Race-by-race preview and tips for Randwick on Saturday
Brad Gray
Race 1 – 11:00 KIA ORA HANDICAP FROM BLOODLINES TO HEADLINES (1100 METERS)
4.Klocke He gives away racing experience but the Zoustar colt had good trials in two preparations with Chris Waller sending him out four furlongs before his debut. In his second attempt before writing, he divided Paradoxium and Central Europe and came back with two eye-catching works. In the first of these he was narrowly beaten before being asked to find the line with his final shot. The stable has a great history with two-year-olds at the end of the season. Don’t be surprised to see Klocke contributing to this, too. 2. Lord Horatio He did well to win at the top of the pace on his debut at Warwick Farm. The colts ran three lengths faster than the mares won by Uncertain Glory. The runner-up has since won at states, while Lord Horatio won a trial in the synthetic. He seems to be doing everything right. The same cannot be said for 9. Like an Eagle. On his debut he attacked sideways from the barriers, went too fast early and then struggled to angle into open space. Finishing the way he did shows there is talent there. 3. Lady Catalina He saw the Forests at Scone.
How to play: Klocke will win.
Race 2 – 11.35 MIDDLE ROAD HANDICAP (1500 METERS)
2.Sonofdec He got off to a fast start on his last start in the Gunnedah Cup and found himself ahead for the first time in the 26th start of his career. He then boxed well and lost a point to the flying Tavros, who was dispatched at a $1.35 chance. Sonofdec was not without his supporters and started as second favourite. The five-year-old, who was fourth in the last race, won the Four Pillars on the same outing at this track and conditions are likely to be similar, in the soft range. The kick is the barrier that Mollie Fitzgerald, who has gained three kilos, can reach when running. On paper he doesn’t seem to have much speed, so he may need to roll the dice and slide forward. 9. Perfect Justice He was the close choice in the 1400m Midway race at Randwick two weeks ago. The last 600 meters were the fastest of the race. 1. Promitto It’s part of the furniture when it comes to Midways. Forgive the margin created first in Scone in a publicly traded company. It collects all 63.5 kg.
How to play: Either way Sonofdec.
Race 3 – 12.10 TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1100 METERS)
4. Exit Fee He jumped 2.5kg after winning the Highway Handicap over 1200m at Randwick two weeks ago. He draws the same door and Adam Hyeronimus remains on the ship. Punters will be hoping for lightning to strike twice with the horse trained by Danny Williams. He will settle into the pursuit position again and should struggle to get to the finish line with a similar split. He drops back to 1100m but only in third place. 8. Wayburn Due to the Exit Fee, when connected to the line it is only up half a kilo from two weeks ago. And don’t think a drop back to 1100m will hurt the Matt Dunn-trained three-year-old’s chances. He’s pulling the first barrier, so Nash Rawiller will need to make a smart move. 7. Gunpowder Man prove to be the wild card of disagreement. He finished fourth in a similar race in June last year. It likes wet ground. The innings show the 48 weeks between runs and how one-dimensional he was, often settling last.
How to play: Exit Fee to Win.
Race 4 – 12.45PM 50 YEARS AND LIFETIME HANDICAP (1600 METERS)
10. Nasebah He made a lasting impression on his first start in Australia and went on to win by a dominant margin. This was the four-year-old filly’s third start. His overall time at the same meeting was four lengths faster than Chispa, and the import showed great turn of foot as he moved up the fences. In this context, it is worth remembering that Nasebah was flattered to find the right part of the Kensington track: inwards. 3.Bravissima The two running backs were driven conservatively, but still didn’t get beaten by much. He is trying to find the right race towards the third kilometer to press the button and go further, maybe even take the lead. Rawiller’s booking may be a clue here. A lot has been asked 5.Amreekiyah His last start at Scone was when he moved up to 1700 meters for the first time in his career for seven weeks between runs. I kept chasing.
How to play: Nasebah will win.
Race 5 – 13.20 FOUNDATION WOMEN MEMBER HANDICAP (2000 METERS)
11. Solar Spirit He replaced eight of 11 barriers on Saturday with the third of 12 barriers, which looks significant in a very similar field. The Autumn Sun mare, whose last start was in the Oaks out of Scarlet Dream, is back two weeks ago. He looked like a winner in the 200 metres, but the energy he put in between the 400 meters and the 200 meters was noticed late and he peaked in his run and finished third. Moving up to 2000m now looks like excellent progress. 3. The Ten Commandments It took him eight starts to break his maidenhood but he did it with authority in his last start at Newcastle. Three starts ago he finished fourth in the 2nd Tulloch Stakes group. 7. Angel City I narrowly missed it 1. Agent Zero It was in the same race as Sunsprite two weeks ago. He had excuses for going back to the middle stages. The top five houses were less than a distance apart. 8.Eyensbury Considering he was blocked for a run down the straight, this should have been part of the blanket finish.
How to play: Sunsprite will win.
Race 6 – 13.55PM BRIDGE RISK GROUP HANDICAP (1000 METERS)
3. Big Red Tequila In February, before my article, he used his get out of jail free card at Warwick Farm. From where he settled into the run it looked mission impossible, but he crossed the line to make it four wins from eight starts and he had 61.5kg on his back. The Joe Pride-trained filly lost just one race last season and that was 6. Ice Coolnessso he will need to turn the tables. Launch off the ground and 1000 meter speed are in his favor. 4. Prima Bella and more 10. The Best of Vella. How the first half of the race turns out for Ice Kool will be important for his chances. The three-year-old caught punters’ attention with an excellent display of sustained pace to break the maiden at Warwick Farm before going back-to-back at Randwick despite doing the wrong things. 1. Magnificent Eagle She remains in the 1000m but it was an encouraging return when Prima Bella, who was enjoying the heavy conditions, was given a brave second.
How to play: Big Red Tequila will win.
Race 7 – 14.30 ASAHI SUPER DRY HANDICAP (1300 METERS)
11. luh continues to progress. It finished the spring with a third-place finish in the Big Dance, behind Gringotts and Vivy Air. That was over a mile but three of his five wins were over 1200m and 1300m. The five-year-old comes to his hand quickly and likes the method he tried before the fourth preparation. Nash Rawiller jumps in the car for the first time on race day, which looks like a good match, and he draws to get the right run. Kicking off Lugh’s campaign in the first week of June could see Ciaron Maher’s stable eyeing another place in the Big Dance. 6. Midnight Dynamite On Doomben’s last start he broke out as a dominant all-around winner, justifying his confident market support. That now means four wins from his last five starts. 3. Point and Shoot will bomb the start more often. The high speed on the Luskin Star flattered him, but he took home second place. 4. Cool Jakey It is a reliable speed booster. Joe Pride won this race last year with Headley Grange and in 2022 with Coal Crusher.
How to play: I need Lugh to win.
Race 8 – 15:05 BOB CHARLEY AO STAKES (1100 METERS)
It’s been a slow burn 3. General Salutebut he begins to fulfill the promise he always mocked. The five-year-old failed to win last campaign but is in good company, placing behind Autumn Glow, Lazzura, Gringotts, Headley Grange and Transatlantic; they were all group 1 winners now, even if they weren’t at the time. General Salute won devastatingly this time last year after a 41-week break, so the 32-week break shouldn’t deter punters with even a single try. Niggle is 1100m. There may not be a more underrated sprinter in the state. 5. Brudenell. ran to second place 1. In flight I was in this race 12 months ago and it seems to be going just as well. He is no longer winning in turns as he has found his level, but he has appeared in five of his last 10 starts. In Flight returns to defend his title with an extra 4.5kg. He was won from a barrier at this track and won on this trip two starts ago and has been fresh from a low-key run in Queensland.
How to play: General Salute for the win.
Race 9 – 15.45 CACTUS VIEWING HANDICAP (1600 METERS)
5. Official Release This campaign for the Archibald stable is firing on all cylinders. Imports reached a new level, this time with the help of Australia’s preparation. The five-year-old took three wins on the bounce, including the Tamworth Cup, before advancing to an extensive draw in the Scone Cup. He was brave enough to continue the challenge and finished third, beaten by less than a length. The prospect of dipping his toe into the ground on Saturday looks only positive, as does staying in fifth place at the moment. 11. Declichy Boulevard She may be heading north to Queensland instead, but if she’s at Randwick she’s a classy filly making up for lost time. 3. Sun God He has achieved first place in his last two campaigns. Luskin suited Star’s pressure up front but charged in late to beat Linebacker and stop Point And Shoot. He was aware that he was racing up to 2000 meters on a soft track for the second time in the final preparations. 6. God’s Window I didn’t have much luck before I atoned for it at the Randwick mile two weeks ago.
How to play: Official Show to Win.
Race 10 – 16.25 TAB HANDICAP (1400 METERS)
4. Magnificent Moments We won narrowly at Warwick Farm but it doesn’t do justice to the victory. He was always going to be vulnerable on a heavy 61.5kg track over 1100m, especially after the race turned into a sprint. Their recent split has been deceptively rapid. Confidentiality and Formality then performed well. The four-year-old jumps directly to 1400 m in seconds. Considering how he finished second last time out, marking himself as a potential group horse, it is reasonable to expect good progress from midweek onwards. 16.nitro He lacks crossover speed so he will lose more races than he wins but he is full of talent. At Scone he moved from first to second and built an impossible advantage. Chad Schofield jumps on board with Tom Sherry for the first time in Queensland. 19. Shotgun Bella looks at best. The Nathan Doyle-trained filly proved to be a real city-class miller.
How to play: Great moments to win.
Provided by Racing NSW.
