We went for a feast or famine last week and it was famine. We started off well with Mad Darcey, but the wheels began falling off the wagon pretty quickly. We are going to bounce back this weekend though! Let’s get stuck in.
Track Report: Track is currently a Good 4 and that shouldn’t change with very hot days scheduled all the way in the lead up to race day. The rail is out 3 metres the entire circuit, this however, shouldn’t affect bias too much.
Race 1 – 1600M Midway (Bm72)
Straight to the point – Mahagoni. He has dropped off a cliff in general the last year and a bit and he has slowly been dropping in grade. He finally drops all the way to a Midway grade here and he won’t know himself. Glory Daze, Redstone Well, Estadio Mestalla, those are proper horses who can win some high benchmark quality races.
Satness is always a consistent character in races such as this. He will also be hoping that the track is playing up and in again like it was last week, as he will push right to the front and try and kick away down the straight. Hippo is flying as well, so he should give it every chance.
Invincible Legend might have finished 15 lengths off the finish last start, but he had excuses. Suffered from heat stress and just didn’t want to be there at all. His best can win a race like this, that is for sure, so if he can bounce back here, you’re getting a fantastic price.
Elettrica needs a few scratchings to get a start, but if she manages to get into the race, she will be very competitive, as always in Midway grade.
Selections: 3-6-2-24
Suggested Bet: Mahagoni Each Way
Race 2 – 1200M Yarraman Park Reisling Stakes
Too Darn Lizzie on a silver platter please. Got a massive ticket on her for the Slipper and while she’ll find it tough to beat Storm Boy, you would hope she can go close. Needs to win here first and if she brings her best that was displayed in Gold Coast, she can easily beat this crew. She was quick, smart and responded under pressure. She’s got the goods and I can’t see her losing.
Erno’s Cube has the runs on the board here and needs this win to really solidify her spot in the Slipper, so the camp will have great intention to get the job done here.
Silmarillion gets JMac on board and has had some solid trials thus far. His one start came behind Gatsby’s and that’s a solid horse in my opinion. Certainly worth a watch in the market.
Extreme Diva the only other horse I could entertain here with form behind all the top 2YO’s headed into the Slipper – Switzerland, Shangri La Express, Manaal and Lady Of Camelot.
Selections: 1-2-8-6
Suggested Bet: Too Darn Lizzie Win (BEST BET)
Race 3 – 2000M Randwick City Stakes
Open race here with multiple winning chances, so I will be specking one at odds here in Bois D’Argent. Super consistent horse, who has only missed the top 3 at this distance once in 9 starts and once first up in 6 starts. He is also a horse who ran 4th in the Caulfield Cup last year. So he needs to be respected and I think he can run a great race here.
Canberra Legend returned solidly enough first up to warrant a forgive that he didn’t win. Peaked a little on the run, before holding onto a top 4 finish within a length of the winner. Will take fitness from that and will love it if the track is loving leaders.
Serpentine and Military Mission often need a run to really get going, but they’re two of Waterhouse and Bott’s more consistent stayers and you would imagine that they will be the two to really set the pace early. Great each way plays.
Selections: 3-10-1-5
Suggested Bet: Bois D’Argent Each Way
Race 4 – 1100M Tokyo City Keiba Fireball Stakes
Red Resistance is back! I know he has had a loooooong stint on the sidelines and he might be a touch fresh, but you know Gai Waterhouse will have him ready, especially with the 6 trials he has had leading up to this. If he is still the same horse he was this time last year, he can win this for sure.
Facile is a pretty sharp horse. Never should be going to 1200 like she did last start. She is a pure 1000-1100 horse in my opinion, so she is well placed back in distance here. Should push to the front and make the favourite work for it.
Keenan has the form of running behind Phearson in his latest trial, that horse came out and won really well last week, so it needs to be considered. He will be the 3rd in a line of horses pushing for the lead and has never missed the placings when Tim Clark is on.
Rush Hour hasn’t done a lot wrong in his career thus far, and I think he warrants a spot in the exotics, as apart from the top 3, I feel it is a thin race.
Selections: 2-7-4-5
Suggested Bet: Red Resistance Win
Race 5 – 1200M Todman Stakes
I can’t see why Shangri La Express is at his current price despite potentially not having as much intent as some of the other horses here. He has done nothing wrong in his career so far, has drawn soft and will be in the right part of the track to win, so I just have to go each way on him.
Switzerland needs to win this to cement himself in the Slipper. If he doesn’t win, he risks missing out, despite being the 2nd favourite in the market. Waller has a smart one on his hands, one that I can see being a long term horse for him, unlike a lot of the other early 2YO’s that pop up this time of year. He can certainly truck behind the speed and win.
Straight Charge is obviously a big threat here and is one of the few horses I could see pushing Storm Boy in the Slipper. However, he is already in the race here. He doesn’t need to win this technically, so will the intent be there?
Espionage likely tails the speed and runs into the placings, if not get up to add another Waterhouse horse to the Slipper assault.
Selections: 1-6-3-5
Suggested Bet: Shangri La Express Each Way
Race 6 – 1000M Hyland Race Colours Challenge Stakes
Private Eye could have been winning the Newmarket Handicap this weekend if he stayed in Melbourne, yes, I am serious, so it is strange that he has ended up here. Pride must be confident in him, especially since he is staying at the 1000m. Back around a bend will help as well. I think he can win and do it comfortably.
The only horse I see mainly challenge him is Remarque. He always runs like a bomb when fresh and is usually quite sharp over 1000m. Every prep he goes to another level and he only needs to do that again in order to knock off the short favourite here.
Mazu really fell off a cliff compared to this time 2 years ago didn’t he? Unfortunately, he hasn’t got the chance to have a blessed run of heavy tracks like he did when La Nina came to town. He resumes as a member of the Joe Pride stable which is huge. If anyone is going to turn this horse around it is Pride.
Aft Cabin is a horse I have a negative relationship with. However, I couldn’t possibly fault his recent trials, including one where he beat Tropical Squall, who last week won the Surround Stakes. Can be considered a danger.
Selections: 1-3-2-4
Suggested Bet: Private Eye Win
Race 7 – 1300M James Squire Canterbury Stakes
The only thing that beats Think About It is the barrier. If he somehow gets trapped wide while Malkovich tries to steal it with a commanding lead, he might not have the chance to run them down. But if Clipperton can get him into an appropriate spot, it is over, he has the class to run past them. One of the more confident tips of the day, but no prizes tipping him considering his price.
Malkovich I mentioned is a danger from a map point of view. Could be a tearaway leader who tries to steal it and if Randwick is playing to the leaders again, he definitely can at a huge price.
Espiona and Lady Laguna the only other two I could potentially entertain.
Selections: 1-5-6-7
Suggested Bet: Think About It Win, Think About It Win – Malkovich Top 4 SRM
Race 8 – 1600M Randwick Guineas
Blinkers on for Celestial Legend who I tipped about a month ago in the futures market. He came of age last start where he gave the rest of the field windburn at Rosehill when he finally got to a distance that suits him. I think he can go to another level here as he has always seemed to be a Miler. Very excited to see what he can do and win a much deserved G1.
Militarize is now obviously going to be hard to beat. He has a lot of class about him, he is already a G1 winner, he has run well against horses who are much older and stronger than this and dropping back to his age group will give him a huge leg up. He honestly could give them windburn if he brings his best.
D-Day for Tom Kitten here. He has put in two very plain, albeit excusable runs this prep so far, however, now that he gets back out to a more suitable distance for him and he isn’t firing a shot it could be time to think about heading to the paddock and starting again in the Spring.
Encap is always there or thereabouts, just one of those horses that reminds me alot of an Icebath, he’ll continually place in top races and pay for himself without actually winning too many G1 races. But he is suited out to the mile and has a great turn of foot, certainly can’t be ruled out.
Selections: 3-1-2-4
Suggested Bet: Celestial Legend Win
Race 9 – 1600M Mostyncopper Aspiration Quality
Really really open race, Thalassophile for me. Closed really well behind some talented boys last start and drops back to all girl grade now which will put her in good stead. JMac has success aboard, I think she is worth taking each way odds.
Lekvarte rattled off some nice sectionals last start behind some very talented horses in Lady Laguna and Zougotcha, who are proper G1 quality. Steps back up to the mile now which suits her very well and gets to Randwick where she has almost always had success. Certainly the main danger.
Howgoodareyou hasn’t come up that good this prep despite having a decently strong Spring. This is where she can prove that there were excuses in her two starts to date and she has just needed a longer distance. To be fair to her, she is an out and out dry tracker and she has pulled 2 soft tracks, perhaps that is the thing to turn her around.
Ita rarely runs a bad race. She has drawn a shocking barrier, but a placing wouldn’t surprise one bit.
Selections: 1-4-12-9
Suggested Bet: Thalassophile Each Way
Race 10 – 1200M Toyota Forklifts Wenona Girl Quality
Call Di with that all important trainer change to Joe Pride. I think he can really get the best out of this horse that has had the potential to jump out of the ground its entire career. Happy to go with her here and I hope se does me proud.
Eagle Nest was flying last prep, but in much easier grades than this. This is by far her greatest test as she steps up in grade and distance, but runs well fresh and on dry tracks, throw in the fact that Jay Ford is riding pretty well for his standards at the moment she is certainly an each way chance.
Tintookie put in her first poor run of the prep last week, but that was only because she went down the fence which was Off with a capital O. It was genuine quicksand. They’ve sent her out on the one week back up for a bit of redemption and she could definitely get it here.
C’Est Magiue is another horse like Call Di that has always been like 90% put together, without ever really smashing through that glass ceiling. Can find a black type win here.
Selections: 5-12-13-3
Suggested Bet: Call Di Each Way
Top Selections For The Card
Race 1: Mahagoni
Race 2: Too Darn Lizzie (BEST BET)
Race 3: Bois D’argent
Race 4: Red Resistance
Race 5: Shangri La Express
Race 6: Private Eye
Race 7: Think About It
Race 8: Celestial Legend
Race 9: Thalassophile
Race 10: Call Di
Quaddie
Race 7: 1
Race 8: 1,2,3,4
Race 9: 1,4,12
Race 10: 3,5,7,11,12,13,15
$50 gets you 59%
GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY. CHANCES ARE YOU ARE ABOUT TO LOSE. SET A DEPOSIT LIMIT.
![](https://themocksports.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-1024x576.png)