3 minute read
The rain hasn't kept them away and some of them would actually be happy with this.
Randwick is rate a heavy 8 so anything could happen so here's a snapshot of the various raiders.
The Sydney Cup has two from Joseph O'Brien's yard in Ireland: Cleveland, owner by Lloyd Williams & Co, will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy. He's had a run here coming 5th in the Tancred on 25/3 G1 over 2400m. He had 6 months off before that after coming 6th in the Irish Cesarewitch. He's by Camelot who is well-known here. The trip of 3200m should suit but is still a question especially on heavy ground.
Stablemate Baron Samedi is well-travelled having raced in Dubai in '22 (without success).
Last October ran second in the Loughbrown G3 over the 3200m and the previous May after return from Dubai ran 3rd in the Listed Vintage Crop. He's relatively lightly raced and could be worth a bit of e/w. "Ausie" Tom Marquand rides.
The QE 2 has the William Haggas runner Dubai Honour as current favourite after his win in the Ranvet. At home he was 6th in the Champion Stakes and 2nd at Kempton on the AWT so is versatile. The Japanese are represented by Yahagi-sensei's Unicorn Lion by No Nay Never. He's a 7yo – another in the list of horses in Japan kept in racing and won a G3 at Fukushima over 2000m last November and 7th in the Kyoto Kinen over 2200m. While not in the top 10 of Japanese horses it is always worthwhile to respect the Yahagi runners and this one will have Damian Lane on board.
The Queen of the Turf sees one of our favourite girls debut in Australia in Alcohol Free who used to be owned by Jeff Smith and trained by Andrew Balding. Last year she came 3rd in the Sussex at Goodwood and won the July Cup at Newmarket. In the UK she usually wore a hood going to the start. She's now with Gai and Adrian and won a recent trial and looks like she has a following here as she's on 3.40. Purpleplay started off in France and then moved to the Haggas yard but continued to race in France with Marquand riding and their best finish was winning the G3 Prix Sandringham. Statement is another Joseph O'Brien runner who came 9th in the Emancipation after arriving here, but has a very good record for second up including winning a G3 in Tipperary and then a Listed in Cork.
