Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Randwick on Saturday, February 1st.
The Group 2 Expressway Stakes headlines the nine-race program in Sydney, which also features a couple of Group 3 races for the two-year-olds as we continue on toward the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper.
Find out thoughts on every race at Randwick below!
Randwick Racing Tips: Saturday, February 1st
Best Bet: Race 5 - (8) Subpoenaed
Best Value Bet: Race 9 - (9) River Bird / (13) Reloaded
(1) Away Game has been a dominant winner of her past two starts in Queensland, including the Gold Coast Magic Millions. The query with that is that the form hasn't exactly stood up out of that race just yet, but the same can be said about the rest of this field really. She looks hard to beat once again. (3) In Flanders ran 2nd to Cellsabeel last weekend and backs up quickly here. She was beaten 6L but that looks the best formline in this race. (5) September Run was all over the shop on debut but has since trialled better and can be expected to show sharp improvement.
Breeders' Plate winner (1) Global Quest maks his return to the races today for the first time since that win on debut. His two trials this time in haven't been as good as his first one but perhaps he'll come good for raceday. The other concerning thing is that his latest trial was behind Setanta, who didn't win last night at Canterbury. (5) Prague won well on debut at Canterbury and the form has stood up, with Spokesman coming out of that race to defeat the likes of Setanta. He gets the blinkers on for the first time here and if he improves, he might be able to beat this favourite. I backed Global Quest on debut but I'm hesitant with him at that price today so Prague goes on top.
(1) Greenspan won a similar race to this two starts ago before running 2nd in another last start. He gets a slight jockey upgrade today with Sam Clenton taking the reins and this was also the scene of his win two back, so that's another positive. Gets a good run from gate 5 and should prove very hard to beat on his recent form. (4) Electrified had support first up but didn't get any room in the latter parts of the straight. His first and second up records aren't good but if you took the odds first up, you probably need to take the double figures on offer again. 1500m first up is an interesting move for (3) Harbouring but he did run well in a similar race two starts ago.
Value: (4) Electrified $10
(5) Romani Girl will have some chasing to do but she's more than capable. She comes off a 3rd placing in the fillies and mares race at the Gold Coast on Magic Millions Day, and this looks a nice consolation. She's undefeated at this distance and there looks enough pace on up front to bring her into the race. (8) Night Of Power improved as expected to lead all the way at Canterbury last start. That was on a night where you basically just led and won, so that's the query. He is undefeated third up from a spell but there's also a couple of other speed runners in the race to make him work a bit. With that said, Bjorn Baker has his team flying and there's no other trainer of frontrunners you'd want to be on right now. (6) Insensata is a genuine each way hope at $9.50.
(8) Subpoenaed is a very talented filly and she returns from a spell here fresh over 1400m. It's an interesting move and not one we often see from Waller, but she's been tuned up with two trials. The small field is probably a good thing as it will allow her to be within striking distance on the turn, and she should be able to round them up in the long straight. (7) Rari is racing in great form and looks to be the one she's going to have to chase down. He's finished in the top two at his past four starts and will probably be chasing Echo Gem out the front. The 1400m is the little query for him.
Good little race this. I was dead keen on (12) She's Ideel on Friday night at Canterbury but she was scratched and saved for this instead. She won by 3.8L last start and now steps up straight to 2000m. She looks a nice staying mare on the rise and with 52kg on her back she'll take plenty of beating here. (4) Costello ran a bottler first up to be beaten a nose over 1500m. That was the first time he'd placed from six attempts when first up from a spell. He normally improves sharply second up as he's got two wins and a 2nd from three starts second up. $6.00 is a good price about him and he's the value. (8) Birth Of Venus won well over this track and distance last start and should be right in the finish once again.
Value: (4) Costello $6.00
(1) Kolding has seven wins from eight starts as a gelding and although he's going to be much better suited up in distance, this isn't beyond him. He's no hack over 1200m and as a four-year-old, he could still be coming into his best form, which is quite scary. I think he'll run a huge race here. (7) Irithea is the value at double figure odds. She ran really well at the Gold Coast last start and she's finished in the top two at five of her six starts when third up from a spell. (9) Standout basically did it all on raw ability in his first prep. There's some queries over some of the form from that campaign but he's got plenty of scope to improve and he'll be ready to go first up here. (5) Alizee obviously has the runs on the board. She's won four from five when first up from a spell. She's certainly not a moral here though and at those odds, she's too short for me. (4) Vegadaze might be flying under the radar.
(5) Tony's Reward is knocking on the door and he gets the blinkers applied for the first time today which could prove to be the winning move. His past three runs have all been very good so if the gear change brings about improvement, he should be hard to beat. (2) Manhattan Mist might be cooked, but if he's going to show something it will be today as he's never finished out of the top two when third up from a spell. (12) Yonkers could run a big race without surprising.
Wide leg of the quaddie. (9) River Bird goes on top after a really promising first up run over 1100m, where she came from last to run 3rd, beaten 1.5L by Embracer. She'll only improve with extra ground and with that run under her belt so the double figures on offer is a great price. (13) Reloaded makes his return for the first time since running 3rd in the G1 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm back in June. He's had three trials in readiness for this and it wouldn't shock me to see him run a bottler as a three-year-old taking on older horses. He's also a duble figure chance in the market. (6) Dawn Dawn has trialled nicely and goes well fresh. (12) Lashes is flying and looks the horse to beat.
