3 minute read

Pre-Christmas racing at Randwick with some attractive bets late in the day.

As punters scramble to find presents other than outlandish futures tips and realise they may need to fund said presents, Saturday's racing is the last opportunity to fund the festive season and unfortunately we'll have to wait until later in the day to (hopefully) do so.

I think the best of the day at Randwick comes up in Race 9 over 1800m, where Aristonous resumed with a new peak by our ratings and with a profile to spike again next time out. He came over from France and has flourished under Annabel Neasham, winning his first two starts here with big late splits.

He ended that four-run preparation rated 98 and went on with it first up over a mile, finishing strongly in the race fastest last 600/400m before fitness just told late, second fastest over the final split to run third, beaten 0.7 lengths.

101 is the number there which already has him right in the finish but the step up to 1800m second up looks ideal and this race looks to have a bit more tempo on with a pair of GaiBott runners and a couple of others drawn wide capable of forcing the issue.

Drawn well, he can land a few pairs closer and with any luck he should be taking care of these.

For the value play I'm going to roll back a race and dissect the eighth, with Joe Pride's newly acquired Sinawann luring me in. He promised plenty when he arrived in Australia but now winless from his past 13, and poor in most of them, he's easy to pass over, but he's showing signs of life and it might pay to forgive his past life as Pride is the master of these horses.

A couple of poke arounds to start the prep, he charged home in the time honoured Racing And Sports Razor Sharp here last time out, back and wide throughout but getting within a length in fourth.

He now gets to 1400m and draws inside so should be much closer in the run in a race that lacks tempo and the senior jockey goes aboard. He should really be able to box-seat and at each-way odds he gets his chance.
 

SYDNEY SPECIALS

Bet of the day: Race 9 #4 Aristonous at $2.90

Each-way play: Race 8 #2 Sinawann at $9.50/3.10