1 handicap) (6.35am BST) 2m, 3yo+
Michael Rodd will reunite with Efficient in Saturday's Sydney Cup at Randwick, more than four years after guiding him to victory in Australia's most famous race.
Rodd has not ridden the Lloyd Williams-owned gelding since and he can't wait to jump back aboard.
"It is exciting to be back on him," Rodd said.
"It is the first time since the Melbourne Cup in 2007 and it is great.
"He's been a good horse to me in the past and hopefully we can have a bit of luck."
Efficient was scratched from the Chairman's Quality last Saturday week after vets determined he was lame in the off-fore leg following a race-day inspection.
Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy has arranged for Efficient to be examined on Friday to give him every chance to prove his fitness for the Sydney Cup.
"He hasn't had an ideal preparation but Lloyd [Williams] can offset that because he has such good training facilities and also the horse is a natural stayer," Rodd said.
"He is one from one at the distance and he will be a good ride."
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