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A snapshot of the action from Saturday’s Chelmsford Stakes program at Randwick.
Kosciuszko goal for Highway winner
Luke Pepper is setting his sights on The Kosciuszko with talented filly Opal Ridge after she downed the older horses in Saturday's Highway Handicap at Randwick (1200m).
The three-year-old was also nominated for the Group 2 Furious Stakes later in the program but Pepper said the calibre of opposition, combined with the opportunity to book champion jockey James McDonald, swayed him to take the softer option.
It proved the right move with Opal Ridge wearing down leader Prince Nicconi by a long neck to put herself in the frame for a slot in the $2 million Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick on October 15.
Pepper can see parallels between Opal Ridge and 2020 Kosciuszko winner It's Me, who captured the country feature as a three-year-old filly.
"She has definitely put her hand up for a Kosciuszko," Pepper said.
"I guess she profiles like It's Me, a three-year-old filly on the up and I think that's where we will target.
"She's fit, we just have to keep her happy now and hopefully we get a slot."
Opal Ridge has firmed into a $9 chance for the Kosciuszko with Front Page and It's Me equal top picks at $6.
Small fish sweet for Newnham
While the deteriorating track conditions at Randwick led to a number of high-profile scratchings during the afternoon, it played into the hands of Sneaky Paige, who was rewarded for her consistency with a breakthrough win in Saturday grade.
After being rated a soft 6 when inspected by stewards early on race morning, the surface was retrospectively downgraded to a heavy 9 after the first race and later in the day, a heavy 10.
Trainer Mark Newnham felt the conditions advantaged his mare.
"It probably helped her chances," Newnham said.
"She is a really good mare on all sorts of ground but she does handle very heavy ground well and she has had plenty of recent racing so she came here very fit."
Since winning at Wyong in July, Sneaky Paige has finished runner-up to the promising Shades Of Rose and fourth in Wednesday grade before landing a midweek victory last start.
Newnham was thrilled to see her break through in Saturday company, which he feels is the right level for her at this stage of her career.
"It is at the moment. It's good to get through to a Saturday win with her," he said.
"Last time in Saturday company she did run second to Shades Of Rose so came here with good formlines."
While Sneaky Paige relished the conditions, several trainers weren't keen to run their charges on the testing ground with Masked Crusader (Concorde Stakes), Montefilia (Chelmsford Stakes) and In Secret (Furious Stakes) among the late withdrawals due to the state of the track.
Maher stayer earns Metrop start
Having overcome an injury setback that thwarted his early career, Cadre Du Noir has burst into contention as a lightweight chance for the Metropolitan with an emphatic victory in the Listed City Tattersall's Club Cup (2400m).
Brenton Avdulla found the front on the seven-year-old, stacking the field up behind him, and Cadre Du Noir ($4.80) dashed home to score by 5-1/2 lengths over Arapaho ($4.80) with Realm Of Flowers ($12) another 1-1/2 lengths away.
Cadre Du Noir suffered a suspensory injury earlier in his career and was having just his 15th start at Randwick, the win his first at stakes level.
David Eustace, who trains the gelding alongside Ciaron Maher, said the horse was likely to head straight to the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) on October 1 without another run.
"He probably sneaks into a Metrop with a low weight off that and if we get a wet track he deserves to take his chance," Eustace said.
"That was the thought process going into today if he were to win and win well."
Waterhouse unearths latest Star in Furious
A tenacious North Star Lass has kicked back to score an exciting victory in the Furious Stakes after being clearly headed by eventual runner-up Willinga Beast.
The pair cleared out for a two-horse war down the Randwick straight and just as Willinga Beast looked to have her measure, North Star Lass rallied again and got the verdict by a long neck.
Speaking from Fiorente Lodge in the NSW Southern Highlands, co-trainer Gai Waterhouse said the $260,000 yearling purchase was a shining example of the tough Tulloch Lodge stock.
"She is a typical Waterhouse-Bott horse," Waterhouse said.
"She was bought inexpensively, works her way through the classes and gets towards Group 1 races. We see it time and again with our horses.
"This filly is on the Flight Stakes path, that's where she is headed. She is such a good filly."
Group 1 Champagne Stakes winner She's Extreme finished third, making her run down the centre of the track in a performance jockey Tommy Berry felt was full of merit.
"For her to make up that ground on that track and down that part of the track, she's run extremely well," Berry said.
Quote of the day: "He's going as good as ever. Who knows? He is due for things to fall into place in a big one, so maybe this is his year." - Jockey Nash Rawiller on Eduardo after his brilliant first-up win in the Concorde Stakes.
