3 minute read
Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Randwick.
The rail is out 7m from the 1600m to the winning post and 4m the remainder. The form has been done for a soft track.
Race 1 - 11:40AM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
1. Ahead Start has won three of his five starts and profiles like his best is still well and truly ahead of him. The four-year-old was an arrogant winner first up last preparation before winning a Highway Handicap. Admittedly, it wasn't the deepest 1200m Highway we've ever seen but that prompted Danny Williams to deep end the son of Dream Ahead in the Inglis Guineas. The other two significant pointers ahead of this gelding's return is the fact that James McDonald sticks as he rode Ahead Start in his Highway win and how well he has trialled up in two hitouts. Williams made no secret of his Kosciuszko ambitions with the horse last campaign and the timing of his return suggests that's still on his radar.
Dangers: It was impossible to miss the front-running exhibition 11. Nadaraja put on at Scone last start, winning by 5.5 lengths. It even earned him a Kosciuszko slot. Tim Clark is a perfect booking suggesting similar tactics will be adopted. Can he do that again? Perhaps, but you're not getting much of a price to find out. 3. Nicci Trix is a fast mare that'll spear forward and give Nadaraja company up front. She has a history of winning trials by big margins. 2. Leo looks perfectly set up in this but the barrier hurts. He flies fresh and has a great record over the Randwick 1000m (3:2-0-0), with the miss a meritorious fourth. 5. Blitzar and 9. Brave Enough will be closing hard while 17. Battleground never settled last start.
How to play it: Ahead Start EACH WAY ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS
Race 2 - 12:15PM PEACHESTER LODGE SHOOT OUT MILE (1600 METRES)
The wait is finally over! 1. New Arrangement has found the perfect race. Convinced that he is airborne at the moment. He just hasn't had the right set up since winning first up. Last start he was ridden for luck from the tail of the field, having drawn wide again, and clocked the fastest closing splits of the race behind stablemate Atishu. Punters Intelligence reveals a 33.88s last 600m. It's proved to be a deep race providing two subsequent winners and another four placegetters. That's not counting Atishu's brilliant fourth since then either. Prior to that New Arrangement got keen in the middle stages yet still finished off splitting Mirra Vision and Madam Legend. He draws a gate in this small field, loves Randwick (9:2-4-1) and gets out to the mile. Yes.
Dangers: There wasn't a lot between 4. Bigboyroy and 7. Cisco Bay last start and they crossed the line together prior to that too. The map advantage gives Bigboyroy the edge this time and James McDonald jumps back on. 2. Charms Star comes through that same form line and although she ran a well beaten 11th, the inside wasn't the place to be on a deteriorating track. Can be forgiving. 8. Kordia turned his form around to win in a blanket finish at Kembla last start when a $20 pop while 5. Kiss The Bride ran an eye catching sixth but he can get dour very quickly as he gets into a preparation and he probably wants 2000m now third up.
How to play it: New Arrangement WIN ($8.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT
Race 3 - 12:50PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1600 METRES)
4. Bowery Breeze sets up beautifully out to the mile with the sting out of the track. She has been disadvantaged by two moderately run Midways in her last two starts. The first of those saw her run a fast-finishing second behind all-the-way winner Prince Invincible before last start the wide draw coupled with a muddling run race saw her run sixth to Royalzel. It was a much better run than it reads on paper. The five-year-old mare has run over the Randwick mile twice in the past, beating Zing on one occasion while she should have finished closer to Invinciano in the other. Draws low enough on Saturday for Kathy O'Hara to have in her, at worst, in midfield position. Everything appears to have fallen into place for her. No excuses.
Dangers: 7. Majella had her chance last start at the midweeks but lacked the ping to put Come Along away. That's a little concern but her luckless fourth in Midway company the start prior says she can only run well in this. Especially considering that she beat 9. Big Surprise fair and square at Newcastle three starts ago. 6. Tampering is holding his form while the same can be said for 10. Canyonero. This is the easiest race 1. Above And Beyond has contested in a long time but the barrier doesn't do him any favours nor does it for his well-fancied stablemate 13. Akihiro, the runner with the most upside here. Not discounting 5. Onemore Sapphire either, despite coming back in trip.
How to play it: Bowery Breeze EACH WAY ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT
Race 4 - 1:25PM THE AGENCY HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
5. High Supremacy kicks off over 1400m first up which gives the four-year-old the best chance to resume a winner. His last six runs have all been in black type races, which included a second in the Canberra Guineas behind likely type Equation, a second to Senor Toba in the Frank Packer Plate and a luckless fourth behind Kiku in the Carbine Club, a race he should have won. The gelding has had a few tricks in the past but the way he has trialled this time back suggests he has potentially ironed a few of those out. Masked Crusader, Aramayo and Giannis are just a few of the horses he has matched motors with in his two heats. Nash Rawiller rides and he should land midfield. Has the turn of foot to put these away if he runs up to his best.
Dangers: 17. Golly I'm Lucky is a knockout hope on the back of two hidden runs. Terry Robinson has been bullish about how well the seven-year-old is going at the moment. Had no luck last start, running an inconclusive 12th, in what looks a key form race for this. 6. Reformist clocked the second fastest last 600m in that race, which was his first appearance for Ed Cummings. 2. Elizabeel was disappointing in the Mona Lisa last start but she was 1100m to 1350m. Perhaps that told late. Peaks now third up and is back in grade. 3. Soami and 9. Super Effort continue to race well while like the way 11. Tony Be closed off at his first outing for Chris Waller. Might want a mile, however. Market watch on 10. Suave.
How to play it: High Supremacy WIN ($7 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS
Race 5 - 2:00PM BILL RITCHIE HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
Don't let 5. Private Eye's last start seventh fool you! His run was excellent. In fact, only Fituese clocked a faster last 600m split across the entire Kembla Grange meeting last week. He was just run off his feet in the middle stages of the race by Big Parade. There's a bit of intent to be read into Joe Pride backing up the four-year-old and putting the blinkers on third up. Coming back to Randwick, out to 1400m and on a track with the juice out of it is tailor made for him. Nobody missed his first up win over 1200m at Randwick where he clocked exceptionally fast closing splits to reel in Embracer. The expectations thereafter were that he'd have a role to play in the Epsom and Golden Eagle and that hasn't changed in the past seven days despite his Theo Marks finishing position.
Dangers: Respect Chris Waller's aggressive placement with 11. Atishu given she was an odds on pop in the mile race earlier at the meeting. The former Kiwi-trained mare produced big closing splits last start after getting way too far back. The knock is dropping back to 1400, not on her talent. 3. Aramayo ran on into second behind Zaaki last start a form line which speaks for itself. 9. Looks Like Elvis could be the sleeper at monster odds. He was only half a length off Think It Over and Criaderas first up last preparation. Big watch on import 2. Numerian, having beaten Sir Dragonet 18 months ago. 12. Harmony Rose is a hope but she gets no easy lead here first up. Found 4. Amarelinha tricky to line up while 1. Archedemus has improved sharply third up in both of his preparations for Team Hawkes.
How to play it: Private Eye WIN ($4.80 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS
Race 6 - 2:40PM DARLEY TEA ROSE STAKES (1400 METRES)
With Jamaea heading to the Golden Rose it's no easy task deciphering the Furious Stakes form with the fillies getting out to 1400m. There was two lengths from first to ninth. The temptation is to look left field with 8. Chill. She chimes into the Princess Series having instead run in the Rosebud, a maiden, which she won, and three weeks ago in the Ming Dynasty again against the boys. She never threatened, finishing sixth, but the speed coming out of the race in the middle stages made it hard for backmarkers. She had support in betting and Arnaqueur, Head Of State and Dark Rebel have all run well since. Maps to be put right on top of the speed here too. There is still a little query on Chill at 1400m but at the price it might be worth an each way ticket to find out.
Dangers: 1. Four Moves Ahead was ridden conservatively in the Furious, poking up the fence late, which was the inferior ground at Randwick come the midway point of the meeting. The 1400m looks to suit now and all of her two-year-old form, where she proved the dominant filly, was on tracks with the sting out. It was a pass mark for 3. She's All Class first up but she did suffer a setback prior so went into the race underdone. Could improve sharply but the market hasn't missed her. Reluctant to overlook the obvious in 4. Mallory and 5. Robodira through that race too while 6. Latino Blend's Silver Shadow run also has her in the mix.
How to play it: Chill EACH WAY ($51 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS
Race 7 - 3:15PM FUJITSU GENERAL GEORGE MAIN STAKES (1600 METRES)
7. Verry Elleegant has shown in past preparations that she is most vulnerable over 1400m first up so the fact that she ran a close second to Mo'unga in the Winx Stakes despite being exposed at the 600m mark, and on a good track, suggests that the six-year-old has returned as well as ever. Out to the mile second up with the sting out of the ground sets up perfectly. In her last 13 starts at Group One level she has finished outside of the top two just twice. It's a remarkable record. It is interesting, however, that one of those misses was in the George Main a year ago after winning the Winx Stakes first up. She lacked ping, running fourth, before bouncing back out to 2000m and then claiming the Caulfield Cup fourth up.
Dangers: 5. Riodini nearly pinched the Chelmsford last start from in front and what's stopping him from running another big race in this? Maps to get control and give cheek. 2. Think It Over showed plenty of desire to reel Riodini in just in time. 4. Star Of The Seas has one verdict over Verry Elleegant and there was only a nostril between it being 2-1 the other way around. Got his spring back on track second up with a more conservative ride. How much do we read into 3. Cascadian's second up stats when trying to forgive his disappointing fourth last start? Could bounce back third up out to the mile. 9. Hungry Heart picked herself up in the Winx Stakes despite being flattened at the 350m. Needs a firm track, however.
How to play it: Verry Elleegant WIN ($1.90 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT
Race 8 - 3:55PM BOWERMANS COMMERCIAL FURNITURE SHORTS (1100 METRES)
4. Masked Crusader had an obvious class edge on his rivals at Caulfield first up but what a return it was from the five-year-old running a sizzling last 200m split to win from last eased down. He took giant strides over the autumn which saw him win the G1 William Reid and run second to 1. Nature Strip in the TJ Smith Stakes, the benchmark sprinter in the country. A wide draw then proved costly in the All Aged Stakes. Tardy getaways have brought about his undoing numerous times in the past but that should be offset in this given the likely tempo this crack field of sprinters will generate. If he can hold a spot from barrier 2, it's a bonus, if not, he should still get a final say in the finish.
Dangers: Nature Strip was an arrogant winner of the Concorde first up over 1000m but he was gifted control from the outset which renders him unbeatable. No sprinter in the world would beat him when he is allowed to steadily build. 2. Eduardo is back for anything crack at Nature Strip having nailed him on the line in the Challenge Stakes last campaign before Nature Strip got revenge in the TJ. Wedged in between those two was the best 1100m performance we saw from any horse last season, with Eduardo towelling up the Galaxy field. The wide draw gives Nash Rawiller no other option other than to go handle bars down. 3. Gytrash had excuses for his two failures last preparation and he's well set up to finish hard. Looks the obvious overs in the market. And then there's Queensland jet 5. Rothfire.
How to play it: Masked Crusader WIN ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT
Race 9 - 4:35PM TAB KINGSTON TOWN STAKES (2000 METRES)
14. She's Ideel hasn't won in 10 starts now, which is the only knock on the Metrop-bound mare. She teased last preparation that she had matured into a genuine Group One class stayer, running second in the Tancred behind Sir Dragonet. She resumed with a slashing third in the G1 Winx Stakes, typically running big late splits, and Mo'unga and Think It Over have franked that form reference. Her second up seventh may have looked disappointing to the eye but she was left flatfooted when Riodini cranked up the pressure turning for home and was caught on the inside of the track (that's a little concern here too drawn inside). Her last 200m was only a length outside of the quickest. From weight-for-age she drops back to a Group Three over 2000m where she carries just 53kg. So well placed.
Dangers: 4. Spirit Ridge was very brave first up over 2000m with 59kg chasing a fast speed. It was only the hard fit Harpo Marx, with 53kg on his back, that grabbed him late. 3. Montefilia closed faster than She's Ideel in the Chelmsford to run third but she was in the best ground and is heavily penalised for her Group One wins at the weights. 5. Shared Ambition was found out fitness-wise first up having sat outside of the leader in the Chelmsford. He boxed on to hold fifth. He is 5:3-1-0 second up and 3:1-1-1 over this track and trip. 7. Best Of Days isn't getting any younger but he hasn't been beaten far in his two runs back and maps to get the run of the race.
How to play it: She's Ideel WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS
Race 10 - 5:15PM HEINEKEN HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
12. Equation kicks off his spring in benchmark company but would be very surprised if he ended the preparation in it. The four-year-old was beaten on debut but has won four on the bounce since then and all in impressive style. He ended his second racing campaign by taking out the Listed Canberra Guineas as the odds on favourite. That was on the back of victories at Gosford and Canterbury that were even more impressive on the clock than they were to the eye. Hasn't trialled ahead of his resumption, which is curious. Perhaps it's to keep him fresh enough for 1100m first up, as if there is one criticism of his set up here it's that 1200m would have been ideal. The booking of James McDonald might tell you everything you need to know about his first up chances, however.
Dangers: 19. Quanitco is a lightly-raced sprinter with a stack of talent. Has trialled up well and this being the last race gives the track a chance to dry out, which he needs. History suggests that 2. Marway can need the run first up to hit his straps, like most speed horses, but you've only got to re watch his Wagga Town Plate win to remind yourself of the ability he possesses. 4. The Face is a genuine 1100m sprinter and will be primed first up, as is typical of the stable. Forget his Arrowfield flop where he raced too keenly. 11. Blondeau drops back from 1400m to 1100m but kept fresh he could be dangerous minding his own business from a soft draw.
How to play it: Equation WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT