Last week was so close to being a mammoth day! We escaped with 3 solid wins, but boy oh boy were we inches off taking a few more wins, including our best bet. But I am the most confident I have been in a while for my tips for this upcoming race day at Randwick. Could they be famous last words? Only time will tell! Let’s get stuck in.
Track Report: Currently a Soft 5 with scattered showers expected in the lead-up to Saturday, can’t imagine we find ourselves any worse than Soft 5/ Soft 6. Rail goes out 3 metres the entire circuit which means those leaders could potentially get a little advantage, but all horses should see equal chance, make sure to monitor any bias on the day.
Race 1 – 1100M 2YO Robrick Lodge Hcp
Give me Ozzmosis on a silver platter. Not waiting long to declare my Best Bet of the day here. He is my favourite 2YO running around currently and I think he is in for bigger and better things in the Spring time. Debuted a couple of weeks ago and smashed them and ran some impressive sectionals considering he was only whipped once if that and wasn’t fully extended. Spotted his potential back in September 2022 at his first-ever trial and has been following him closely since. He is a machine and seems to have an almighty engine under the hood. He will do me.
Am I scared of Royal Tribute? Slightly. His trials were fantastic and he seems to be a very smart type in his own right and could be one to follow going forward. However, I believe Ozzmosis will meet him a little fitter and that will be the difference come the finish. Expect him to motor to the front as soon as he jumps and try and hold them all off down the straight.
Fleetwood has trial form behind Royal Tribute and used it to win on debut recently in smart fashion and should round out your exotics.
Sweet Express round out selections.
Selections: 3-7-2-11
Suggested Bet: Ozzmosis (BEST BET), 3/7 Standout Exacta
Race 2 – 1200M Midway (Bm72)
Diamond Diesel will do me. Always the bridesmaid never the bride. 4 straight narrow placings to start the prep, always behind smart types who are arguably better than this grade. He will truck behind the speed and launch late and I would be shocked if he wasn’t in the money somewhere.
Broken Arrows can have all of the same things said about him. He just keeps coming up short. Met Turning and Crafty Eagle in his last 2 starts, both of which are strong horses and will carve out a nice spot for themselves in higher grades. He will launch late and as long as he doesn’t get stuck in traffic he should find himself in the finish somewhere.
Ottilie comes out of the same Crafty Eagle race as Broken Arrows and will need to do some work from that wide barrier if she wants to be near the front, but if she does find herself in the lead she could prove hard to run down.
Soami has form behind Iowna Merc who is a smart horse and runs later in the card. Couldn’t match it with him and has dropped in grade subsequently. Should put in a better effort.
Selections: 8-5-7-3
Suggested Bet: Diamond Diesel Each Way
Race 3 – 1500M Tab Highway Plate (C3)
Sungblue is knocking on the door of a Highway win after two very narrow placings in a row. Last start in particular was a strong late run to finish behind Demitasse that caught my eye. Ashley Morgan sticks and should take him right to the front to stalk the leader everywhere they go and try and slingshot past in the straight,
That leader is the field favourite Zoutica. He can certainly go all the way with this one, especially if Sungblue fails to put any pressure on him as he maps to get a very soft lead. Hard fit, up in grade and distance after spanking his rivals at country grade he can certainly do it again here.
Bootscooter is quite a consistent customer in these types of races, always seems to be running in them every 3 weeks or so. He is honest, should flash late.
Amarantz rounds out selections.
Selections: 9-17-12-15
Suggested Bet: Sungblue Each Way
Race 4 – 1200M 50 Year And Life Member (Bm78)
This is another race that I am keeping a firm eye on as it marks the return of Kibou. He was looking like a genuine Group 1 prospect for Spring before Injury put an end to that. He was beating the likes of Golden Mile and Osipenko and now he finds himself in Benchmark 78 grade. Jockey Regan Bayliss seems pretty confident after some smart trials, even declaring him a possible Golden Eagle chance. He needs to be winning this if that is to be even remotely possible.
Iowna Merc won for us last start and I hate to jump off of him as his return off a gelding operation was fantastic and he gutsed out a great win at this track. Jumps another 100m here which I see no issue with and I think he can definitely challenge Kibou all the way to a photo finish.
Union Army and Plundering present as KO hopes, but I struggle to see anything beating the two top selections.
Selections: 1-2-9-6
Suggested Bet: Kibou Win and 1-2 Quinella
Race 5 – 1600M Celebration Of Women (Bm78)
Going to give 2 horses another chance after they have let me down in their last couple of starts.
Lekvarte goes on top. I like the 7 day backup after she failed to fire last weekend, but potentially she just prefers the bugger and wider turns of Randwick as she is 2/3 at this track compared to a horror record of Rosehill where she seems to come unstuck. Should be one of the strongest late.
Narrow second selection goes to Ita. We know she is honest and she has won us a lot of money in the past but gee last start didn’t go to plan and it was a career-worst run. However, back in distance, grade and back to her own sex class, I think she surely puts in a much better run. After all, she was placing narrowly behind Tamerlane earlier this prep and that is great form to have.
Centrestone is the wildcard here. been tearing through lower grades in QLD but Waller must be confident in her to send her down to the HQ of Sydney. She is the big market and yard watch for sure.
Peshmerga rounds out the selections as a cheeky each-way chance.
Selections: 4-2-10-5
Suggested Bet: Lekvarte Win
Race 6 – 1000M Furphy (Bm78)
This race is about one horse and one horse only – Passeggiata. Bjorn Baker speedster that always goes to the front and tries to blow them away. Trialled like Secretariat, but of course that looks better on paper as she was the only one ridden fully out, but boy did she look sharp. Should win this one with a leg in the air if everything goes her way from the wide barrier, but the price is not one I can entertain.
Penthouse, Lady Brook and Boss Lady Rocks are the only other horses I can entertain.
Selections: 11-8-7-1
Suggested Bet: Passeggiata is too short so I will throw the stumps at mean exotic – 11/1, 2, 3, 7, 8, Standout First Four
Race 7 – 1600M Drinkwise Mile
Democracy Manifest was ridden completely upside down two starts ago and then last start ridden far too back in the field for him to have any presence late. Should beat this field if he is placed in a better position. His turn of foot is quite impressive and I think he is a pure-stakes-grade horse and can bounce back with a strong win here.
Steely and Super Strike both come out of the same race as Democracy Manifest last start where they all finished closely behind Cisco Bay and found themselves lunging late at the line. You’ll most likely see the same thing here as they will both sit amongst the pack and make their presence felt in the final stages.
Bazooka is carrying no weight and has an in-form Robbie Dolan on, I can certainly entertain an each way go at him with his price.
Selections: 9-6-10-12
Suggested Bet: Democracy Manifest
Race 8 – 1100M Bob Charley Ao Stakes
Wewillrock is the one I am interested in here. the NZ import who is undefeated at this distance and arguably should have won first up before he was mowed down on the line by Devil’s Throat, who mind you won last week again and appears to be in for a huge prep. The 3rd placed horse in that race? Robusto, who won last week as well. So the for around this horse has been well and truly specked and the fact that he gets a soft draw and drops a staggering 9kg he can get the job done here.
However, I am terrified of Conscript I must admit. He’s one that I have followed for most of his career and in classic Mock fashion as soon as I dropped off him he won at big odds. He’s rock-hard fit, ready to win again at his best track and trip.
Spacewalk is a horse that I was convinced was a live chance in The Galaxy this year and then he ran flat a few times and missed a start. Ran a very strong race behind Golden Boom last start in QLD and he is back in Sydney to prove he can still motor with the best of them at stakes grade. That little trip could have revitalised him completely.
Joe Pride is convinced that he has turned Dragonstone around after he has come into his camp and I will back him in by having him round out the selections.
Selections: 13-5-12-6
Suggested Bet: Wewillrock Win
Race 9 – 1300M Tab (Bm94)
Pizzaro is the straight-bat option in this one. His form behind the likes of Cross Talk and especially Think About It (Stradbroke Favourite) just jumps off of the page. He found the 1100m a touch sharp but 1300m is where he well and truly thrives. Should park right behind the pace and burst through late.
Rubamos intrigues me considering he has that form behind one Opal Ridge who in my mind would have won the Stradbroke if it got a start. Should be peaking in fitness for this one and this is the distance that 5/6 career wins have come at.
Titanium Power is similar to Pizzaro in the sense that last start he found the 1100m far too sharp behind Conscript and the jump back in distance will suit much better. Also comes out of that Opal Ridge race that Rubamos ran in so a win wouldn’t shock with those formlines.
Manhood is the interesting QLD raider here that has been running consistently enough to respect.
Selections: 9-4-3-7
Suggested Bet: Pizzaro Win
Race 10 – 1400M Racing And Sports (Bm78)
I am shocked to my very core that a horse like Mahagoni can find himself at $30+! Yes, the favourite is a clear danger and seems like a very smart type but $30 for Mahagoni! If that isn’t over, I don’t know what is. He is perhaps one of the best benchmark horses running around in Sydney at the moment as no matter the distance and weight he carries he always puts in an honest effort. Usually does his best work later in the prep but he should settle at the rear and try and round them all up late and he can find his way into the money and with a place price like that I can’t not go each way.
Yoshino is another horse that has done us extremely well and I feel bad for jumping off and will kick myself if he goes back to back. The rise in distance will only suit his late charge home race style. I expect him to be somewhere in the finish.
Crafty Eagle obviously looks a horse destined for bigger and better things after he absolutely gapped them in a Midway with energy in hand. The rise in trip should suit and I only see him running well honestly.
Phearson a live chance as well honestly after his fantastic win last start where he smashed them. Harder now but he can go on with it.
Selections: 2-7-10-4
Suggested Bet: Mahagoni Each Way
Top Selections For The Card
Race 1: Ozzmosis (BEST BET)
Race 2: Diamond Diesel
Race 3: Sungblue
Race 4: Kibou
Race 5: Lekvarte
Race 6: Passegiatta
Race 7: Democracy Manifest
Race 8: Wewillrock
Race 9: Pizzaro
Race 10: Mahagoni
Quaddie
Race 7: 6, 9, 10,11, 12
Race 8: 5, 6, 12, 13
Race 9: 3, 4, 7, 9
Race 10: 2, 4, 7, 10
$50 gets you 15.62%
GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY. CHANCES ARE YOU ARE ABOUT TO LOSE. SET A DEPOSIT LIMIT.