Dear punters,
The Sydney Autumn Carnival is now upon us, and here is your chance to have a crack at the Randwick Guineas.
The Randwick card features two group 1 races – the Randwick Guineas and Canterbury Stakes – as well as three group 2s, two group 3s and a couple of listed races. The Randwick Guineas has attracted a crack team of three-year-olds headed by smart Kiwis El Roca and Atlante. Zoustar makes his long-awaited return in the tough Canterbury Stakes, while Australia’s favourite sprinter Buffering also returns in the Challenge Stakes on his way to the T.J. Smith Stakes later in the autumn.
Our resident tipster Jeff aka the horse whisperer runs through the main races at Randwick for you. There's plenty of value to be add there.
RANDWICK GUINEAS
Many of the best three-year-olds from Australia and New Zealand collide in this group 1 over 1600m. The David Payne-trained Criterion, Eurozone and Teronado were second, fourth and fifth respectively behind Shamus Award in the Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 1. They are sure to be competitive and are all battle-hardened for this, which will carry them a long way. Eurozone may well take up the running for Glen Boss, though Kiwi colt El Roca is also likely to push forward from his awkward gate of 14. Another Kiwi star, Atlante , impressed in his first run in Australia when a narrow second to Dissident in the Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill on March 1. Atlante was never comfortable in the going yet still found the line strongly and shapes as though the mile here will suit. Gai Waterhouse has a pair of blue-bold colts in Bull Point and Woodbine and they could easily improve back on home turf, particularly Bull Point , which was a solid fourth against the older horses in the Futurity Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on February 22. Damien Oliver sticks with Bull Point and he should settle in the first half-dozen from gate nine.
CANTERBURY STAKES
Multimillion-dollar colt Zoustar dominates betting in this group 1 1300-metre race but look for rising star Not Listenin’tome to push him all the way. Zoustar had the edge when they clashed in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on November 2, taking his record to six wins and a second from eight starts. Not Listenin’tome was second that day, two lengths astern, but it was just his fourth start and he has had one start since, winning the group 3 Zeditave Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield on February 22 in a canter. The Dylan Thomas gelding should get a perfect trail behind likely leader Rain Affair , with Zoustar likely to settle near the rear for Jim Cassidy. Of course, the three-year-olds won’t have it all their own way. This is a high-quality field with star mares Appearance and Red Tracer sure to have plenty of supporters, the latter especially on rain-affected going on which she has proved near enough to unbeatable. Appearance has had a slight setback since winning her first two starts from a spell in grand style, at Randwick over 1200m on February 8 and 1400m on February 22. Tough galloper Speediness looks the best chance of a boilover result after running second to Appearance at Randwick on February 22.
CHALLENGE STAKES
Buffering won three group 1s in succession before a spell but they were all over 1200m and at the 1000m here may be vulnerable against the likes of speed machine Snitzerland . Jockey Brenton Avdulla is likely to push on from barrier eight on Snitzerland and attempt to cross Buffering , which has drawn nicely in three and never runs a bad race. What happens in this duel may well decide the outcome. If they burn too much petrol the Peter Snowden-trainer Sessions will be ready to pounce. Sessions has won three out of four first-up and looked in great nick in winning a 900m barrier trial at Rosehill on March 4. Bel Sprinter has run some of his best races in Sydney and loves 1000m. On his day he could finish over the top of them. Tiger Tees is an underrated type which could get into the finish.
SKYLINE STAKES
Gai Waterhouse has two runners in this race for two-year-old colts and geldings and they will likely be thereabouts at the finish. A slight steer coming towards Valentia for Tom Berry ahead of Giuliani for Tim Clark. Valentia is a beautifully bred colt which was a well-beaten third behind boom colt Rubick at Randwick over 1000m on January 25 before winning narrowly at Randwick over 1200m on February 22 when not everything went his way. He is suited at 1200m here. Topweight Gold Force won his only start at Mornington over 1200m, leading all the way, and could give a sight though this race is much tougher. The Anthony Cummings-trained Zizumba will be running on and Time For War is from the in-form Gerald Ryan stable and has Nash Rawiller aboard.
SWEET EMBRACE STAKES
Twirl on face value was disappointing when third as a short-priced favourite in the Widden Stakes over 1100m at Rosehill on February 22. But the winner that day, Mossfun, and fourth placegetter Alpha Miss have since performed superbly to indicate the form line is strong. Twirl will appreciate getting out to 1200m at Randwick, with enforcer Nash Rawiller likely to ride aggressively from gate 10. Sebring filly Believe Yourself is unbeaten after one start and on the up. Also watch for first starter Stratical to run well after a couple of promising trial wins.
RANDWICK CITY STAKES
The Chris Waller-trained Opinion snuck under the guard of punters when he easily won the Parramatta Cup over the Rosehill 1900m on March 1 at juicy odds. This time over the Randwick 2000m he is likely to fight out favouritism with stablemate Junoob , which was almost three lengths behind him in the Parramatta Cup but meets him on 2kg better terms. The Waller runners are likely to encounter strong opposition from a couple of Gai Waterhouse-trained stayers in Ballarat Cup winner The Offer and well-bred mare Vaquera .
ASPIRATION QUALITY
A tough 1600m race for fillies and mares but Forever Loved probably has more upside than anything else in the race. She was a $650,000 purchase at the NZ Premier Yearling sale being by High Chaparral out of Diamond Like, and was a comfortable winner over the Rosehill 1500m on February 15. This is a step up for her but James McDonald should be able to dictate from barrier nine. The Guy Walter-trained Any Day Will Do is a consistent performer and has the rails alley, meaning she should slot in behind Forever Loved and have the final shot. Waterhouse has two other runners in Porcellanus and Diamond Drille and they could improve sharply while Lucky Lago was a good third first-up in the Millie Fox Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill on March 1 behind superstar mare Red Tracer.
ROY HIGGINS TRIBUTE QUALITY
Lilliburlero finally started to live up to her enormous promise with an impressive win in the Triscay Stakes over the 1200m at Randwick on February 22. The David Payne-trained mare is suited over the same track and distance with Nash Rawiller up from gate one, but is worse off at the weights. A Time For Julia was not disgraced behind Red Tracer in the Millie Fox Stakes last start and is sure to be competitive although drawn wide, which means she may have to work a little harder than Blake Shinn would like to take up the running. The blinkers go on Gamba and she is a mare with real talent, while Recoinage seldom runs a bad race.
FIREBALL STAKES
Loads of speed here which should suit a backmarker such as Sidestep , the Golden Slipper runner-up last year which has yet to return to that sort of form. The Exceed And Excel colt from the Darley stable will appreciate this class and looked good in winning a 900-metre Rosehill trial on March 4. He is a high-class galloper and his best is easily good enough to win this. The main dangers look to be Gai Waterhouse’s Cosmic Endeavour , a strong winner over the Rosehill 1100m last start, and the John O’Shea-trained pair Diamond Oasis and Polarmore . The Darren Smith-trained Open Book has shown plenty of talent but is poorly drawn here in 13 for Christian Reith at his first run back from a spell.
GOLDEN MILE
A tricky race with a trio of Europeans now with powerhouse local stables holding the key. The best of the trio could be the Robert Hickmott-trained stallion Shikarpour , which ran strongly in the French Derby at just his second start in June last year. Shikarpour has displayed enough in his five starts in Europe to be worthwhile addition to the Lloyd Williams camp and has obviously been purchased with big spring races in mind. The David Hayes-trained Spillway is likewise first-up in Australia and has won three of his 10 starts. He may lack the dash for the mile here but the Hayes stable has had recent success with this type of horse. Former Italian gelding Ancient King has his first start for the Peter Moody stable and ran third in the group 2 Italian Derby at his most recent start in May last year. Of the others, Our Hand Of Faith is ultra-consistent and from the hottest stable in the state, that of Darren Weir, while Fat Al showed a return to form with a strong-finishing third over 1400m at Flemington on March 1.
BENDIGO GUINEAS
Worth A Ransom, Trust In A Gust and Written Up fought out the finish of the Gold Eldorado over 1300m at Wangaratta on March 2 and there’s no reason they won’t again over 1400m here. Written Up is fitter for three runs back from a spell and meets the other pair better at the weights. The Written Tycoon gelding has gate three so should get all the favours in the run. Trust In A Gust is a consistent and talented galloper with six wins from 10 starts, while Mahican from the Peter Moody camp bolted in over this track and distance in restricted class on February 27 and could measure up.
VOBIS GOLD RUSH
A $250,000 race which has attracted a quality field of juveniles including the $2.4 million colt Wilderness , which won his only trial at Canterbury last week. David Hayes trains the colt and while he is undoubtedly packed with potential he faces a tricky task in this 1000m scamper against the likes of speedy filly Eloping , which has won two of four starts and was beaten two lengths into fourth last start behind Bring Me The Maid over 1000m at Flemington on March 1 after jumping awkwardly. They look the two stand-outs but with five first starters among the nine runners, don’t be surprised to see one of them emerge, with a big watch on the Hayes-trained Commands colt Cool Rules.
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