Randwick Racing Tips for Saturday, August 19th

Royal Randwick hosts a nine-race card this weekend with the highlight of course being the return of superstar Winx! The track is currently rated a Good 4 and fine weather is predicted so we should remain in that range, or possibly even upgraded to a Good 3.

We have betting tips and comments for every race below.

Randwick Racing Tips for Saturday, August 19th

Race 1

Small field but not short of quality. I think ALIZEE is a false favourite here after a maiden win. $2.40 against some quality runners looks very short. Pretty keen on FORMALITY here after a very nice trial where she beat home stablemates Tulip and Catchy. Hayes wouldn't be sending her to Sydney just to look around. McEvoy is a great booking for the ride, and from barrier 1 she'll jump straight to the lead and be hard to run down. Much prefer to back her at $3.60. CHAMPAGNE CUDDLES is the other I'd be backing over Alizee. She's undefeated in two starts so far and has had two good trials leading into this, the latest of which included Dixie Blossoms and Russian Revolution. So she's not racing against any hacks at the trials. She's at $3.20. I'll be backing Formality hard and saving on Champagne Cuddles.

TIP: Formality

Race 2

SAYED looks incredibly hard to beat here and I'm expecting him to just win at the $1.55 quote. He just continues to improve and absolutely destroyed his rivals last start when winning by over five lengths. He goes up 1.5kg in weight but the way he won with 59.5kg last start suggests it won't really be an issue. And his rivals from last start also go up in weight here. MORE MOET looks the biggest danger to my eye, coming off two wins over 2000m and 2200m. Gets in with just 53kg and can go well. I'd be pretty confident backing a Sayed-More Moet exacta here, or just use Sayed to anchor any multi bets.

TIP: Sayed

Race 3

Looks to be a race in three here for the Highway Handicap. At the odds, I'm leaning towards LAST TRY WINS who comes out of a strong edition of this race behind Suncraze. He's finished runner up in his last three starts and is knocking on the door for a win, so I think at the $6 on offer an each way bet will be pretty safe. His biggest problem is that he gets so far back in the field, and if the other fancied rivals are further forward he will have a task on his hands to run them down. But we're getting $2.25 for the place so I'm happy to bet each way here. MY TAGOSON is the one he has to beat and at $5 we can back both of them. Hugh Bowman takes the ride from barrier 2 so he'll get every chance, and he also comes out of a strong edition of this race behind Prada Miss. Prada Miss then came out and ran 3rd in a harder race last start so the form can be followed. The favourite is ARRESTAR at the bottom of the weights. Drawn barrier 1, he should box seat for Angland, and he brings a different form line having won at Doomben last start. He is a new 3YO taking on older horses here which is a step up on wht he's been racing against in Brisbane, and for that reason I'll take him on at the price. But the stable certainly know how to win these races and he wouldn't be brought here if he couldn't win.

TIP: Last Try Wins EW

Race 4

I really like COMIN' THROUGH as a horse but I was far from impressed with his latest trial and I'm not convinced about his chances first up over 1400m with 60.5kg on his back. I'd suggest they have better races planned for him in the Spring but I doubt they'll have him fully wound up to win here. In saying that, he doesn't face a great field. I'm with MOGADOR here who was luckless last start and previous to that was solid behind Calanda in the Ramornie Handicap. Barrier 1 today should see him get a good run and Bowman is a hugely positive booking. When Bowman rides for James Cummings it generally means they are a great chance. Mogador's made a habit out of not winning but he's at the right price today to have an each way bet on at $7.50. INZ'N'OUT can run well at double figure odds, while LIFE LESS ORDINARY looks a really nice horse but I'd rather see him at 2000m. The jockey booking suggests he's not a winning chance. 

TIP: Mogador EW (Best Value)

Race 5

Really keen on CALCULATED here. I think he's a really good horse and was only beaten by a smart one last start in Siege Of Quebec. That horse then came out and ran 2nd to Menari in The Rosebud, and Menari looks like a genuine Group 1 contender this Spring. Calculated drops to 53.5kg here and Kerrin McEvoy takes the ride as Bowman can't make the weight. Draws perfectly and rates very hard to beat here at $3.80. I think SANCTIONED is the one to keep safe, first up from a spell for James Cummings. His debut preparation wasn't anything really to shout about, but he looks to have returned in super order with two nice trials leading into this. At $6 I'll be having a saver on him. I wouldn't be discounting either of the Snowden horses, ASSIMILATE and DRACARYS, while ESHTIRAAK comes up from Melbourne and can go well. I'll be very happily taking on TRAPEZE ARTIST with 61kg. 

TIP: Calculated (Best Bet)

Race 6

WINX returns here on her quest to win a third Cox Plate. Just wins with everything being equal. In terms of who will fill the placings, I think FOXPLAY is a great chance to run 2nd. She ran 2nd to Global Glamour first up last prep over 1200m so she has the ability to sprint well fresh, unlike a few others involved here. At $2 the place I'm happy to be backing her. I also think ECUADOR gets his chance to run a place here. One thing is for sure - Gai will have him tuned up and very fit for this race, while many of the other runners will be left with plenty of improvement to come for races in the Spring. Ecuador will jump and run and he could cling on to a place. ANTONIO GIUSEPPE is the other that can go well here. He's got a good first up record and won first up last prep over 1500m. Foxplay to place would be my bet here.

TIP: Winx (Foxplay to place)

Race 7

Found it tough to split the top three in the market here, who are all first up from a spell. DIXIE BLOSSOMS goes on top, because I think her form runs a bit deeper. First up last prep she went down by a head in Group 3 company over 1200m before bolting in second up over 1400m. So the 1300m here should be ideal. She's never missed a place at the track, nor the distance, draws well in barrier 5 and Bowman rides. She's short enough at $3.70 but I just think she has a class edge. EURO ANGEL goes in for second because of her great first up record. She's never finished outside the top two when first up, and last prep ran 2nd to In Her Time in Group 2 company over this distance fresh. Gets 3.5kg off Dixie Blossoms and draws for a good run. Interesting that Tommy Berry doesn't take the ride, instead riding ROCKET COMMANDER. IMPOSING LASS failed first up last prep but that could be due to the Heavy track. She bounced back and went on to win in Group 3 company at Gosford. I do question the strength of that form, and also question whether she's as good as the other two over 1300m. 

TIP: Dixie Blossoms

Race 8

OMEI SWORD is certainly the horse to beat here but she's very short now at $2.35. She's first up from a spell and is racing for the first time since bleeding. If she was to bring her best form to this, she'd win, especially with barrier 1 and 53.5kg, but that must be some concern. Behind there it's a very even field. SPECTROSCOPE returns from a spell and his first up record is very good with two wins and a second from three starts. First up last prep he won over 1350m but can he win over 1200m against some established sprinters? That's the query. DAYSEE DOOM ran 3rd behind In Her Time and Euro Angel first up over 1300m last prep and has won three races over 1100m so can sprint well enough here. DEPLOY has the residual fitness from a Queensland campaign which saw him win in Group 2 company over 1200m, and INVADER is a very smart colt who has ability over this distance. BURNING PASSION another with claims. I think OMEI SWORD wins, but it's a wide open race behind her and she's short enough at the price.

TIP: Omei Sword 

Race 9

Pretty keen on CLIPPER here. Absolutely flying this prep and ran well last start when 2nd to Memes. Sangiovese was the horse that finished 3rd that day and then came out and won her next start, so that form is good. Clipper gets a dream run from barrier 6 here and with just 53.5kg on her back she gets in very well. Undefeated over the 1000m and that's what separates her from a few others at the head of the market here. All the money has been for GIBRALTAR GIRL for the Snowden camp, and when the money comes for Snowden runners you must take note, especially when McEvoy is riding. But my big concern is the 1000m here, a distance she has never won at. She'll be settling worse than midfield from barrier 9, and at the price I just can't have her. However, I will likely cover my bets with her because I can't let a well-backed Snowden runner go around without something on. After what SUPER TOO dished up first up I simply can't back her here but if she brought her best form she'd go very close in this. Perhaps the 28 days between runs will have her in a bit better shape for this. The value is SANGIOVESE at$12 who comes off a last start wins and gets in at equal weights to Clipper when finishing 1.3L behind her two starts ago.

TIP: Cipper / Sangiovese EW

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