Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for 2020 All Aged Stakes Day at Royal Randwick on Saturday, April 18th.
We have dual Group 1s on the nine-race card, with the Champagne Stakes and All Aged Stakes, supported by an additional four Group 3s.
The track is currently rated a Soft 5 but there is fine weather predicted for Friday and Saturday, so that may be upgraded to the Good range. The rail is out 7m.
Check out our race-by-race preview and betting tips below!
Royal Randwick Racing Tips: 2020 All Aged Stakes Day
Best Bet: Race 5 - (6) Ole Kirk
Best Value Race 4 - (3) Entente / (9) Gone Bye
Race 1 - Highway Class 3 Handicap 1200m (Market)
The Highway Handicap kicks us off and it's jsut about impossible to bet. (18) Foxie La Belle gets a run with scratchings and certainly isn't the worst hope at $18. She's had three runs back from a very long spell. First up she ran in a Class 2 Highway Handicap over 1000m here at Randwick and ran home strongly to be beaten 1.7L in 4th. She then ran 3rd to Zakat who has since run well in town, and last start she sat three-wide the trip when running 3rd at Kembla. She draws the inside here and looks an each way bet with $5.00 the place on offer. (6) Toro Toro will be popular having won all three starts this prep and gets JMac on, while (10) Hellenism won a Highway last time we saw her and deserves respect first up.
Race 2 - BM88 Handicap 1200m (Market)
Two horses stand out to me here, which are (6) Outrageous and (10) Miss Invincible. Outrageous should have won first up last preparation over this track and distance, when beaten 0.3L by Signore Fox and Reelem In Ruby. He sat four-wide without cover the entire race so it was an enormous effort, and a repeat of that would see him go very close to winning this at $8.00. Miss Invincible has a terrific first up record, with two wins and two 2nds from four starts. She's won at the track before and won her only previous start at the distance. She's won both trials leading into today and with Tim Clark booked, she should roll to the top and prove very hard to run down. I'd prefer if this was at Rosehill but in any case, she's a good bet at $7.00. The other horse to consider is (8) Trumbull, who is also around the $8.50 mark. He won over this track and distance first up, which was also in this grade. He sat three-wide on speed in doing so, so it was a good effort. Forgive him for last start when he missed the start by 3L, his race was over as soon as the gates opened. He was beaten a nose third up last prep and James McDonald jumps back aboard here so he has to be considered a major player. I will be backing Outrageous and Miss Invincible, with a saver bet on Trumbull.
Also backing: (10) Miss Invincible $7.00
Race 3 - G3 James H B Carr Stakes 1400m (Market)
(2) Rubisaki is clearly the one to beat here, she's won seven of her nine career starts and has run 2nd in the other two, but they opened her a ridiculous price at around $1.50. She's out to $1.70 now but that's still pretty short. I'll be waiting to see if we get closer to even money on the day. There's no arguments with the way she's going - she was impressive once again winning in G3 company over 1200m last start - but this isn't a bad field at all. (4) Akari ran 3rd behind her last start and gets the blinkers back on today. (5) Mirra Vision suffered her first defeat last start but was only beaten 0.7L against the likes of California Zimbol, Dawn Passage and Hilo. (6) Supboenaed drops back sharply in trip to 1400m after contesting the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes last start. Last time she raced at this distance, she was beaten a nose by Positive Peace who was a subsequent G2 winner. (8) Rocha Clock is the new filly on the block, resuming from a spell. She's won three of her four career starts and went out with a dominant win over the mile here last prep. This is a much harder test for her but she's clearly a filly with talent. Rubisaki the one to beat but will want a slightly better price.
Race 4 - G3 Frank Packer Plate 2000m (Market)
A couple at decent odds for me here in the Frank Packer Plate. I do concede (1) Quick Thinker deserves favouritism and looks hard to beat coming off back-to-back wins in the Tulloch Stakes and Australian Derby, but the concern with him is the drop back from 2400m to 2000m, which is always a distance change I view negatively. With that said, the same stable produced last year's winner of this race, The Chosen One, after he ran 4th in the Derby. $2.40 is just a bit short for mine. The Carbine Club has proved a fairly reliable form reference for this race in recent years, and this year's winner was (3) Entente. He did so dropping back from 1800m to the mile, and now steps up to 2000m for the first time. He's by Dundeel so that won't be an issue. Stable is flying, he draws well in barrier 1 and looks a good price at $10. The other at huge odds you can have something on is (9) Gone Bye at $35. He's a horse I've followed since his debut. He just never got into the race first up at Canberra but he came out second up and won after being ridden with more aggression. It was only a BM70 at Warwick Farm, so this is a sharp rise in grade, but the winner of this race in 2018 (Higher Ground) actually won the same 1600m race at Warwick Farm leading into that Frank Packer Plate. Mark Newnham has a great record at Randwick with a 24% strike rate this season and Gone Bye maps to find a position on speed, so he's a bet at the big price. (12) Kinane comes off a maiden win at Wyong but JMac goes on and he's very much untapped having had just three career starts. Don't be surprised to see him run a big race, and he's already had good support in early betting.
Race 5 - G1 Champagne Stakes 1600m (Market)
There really doesn't look to be a great number of chances in the Champagne Stakes here. I'm really keen on (6) Ole Kirk. I backed him in the Sires' Produce last start and I'll be following my money. His run for 4th in the Sires' was very good and he should have won his start prior in Melbourne. He looks better suited here up to the mile and back onto a firmer track. James McDonald replaces Tommy Berry and he looks clearly the one to beat for mine. Worth noting the Sires' has produced the Champagne Stakes winner in 21 of the last 25 years. (5) Untamed ran 2nd in the Ballieu first up and then won the Fernhill last start. He draws soft again in barrier 2 and should get the run of the race like he did last start. Prized Icon won the Fernhill on his way to winning the Champagne Stakes a few years ago. He's got more to come third up and the $10 looks a decent bet. He represents the value in the race. (1) King's Legacy won the Sires' Produce last start and obviously looks a terrific chance.
Race 6 - G3 JRA Plate 2000m (Market)
This race is a complete headache and it's been a race that's thrown up a few blowouts in recent years. The favourite (5) Shared Ambition could divide opinions here. On the one hand, I can see why he could be declared a moral. He's won six of his nine starts, gets back up to 2000m which is much more his go than the mile of the Doncaster last start, JMac goes on, and he comes up against a bunch of very well-exposed horses. On the other hand, he's only beaten Youngstar and Creedence, he's drawn the car park, he may well be at his best over 2400m+, and we haven't seen any runners come here and win in the last five years that have had their lead up in the Doncaster. Again, this is a race where favoured horses have really struggled in recent years. Outside of him, there's a few at big odds to consider. (11) Greysful Glamour should be much better suited back onto a firm track today. At this stage of her last preparation, she won by 6L at this distance at Moonee Valley. She's had a much more conventional rise to 2000m and she's well weighted with 53kg. The obvious query is her poor record at Randwick but she's a bet at $11. (16) Shadow Flight is unlikely to gain a run as the third emergency but $41 is a big price if he starts. He ran 3rd in the Neville Selwood Stakes last start over this distance and he gets the blinkers back on. (4) Life Less Ordinary started favourite last start in the Neville Selwood, but had no hope whatsoever from where he was on a day where it was suited to be on speed and on the inside. He draws the inside here so expect him to be much closer in the run, and from there he's a chance. He's had five starts over the track and distance for five minor placings and again, he's better suited on firm ground. John Thompson's pair are another for the blowout basket - (10) Maurus and (12) Master Of Arts. (9) Oceanex should be around the mark third up at 2000m.
Value: (16) Shadow Flight $41
(11) Greysful Glamour
$11
Race 7 - G1 All Aged Stakes 1400m (Market)
The TJ Smith is the form reference to follow for this race, so we can practically rub out half the field. I've settled on (11) Bivouac who didn't get anything go his way in the TJ, settling back towards last. He'll be much better suited back onto firmer ground and with a good draw, which should see him get a great run if he can jump with them. Last time he ran over 1400m he won the Golden Rose and if he brings his best, I think he's the one to beat. I think the value is (9) Tofane, who has looked to be crying out for 1400m in her past two starts. She was beaten narrowly in The Galaxy two starts back, before flashing home for 5th in the TJ last start, despite covering extra ground throughout. She's drawn well in 5 and at $11 looks a good bet. (1) Pierata has never finished out of the placings over 1400m and both his runs this prep have been good. (2) Santa Ana Lane comes off a 2nd in the TJ but from barrier 1 he again maps poorly and will need luck. Notably, the winning barriers for this race in recent years have been 9, 7, 7, 7, 6, 6, 7, 1, 7, 7, while three and four-year-olds have won the past five editions. Bivouac and Tofane the two for me.
Race 8 - G3 Hall Mark Stakes 1200m (Market)
Another competitive race here. There's a few I'm keen to back. (5) Deprive has been pretty good in two starts this prep in harder races than this, first up behind Nature Strip and last start in The Galaxy, where he was only beaten 2.2L. He gets to 1200m third up now, he's won six from seven at the track, he's undefeated over the track and distance, JMac goes on, and he should appreciate the Good ground rather than it being wet. He goes on top. (13) All Too Royal has had eight weeks between runs and they've obviously tried to freshen him up for this race because that's when he races best. He's won four of his five starts when first up and he's won four from six at the distance. If he's at his fresh best, he'll be a major player in this at $11. I can't believe the price of (6) Le Romain at $17. He's only ever missed a place once from 10 starts when first up from a spell. First up last prep he finished alongside (1) Trekking in the Redzel Stakes behind Pierata. Him and Trekking meet at level weights to what they did in that race and Trekking is $5.00 here, while Le Romain is more than three times his price. I'd be having something on (17) Signore Fox if he lines up. He's got a run with scratchings but no jockey is listed at the moment. He won first up last prep at this track and distance. He's the only four-year-old in this race and it's worth noting that four-year-olds have won three of the last four runnings of this race. With all that said, no winner of this race has paid more than $5.50 in the past five years. Deprive on top.
Race 9 - Randwick 100 Handicap 1400m (Market)
Not an easy way to finish. (15) Phaistos hasn't gained a run yet but if he does he'll be tough to beat as the market indicates. He was beaten half-a-length first up last prep in Melbourne and prior to that he'd won both first up runs. He won over this track and distance last time we saw him and is well in at the weights with 53.5kg. Without him gaining a run yet, I'll side with two other runners at good odds. (4) Lanciato did enough first up to indicate he's on track and he has a terrific second up record with three wins from five starts. That form behind Quackerjack and Vegadaze looks solid and Mark Newnham has a good record at Randwick. He's a bet at $14. (6) Cradle Mountain is a very hard horse to catch but he gets the blinkers on first time and has trialled well since returning from Melbourne. He won the Carrington Stakes three starts back over this track and distance so if he improves with the shades on he'll be a big player at $11. (3) Doctor Drill looks one to include at $19. He can improve from his first up run and he's performed well in both of his previous starts at Randwick, albeit over a bit further.
