The Group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) is one of four Group 1 races taking place at Royal Randwick for Day 2 of The Championships on Saturday.

The race was first run in 1972 and has been won by some very good fillies and mares including Forensics (2008), More Joyous (2011, 2012) and Alizee (2018).

Our runner by runner guide and full 2021 Queen Of The Turf Stakes Preview can be viewed below.

Probabeel

Probabeel started this campaign with back to back wins including her third Group 1 victory in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.

The star mare proceeded to fail to fire in the All-Star Mile on what ended up being a pretty rain effected track at The Valley when finishing 12th of 15.

She has won 10 of her 22 career starts and is the a mare with a tonne of ability an she will appreciate the step back in class to take on her own sex for this assignment.

She will be extremely hard to beat at the set weights and the early market reflects this with her price.

Kerrin McEvoy steers from barrier six.

Colette

Colette produces a enormous run when taking out the Golden Eagle in her last run in the spring and when she came out and won the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick first up this prep, we thought we may have another genuine star of the turf emerging.

While her three runs preceding that first up win have not been horrible, she has not lived up to what many thought she might.

There would have been plenty that thought the 2020 Australian Oaks winner may be lining up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes but Godolphin have decided to take on her own sex and drop her back to 1600m.

The punters are in favour of this decision and the mare has been very well supported in early betting.

James McDonald pilots from barrier 12.

Greysful Glamour

Greysful Glamour was not at her best when finished well down the track in the Tressady Stakes and then the All-Star Mile to start this campaign.

The stable have been open about the fact that the grey mare does not like the rain one bit so the All-Star Mile run can be forgiven.

Conditions were very much more to suit last start at Rosehill in the Grup 2 Emancipation Stakes with the rail red hot on the day and she looked the winner for a long way before Nimalee got her late.

She will again need things to go her way but she will be fit enough now for this assignment.

Joshua Parr will steer from barrier 11.

Nimalee

Nimalee is a mare on the rise having won six of her 12 career race starts and been unplaced just twice in that time.

This includes the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes last start when she showed a very good turn of foot late in the race to score by just under a length.

Winning form is good form and that’s what she brings into her first group 1 appearance.

Rachel King sits on her back and will jump from barrier nine.

Nettoyer

Nettoyer has not won a race since her upset win in the 2020 Doncaster Handicap this time last year on a heavy track.

She has been 8th, 7th and 9th in her three runs this prep and although she was doing her best work late in the Doncaster last week, she will need to improve dramatically to be any chance.

She is under the odds at her current quote.

Tommy Berry steers from barrier seven.

Quantum Mechanic

Quantum Mechanic is a mare that is racing very consistently this prep.

She started her campaign with a fifth way back in December of last year but since then she has not missed a place in a further six runs.

The daughter of Deep Field took out the Group 2 Sunline Stakes at The Valley two back before finishing within a length of Nimalee in the Emancipation two weeks ago at Rosehill.

There is no doubting her fitness heading into her maiden Group 1 and if she can again improve in between runs, she is not the worst prospect in a very open race.

Group 1 hero Glen Boss will be sitting on top from barrier three.

Vanna Girl

Vanna Girl was blitzing her rivals up in sunny Queensland and earned a trip south the spring last year for some mixed results.

She failed to win a race in four runs at Randwick and Flemington but she was far from disgraced in each run.

She finished third in the Craven Plate behind Think It Over, who has since won the Group 1 George Ryder, before finishing within three lengths in both the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes and Group 2 Matriach Stakes.

An easy first up win a Doomben two weeks ago has given her another shot at Group 1 racing and she is far from the roughest chance in the race.

It is a tough ask to beat Probabeel and Colette at set weights but she does seem over the odds at her current price nonetheless.

Damien Oliver steers from the inside barrier.

Rich Hips

A group 1 became the goal after Rich Hips won so impressively in the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes first up at Caulfield back in February.

The daughter of Written Tycoon finished ninth in her first attempt at the top level in the Coolmore Classic but she finished off that race really well late.

She was then beaten just two lengths last start in the Emancipation Stakes and was doing her best work late on a track that was very tough to make any ground on late.

There is a real concern that she has the class to win a Group 1 of this quality but if things are set up for her in the run, she can flash home late.

Hugh Bowman will pilot from barrier 10.

All Saints’ Eve

All Saints’ Eve is another to come out of the Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill last start and is another that was closing the gap late on a track that didn’t suit back markers.

All three of her runs have been full of merit so far this prep and she is much better on top of the ground which she will get this weekend.

Again, it is a very difficult ask to take on some very classy mares at set weights but she may flash home to fill the minor placings.

Missybeel

Missybeel is a mare that absolutely loves her racing and she has not seen the paddock since September of last year.

It had been a while in between wins but she broke through in the Group 3 Aspiration Quality at this track and distance two starts back.

This is a really tough test for her but connections will be looking to add to her $439k in prize money anyway they can.

Jay Ford steers from barrier five.

Odeum

2020 Thousand Guineas winner Odeum returned from a spell with a fourth behind So Si Bon at Caulfield at Listed level.

The stable then decided to head to Sydney and drop the filly back in distance to 1200m when she was narrowly defeated by the very smart Isotope in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes.

It has been a very light campaign for the talented three year old filly and like the others in this race, it is a tall order taking on the older mares with only a slight weight relief.

She should be double figure odds in my opinion.

Michael Walker steers from barrier four.

Vangelic

Vangelic is one of three fillies taking their place in this race and she has been racing really well at her past couple.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained filly finished second in the Group 1 Surround Stakes behind Forbidden Love and was then beaten only 1.9 lengths in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at her next start.

She was blocked for room at a crucial stage in the straight in her last outing and with even luck she may have even won the race.

She will only improve with racing and has had a trial in between runs to sharpen her up.

Kathy O’Hara loses the ride for Tim Clark who jumps from barrier two.

Starelle

Starelle is the third filly in this year’s edition of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

The daughter of More Than Ready beat the smart Chica Fuerte to win the Group 2 Kewney Stakes at Caulfield two back and the talented filly looks set for a Oaks run before finishing fifth in the Vinery Stud Stakes.

She is better suited at the 1600m but she looks outclassed at set weights here.

Craig Williams steers from barrier eight.

Queen Of The Turf Stakes Tips

Probabeel at $2.50