3 minute read
The summer racing period will be seen off in style as an elite cast of fields have been nominated to light up Randwick Guineas Day.
Marking the final Saturday before Sydney's Autumn Carnival commences, Saturday's Randwick Guineas Day is sure to be a memorable one with seven Group races and two listed contests to conclude the summer interlude.
Headlined by the two Group 1 features - the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Canterbury Stakes (1300m), several of racings top talents have been nominated to grace the turf.
Carrying a plethora of nominations (84), the three-year-old $1 million feature will likely see Godolphin ace Anamoe go around at a short quote after his thrilling win in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes a fortnight ago.
With all but one runner from the Apollo holding a nomination in the race, Hilal is expected to lead the beaten brigade in their strive for redemption, alongside subsequent placegetters Converge, Ranch Hand and Maurice's Medad.
Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo was anticipated to return in the same race, but instead is likely to head south for the Australian Guineas over the same journey.
Meanwhile in the Canterbury Stakes, Zaaki has been nominated to resume and will be hoping to secure his fourth Group 1 success.
Possible foes to challenge Zaaki include stablemate Laws Of Indices, Group 1 winners Alligator Blood, Forbidden Love, Kolding, Private Eye and September Run, as well as impressive first-up winner of the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes Lost And Running.
Rockstar sprinter Nature Strip is likely to spearhead the field in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes, with sparring partner Eduardo also nominated, as well as Bjorn Baker's boom gelding Rule Of Law who carries five-straight wins into the contest.
Having run the quinella in the 2YO Magic Millions Classic in January, Coolangatta and Russian Conquest have been nominated for the Group 2 two-year-old fillies Resiling Stakes and are expected to be joined by new kid on the block Greece, the winner of two eye-catching Rosehill trials in readiness.
As for the two-year-old boys in the Group 2 Todman Stakes, Lofty Strike has been nominated to make the trip north after being scratched from last Saturday's Blue Diamond Stakes. Other intriguing nominations for the race include: Sejardin, Shalatin, unbeaten Queenslander Capital Tower and impressive first-up winner Psychiatrist.
Having raced on a Heavy 10 surface last Saturday, the Randwick track is currently rated the same and with heavy rainfall forecast over the coming days, it is hard to see it upgrading into the soft range.
As for the rail, it is out six metres from the 1000m to the winning post and out three metres the remainder.
