Summary of Best Bets:
Best Value: R8 (13) Sunshineinmypocket
Next Best: R4 (6) Lancelot Du Lac
Best Bet: R7 (10) King’s Secret
Turf Talk:
- Rail +4m
- With the dry track and rail out, on speed horses will have a slight advantage overall.
- Tempo will be key to the overall outcome of races.
Race by race overview
Race 1:
Typical 10 race card at Randwick. Rail out 4m and warm weather leading in should see a Good track and a nice fair racing surface. No doubt they will put considerable water on it leading in.
The day kicks off with a 1000m Set Weights 2YO race. Only the one with race experience and that is (3) Shiki who is yet to be defeated in trials and her sole race start. The filly comes here on the back of two trials win and what we saw on debut in the Group 3 Gimcrack was a very talented horse. Looks hard to beat.
(2) Warwoven is one of two colts engaged and he looks the pick of the debutants for an in form stable. This son of Sword of State loomed up strongly and won his only trial leading in. It was at his home track which is a slight knock but he looks talented.
(4) Hardanger took a bit of riding but found the line nicely in her trial. That trial was at Canterbury and she is back to her home track.
(6) Norman’s Cay next best off a winning Kensington trial.
Selections:
(3) Shiki
(2) Warwoven
(4) Hardanger
(6) Norman’s Cay
Suggested Bet: Win (3) Shiki
Race 2:
BM72 Midway over a mile. Three last start winners and a further 7 last start placegetters. Deep race! (9) Lugarno looks the leader and he commands respect.
(5) Oakfield Saturn has not done a lot wrong. She is a 4YO with a brilliant career record and plenty of upside still. Last start winner over a mile and rock hard fit now. Collett sticks, drawn perfectly and hard to beat.
(6) Perfect Justice gets the winkers on for the first time and should get a nice suck run from barrier 1. He continues to race well and the drop back to a mile here at Randwick, his home track looks a perfect set up.
(2) Missile Seeker relished the rise to 1500m second up and won impressively. Three others come from the race and the 4th horse there (14) Trafalgar Square does meet the winner 3.5kg better off. She also started shorter in betting.
(4) Artful Persuasion has been building up this prep and could potentially peak here 3rd up and with the in form Tommy Berry on board.
Chances galore.
Selections:
(5) Oakfield Saturn
(6) Perfect Justice
(9) Lugarno
(4) Artful Persuasion
Suggested Bet: Small Win (5) Oakfield Saturn, Small Win (6) Perfect Justice
Race 3:
What a lottery and hundreds of better races to bet into this week rather than 22 acceptors in a Highway.
10 horses through a 1500m Rosehill Highway. (1) Santatime went around favourite there and was just pipped late by Mount Bona who had a lovely run along the fence. Mount Bona rises 4.5kg from that and Santatime, with he 3kg weight swing can turn the tables.
There’s a big gap between Tuncury and Randwick, but (9) Navy Buoy has been racing in fantastic fashion of late and commands respect, bringing completely different form. Can win.
(6) Stormbringer could find himself in the lead here and if the race is run at a moderate tempo that could be his chance to pinch this
Selections:
(1) Santatime
(9) Navy Buoy
(3) Zucchero
(6) Stormbringer
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 4:
BM72 for the 3YO’s and an amazing 10 last start winners. Not something you see every day, but of course a few of them have other options and there will be scratchings – such is the landscape in Sydney at the moment. Jaegers looks set to run Friday at Canterbury.
Leaning the way of (6) Lancelot Du Lac. The half to Lady Of Camelot was well supported on debut and showed very good ability to get over the leader, winning by a nice margin. The colt will be better and fitter for that. He draws perfectly and will be tough to run down.
(3) Plaintiff draws awkwardly but she has done nothing wrong in her career so far. This is a step up but she’s a winner and the form has stood up from her debut performance. (4) Sanctified comes through the same race and does meet Plaintiff 2.5kg better at the weights.
(10) Beechworth not the worst. (11) Big Papa undefeated and can figure.
(5) Namaste has had a freshen up since he won his maiden in November, could back that winning effort up and rise through the grades now with some confidence
Selections:
(6) Lancelot Du Lac
(11) Big Papa
(3) Plaintiff
(5) Namaste
Suggested Bet: EW (6) Lancelot Du Lac
Race 5:
Another interesting BM72, this time over the mile. Speed from 7 and 4.
(1) Full Hao brings a really strong body of work into this and she has produced some very strong ratings leading in. The mare has to concede weight to her rivals but the claim for Grima helps and she knows the horse well, winning on her last start over 1800m. Rock hard fit back from 1800m and drawn to perfection. Think she can run well again.
(6) Mortal Halo is flying this time in winning two of three. His last start effort was very good, showing speed and kicking strongly to win over 1500m. He has a good grounding for the mile now and should get his chance from the inside barrier. He does rise 3.5kg and the likes of (8) The Mona Lisa, (10) Willie Oppa and (5) Viktor all meet him better at the weights but he’s an easy horse to like.
(13) Tequisoda has started his career impressively. He gets in with a light weight and a good barrier but this is a step up again.
Selections:
(1) Full Hao
(6) Mortal Halo
(4) Viktor
(13) Tequisoda
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 6:
Lots of intertwined form here and they do tend to take their turns in these distance races. (2) Brave Call is building a brilliant career record. Berry won on him last start over 2000m and knows the horse well. Although the 2400m is a new challenge, the way he found the line suggests he can win again over this distance. (4) Bestower came through that same race and went on to win over 2400m.
He beat (9) War Ribbon and (12) Mr Fabulous there who both meet him better at the weights. (9) War Ribbon drops 5.5kg but was beaten by a fair margin.
(3) King Pedro might be the one to beat. Two good runs over 2100m and 2000m at his past couple and he is building a great record himself. 2400m should be okay now.
Tricky event.
Selections:
(3) King Pedro
(2) Brave Call
(4) Bestower
(9) War Ribbon
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 7:
Fast speed expected which is not uncommon for these 1100m sprints. 8 and 9 the main speed influences with 5 out wide adding pressure.
(10) Kings’s Secret is second up today and dropping a whopping 8kg off a handy third last start in 78 grade. He is a horse who knows how to win and expecting a forward showing.
(4) Imperial Force can improve and will find this easier than last start. Parr back on and a nice barrier.
(1) Terra Mater can run a race fresh. Big weight for a mare but she gets a handy claim and does like it here and at 1100m. Trial leading in was promising.
Two starts ago (2) Zealously finished third at 1000m, beaten 0.7 lengths behind Rey Magnerio who is (remarkably) now winner of a $1.5M race at 1400m.
1100m first up is a scenario I like to see (6) Cigar Flick in. She has run some very good races first up at this trip in the past. Concern for her is her racing pattern, getting back which makes it tricky to win on fast, dry decks. Look for her to rattle home and run a good race. (5) Storm The Ramparts fits a similar bill. 1100m, first up, at a track he loves. He too doesn’t win out of turn on good tracks however, but he does have tactical speed. Soft trials leading in.
(8) Sunrise can lead and give a sight. Think she is better at 1000m but she does love this track.
Selections:
(10) King’s Secret
(4) Imperial Force
(6) Cigar Flick
(1) Terra Mater
Suggested Bet: Win (10) King’s Secret
Race 8:
Capacity field for this BM100 over (1400m). Solid speed with Whinchat and Sandpaper the likely leading pair. Very tough race with knocks on many and a favourite who is 1 from 15.
(13) Sunshineinmypocket is an interesting runner making his way over from Victoria. Good market watch here. Nice career record and different form. Can win.
Interesting to see how (4) Know Thyself returns. This horse is a winning machine. 4 time winner at 1400m and won his only start at this track and trip in the Country Championship.
(7) Thunderlips is a talented horse and 1400m, Randwick is his absolute go. Looks over the odds.
(14) Just Party has been put up as favourite but gee he is hard horse to come into at a short price. Yes, fantastic run second up but gets away from his home track now and he is only a winner of a 2YO Handicap at Wyong. One win from 15 starts and now favourite at Randwick. Not for me. (15) Mickey’s Medal ties in.
(3) West Of Africa was doing his best work late first up. We know he has the ability to run well in races like this. Fitter and well drawn.
(1) Sandpaper will find this easier but needs to improve. Likewise (2) Konasana.
Selections:
(13) Sunshineinmypocket
(4) Know Thyself
(7) Thunderlips
(14) Just Party
Suggested Bet: Sunshineinmypocket Eachway
Race 9:
(12) Virgil’s Gift is a nice filly with upside. She looks the leader here and can give a sight with the big weight drop. Commands respect.
Expecting (3) Super Nui to run a good race back up to 1400m. (10) Bella Corazon won that lead up but does rise 2.5kg. Even (1) Island Dream can improve, second up rising to this trip. She hit the line strongly last start and she does drop 3kg, meeting the winner some 5.5kg better at the weights. (7) Maid of Moolah through the same race. (11) Alabama Fox is in the mix but does need to improve.
Selections:
(12) Virgil’s Gift
(3) Super Nui
(11) Alabama Fox
(10) Bella Corazon
Suggested Bet: No bet
Race 10:
Finish the day with a BM80 over 1300m. Mafia and Elson Boy look the two likely on speed influences.
(9) Mafia has tactical speed and that’s often a positive in these races late on the card. Berry sticks and fitter on the back up. Will be in this a long way.
(4) Catoggio brings some solid interstate form lines into this and has the talent to be in the finish. Does need another win now though and he does draw awkwardly. A couple of decent queries about the early favourite.
(2) Plundering & (8) Hellbent On You are both 2nd up for this race today (8) Hellbent On You was a winner at Warwick Farm and looks to rise in grade for this today, she will appreciate a rise in trip while (2) Plundering can be a sharp improver down in grade and fitter, he has previously won twice when 2nd up into a prep.
Wanted to find (3) Step Aside but Waller form a wide gate with an apprentice on is a low percentage play. (6) Bartolf through the sage race where he did have market support. Rises 1kg but was good there.
Selections:
(9) Mafia
(4) Catoggio
(2) Plundering
(8) Hellbent On You
