3 minute read

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Randwick.

The rail is out 4m and the form has been done for a good track.

Race 1 - 11:40AM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

1. Parksville has won three of his five starts and there was a lot to like about his return in BM72 company. He ran third but was heavily backed and the way the Kensington track played that meeting, Nags To Riches and Escape Artist were best suited sweeping home out wide. Don't think it's a stretch to say he wins on an even track. Nags To Riches is a Listed-placed mare too. Last preparation Parksville blitzed his rivals on three occasions. The Brett Dodson-trained four-year-old lumps the 59.5kg but wouldn't expect that to be blamed if he was to be beaten here. Has a fantastic racing style of rolling forward and at this stage he profiles like a genuine Kosciuszko contender. He'd want to give this a shake if that's the case.

Dangers: 19. Molly Nails was deep ended in the Listed Canberra Guineas at just her fourth start last preparation which tells you everything you need to know about how highly Matt Dale regards her. She ran midfield but did jump a $6 pop. Prior to that she beat subsequent Tulloch Stakes winner Yaletown. 3. Tara Jasmine put a mixed preparation behind her to resume a dominant winner at Grafton. Don't be too quick to sack 6. Blitzar. Brings a strong SP profile into this and few here can match his late strength. 9. Ten Bells won a Highway last start but this is deeper while the barrier hurts 2. Mr Hussill.

How to play it: Parksville WIN ($3.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Race 2 - 12:15PM VALE NINI VASCOTTO (1100 METRES)

7. Selburose's name wasn't put up in headlights like King Of Sparta's last start, and rightly so to some extent, but if it wasn't for the frantic tempo she set up front, King Of Sparta doesn't make a mess of the track record. Her effort to hold on for second was enormous and Rustic Steel has further franked the form since. She has always been a talented mare, just lacked for consistency. Punters Intelligence shows that her first 400m was three lengths faster than Big Parade's at the same meeting. In fact, take out King Of Sparta and Selburose breaks the track record herself! The question is whether she can back that up. Like the three weeks between runs and the James McDonald booking. There is a little query over coming back to 1100m but she's a hard fit horse now so let her run along.

Dangers: 8. Patino Ruby ended last preparation with a bang producing a brilliant turn of foot out to 1300m on the back of a cold ride. That was 10 weeks ago so Brett Cavanough has placed her here to make a Kosciusko statement. It's a similar case for 6. Spiranac but she's likely to find the 1100m a tad sharp. Loved her trial, however. 5. Nags To Riches was found out at the end of 1200m last start behind More Prophets. Dropping back in trip to 1100m, and in grade, sees her very well placed to bounce back. 3. Shaik is a hope but draws awkwardly.

How to play it: Selburose WIN ($5 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Race 3 - 12:50PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1800 METRES)

The Gary Moore-trained gelding 3. Always Sure charged to the line in a deep race at Kembla Grange second up out to 1400m behind 6. Tampering before winning at double figure odds out to the mile in BM78 company. Tim Clark rode a patient race on the four-year-old but once he saw daylight at Randwick he pounced on the well backed Loveplanet, who had parked outside of the leader and kicked like the winner. Always Sure rises 5.5kg from that win and is untried at 1800m but drops back in grade, draws beautifully and Clark sticks. He is the early favourite in another wide open Midway but rightly so as he only has to hold his form to be in the money again.

Dangers: 14. Enduring Night can't catch a break this preparation. The five-year-old is racing in terrific form but has little to show it. She was well backed in the Midway last start won by Tampering but went to the line untested. Another wide draw makes this tricky again, however. 11. Tochi was squeezed out late in that same race with the margin not doing her justice. There's even a case for 7. Our Bambino to improve sharply second up coming off a ninth there. 9. Wild Chap was brave on speed last start while it's a suitable set up for 5. Commander Bell.

How to play it: Always Sure WIN ($4 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Race 4 - 1:25PM CLEANAWAY HANDICAP (1300 METRES)

The Up & Coming might not have looked much of a race on figures but Coastwatch has subsequently won well and 7. Construct's fast finishing third was the run of the race outside of the winner Tiger Of Malay. Punters Intelligence reveals a last 600m of 33.78s, some 2.5 lengths faster than the next best. The three-year-old was confidently supported in betting too. That was on the back of Kembla maiden win where he overcame traffic problems to still win with something up his sleeve. Get the impression that the penny is really starting to drop for this son of I Am Invincible. Forget his last from three starts ago as he clearly didn't handle the heavy track. There's no shortage of speed in this for him to get his chance.

Dangers: 12. Brigantine started $5 in that same Up & Coming but pulled up lame. Forgive him that. Carries just 52kg in this and could bounce back at odds. 4. Super Effort has won two from three for his new stable and was luckless in the defeat. This is harder again but he's in winning form. This is the same race Funstar ran second to Yao Dash in two years ago before winning the Tea Rose and the Flight Stakes. 11. Hoover Lucy doesn't carry the same boom but she has shown talent in her three starts to date and respect that Chris Waller hasn't placed her in a maiden first up. 1. High Supremacy is better than this grade but lumps 61kg and will find the 1300m too short. Market watch on former Kiwi-trained 3. Tony Be.

How to play it: Construct WIN ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Race 5 - 2:00PM TAB CONCORDE STAKES (1000 METRES)

1. Nature Strip was beaten in this race 12 months ago at a near identical price but who is going to step into the shoes of the 'giant killer' this year? With due respect to Nature Strip's rivals, there isn't anything of Gytrash's quality among this field. The seven-year-old always trials like a rocket but thought his latest trial was as good as he has ever performed. He travelled sweetly, without a hint of overdoing it, and ripped away from his rivals late to win by a widening 6.5 lengths. James McDonald resumes his association with the speedster and knows better than anyone that if Nature Strip finds his rhythm, whether that be leading or outside the leader, or even three wide, he is rarely beaten. As a curious aside, in his last 14 starts, Nature Strip has started $2.20 or shorter on five occasions. He has been beaten in all five.

Dangers: 3. Wild Ruler has won five from eight on good tracks and is a four-year-old still with upside. Don't use his Galaxy failure as a line to measure whether he is a genuine Group One sprinter as it was a soft track. Trialled alongside 2. Trekking and 9. Adelong at Hawkesbury and looked to have their measure. 4. Standout is better than what he showed over the autumn in Melbourne but he hasn't been able to replicate his Expressway win over Alizee in his eight subsequent starts. Trekking will likely find the 1000m a touch sharp but he is one of only two genuine Group One performed sprinters here, even if his best days are behind him.

How to play it: Natures Strip WIN ($1.55 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Race 6 - 2:35PM DARLEY FURIOUS STAKES (1200 METRES)

It has been a common theme with the current crop of fillies, across Sydney and Melbourne, that they rate far inferior to the colts. The writing was on the wall when they were two and after the running of the Silver Shadow and Quezette, nothing looks to have changed at three. Enter the new blood of 12. De An Andretti. The little sister to Libertini really motored late to win her maiden at Hawkesbury back in April before Ron Quinton tipped her out with an eye on the spring. She of course needs to come on from that to jump straight into a Group race and prove competitive but she was under triple grip from her regular jockey Andrew Adkins in both of her trials this time back. Willing to gamble that she could be a special talent.

Dangers: 10. Enterprise Pomme has been transferred to Gerald Ryan specifically for the Princess Series and her Queensland form surely measures up. She was a comfortable winner on debut at Doomben, running five lengths faster time than the colts on the same day, before running Alpine Edge to 1.5 lengths at Eagle Farm. That was despite overracing in front. Has trialled nicely at Rosehill since then too. 4. She's All Class was scratched a fortnight ago with a minor hiccup which is never ideal but she profiles like a horse that could take a giant leap forward off what she did at two. 7. Najmaty was luckless in the Quezette while all honours to 2. Swift Witness in the Silver Shadow having covered ground.

How to play it: De An Andretti WIN ($8.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Race 7 - 3:10PM FUJITSU GENERAL TRAMWAY STAKES (1400 METRES)

1. Zaaki announced himself as a star over the Queensland winter carnival with a breathtaking win in the G1 Doomben Cup. No horse in the country would have been able to much him that day. His Australian debut, which was a slashing sixth in the Doncaster Mile, saw him flagged as an import with a future but few would have forecasted what he would go on to do a couple of starts later. Now, as for Saturday, 1400m is short of his bets trip, granted, but he should be too good for these. James McDonald takes the ride and mapping this race, there looks to be a spot for him one out one back. If that's the case, it's hard to see him being beaten from that position. Had a very quiet trial so there isn't much to be read into that.

Dangers: 2. Dreamforce has improved sharply second up at his last two preparations winning this race last year after finishing down the track in the Winx Stakes. Gets a dry track, the 1400m is his best trip and reunites with Nash Rawiller. 5. Star Of The Seas has the quality to bounce back after an equally poor showing in the Winx Stakes. Perhaps he is better ridden colder. Outside of the brilliant winner, Private Eye, 8. Prime Star was one of the better runs in the Show County but he faces the same problematic barrier second up. It was a sound return from 6. Rock in that same race and he's much better suited out to 1400m. 3. Lion's Roar did beat Mo'unga in the Randwick Guineas.

How to play it: Zaaki WIN ($2 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Race 8 - 3:50PM HEINEKEN CHELMSFORD STAKES (1600 METRES)

2. Cascadian was turned sideways at the 350m mark first up in the G1 Winx Stakes and he did a good job to get as close as he did in the end. The last time he tackled the Randwick mile he won the Doncaster. That was prior to running a luckless third in the G1 All Aged Stakes, proving himself a genuine weight-for-age horse. Hugh Bowman rode the seven-year-old two weeks ago and found himself second last in the run. From barrier 3, and with 7. Selino and 13. She's Ideel the two horses draw inside him, surely he can settle midfield at worse. On paper he profiles best for this race but rarely is anything as straight forward for this chestnut that continues to tantalise and tease punters.

Dangers: Cascadian just needs to be within a length or two of 1. Think It Over to run him down. The appeal with Think It Over, however, is that Think It Over puts himself into winning positions. That wasn't the case first up as he was held up at the top of the straight before shouldering out. Expect Nash Rawiller to be positive from the wide draw. 4. Shared Ambition beat Mount first up last preparation giving him 7kg and he looked particularly sharp in a recent Rosehill trial. She's Ideel was exceptional late in the Winx setting up a big spring but worried about what barrier 1 does for her winning chances in this. 14. Montefilia was only a length off Mo'unga in the Rosehill Guineas last preparation and that was despite being 2000m second up off a four week break.

How to play it: Cascadian WIN ($2.90 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Race 9 - 4:30PM ACY SECURITIES HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

There's a case to make that tough nut gelding 6. Cuban Royale finds himself in career best form. The seven-year-old hasn't put a bad run this preparation including last start despite running sixth. Punters Intelligence reveals that his 33.43s last 600m was comfortably the quickest in the race, two lengths faster than 11. Geist, and he maps to be in front of her in the run this time. Prior to that he was posted deep throughout when a close up third behind Night Of Power while second up he burst through to win a BM78 where Tycoonist ran third. Brock Ryan has ridden Cuban Royale at his last three outings and should have him parked in the first dozen. That looks a big advantage over many of his key rivals that'll be spotting him a start.

Dangers: 13. King Of Sparta is going to need a J-Mac special drawn the hot dog stand but he's the man for the job. Especially when you consider that it's paramount that the three-year-old settles in the run. He was aided by a fast run race and being smothered up at Kembla Grange last start but he smashed the clock. 5. Broken Arrows continues to race well and will be finding the line. 11. Geist kept trying behind More Prophets last start and strips fitter. Lightly raced import 12. Grande Rumore still has her best ahead of her and there were excuses for her Hawkesbury defeat when favourite. The 1200m is the worry. 16. Eight Diamonds on the other hand looks best suited to the sprint trips.

How to play it: Cuban Royale EACH WAY ($10 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Race 10 - 5:10PM SHARP EXTENSIVE IT HANDICAP (1500 METRES)

Convinced that 12. New Arrangement is airborne at the moment. He just hasn't had the right set up since winning first up. Second up he had to chase a long way from home and he was courageous in fourth given the shape of the race. Then he dropped out the back over 1400m and finished hard despite racing keenly in the middle stages. 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 13. Atishu. Here the six-year-old finally draws a gate again, drops 5.5kg from last start and he loves Randwick (9:2-4-1). He has 3.5 lengths to turn around on his talented stablemate but the odds are too appealing not to be in his corner.

Dangers: Atishu showed great tractability to settle fifth on her Australian debut before putting her rivals away. Looks destined to be running in Group races into the spring but the market certainly hasn't missed her in a very competitive race. 11. Matowatakpe has to be in the conversation too, racing in career best form at the moment, given he comes through that same form line. 4. Cepheus flashed home behind Frosty Rocks on his Australian debut. He'll be winning races here but worried about the 1500m still being too short. 5. All Time Legend was much better on the clock last start than he was to the naked eye. He'll be more comfortable out to this trip. 3. Charleise and 9. Charms Star for the multiples.

How to play it: New Arrangement EACH WAY ($19 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT