Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for Royal Randwick on Saturday, April 21st.
The nine-race card features two Group 1’s, with the Champagne Stakes and the All Aged Stakes headlining the card. We’re on a Good 4 track with the rail in the 6m position in the straight.
We have betting tips and comments for every race on the card below.
RANDWICK RACING TIPS
Best Bet: Race 9 #7 Osbourne Bulls
Best Value: Race 2 #5 Anatola
RACE 1
Not typically keen to bet into Highway Handicaps but I’m fairly keen to take on the favourite (4) Ori On Fire. There’s two that I’ll be backing here. (1) Nic’s Vendetta followed a similar path last preparation, where he ran 2nd first up over 900m at Newcastle, and then came to town and won, beating the talented Suncraze over 1200m with the same jockey taking 3kg off. This preparation he ran 4th first up over 900m at Newcastle, and now tackles 1200m once again. So his prep has been just about identical and $6.50 appeals from the good draw. (3) Keymaster comes out of a better race than this, where he ran 4th, and that race has since produced two subsequent winners. Before that he won by 6L at Bathurst, and Shinn takes over from Michael Cahill here, so $7 is another price that catches the eye.
TIP: (1) Nic’s Vendetta / (3) Keymaster
RACE 2
Competitive race but I’ve landed on two horses. (4) Test The World is first up here with two nice trials under the belt. Has a good first up record with two wins and a 3rd from three starts. Will be prominent in the run from barrier 1 with Van Overmeire on board for Bjorn Baker, and his form last preparation would see him very competitive here. Could start shorter than $5. (7) Anatola looks the value at $7.50. She had a good preparation last time in, which was her first for trainer Mark Newnham, and she pulled up with problems in the two races she failed in. She’s trialled brilliantly twice leading into today, draws perfectly in barrier 3 and looks a terrific chance at a good price. (5) Dissolute won easily last start and can be competitive again – I’ve got some queries over the strength of that race he won last start though.
TIP: (4) Test The World / (5) Anatola EW
RACE 3
If (2) Dothraki wasn’t Dothraki, he’d just about be a moral here, but as we all know, he has a tendency to shy away from winning races. His last three races in this company have all been very good, with a win (on protest) and two 2nd placings. He comes down in weight slightly today, draws well and will be right there in the finish again…hopefully with his nose in front. (3) Burning Passion didn’t get a lot of luck late in the race last start when I was keen on him. He won’t have that problem from barrier 8 today and he’s got a good record at this track and distance so no surprise to see him bounce back. (7) Firsthand poses a threat first up for an in-form stable, while (8) Bolero and (9) Star Reflection are others with chances.
TIP: (2) Dothraki
RACE 4
Another tough race. There’s three that stick out to me here. (1) Tangled drops back from the Derby trip of 2400m to the 2000m here and gets the blinkers back on with a great barrier draw. While many horses in this race are stepping up from 1600m to 2000m, he drops back from a very good base and will have no problems with this trip, which is arguably his best. Expecting a big run. (4) Dissolution has done nothing wrong this preparation, recording two wins and a 2nd to Muraaqeb last start over 1600m. He’s one that steps up to 2000m from 1600m, but he’s drawn well and is flying and represents value once again at $8. (8) Primitivo hasn’t won a race yet but he gets his chance here at $8. Two starts ago came from last on the turn at Canberra to flash home and run 2nd, and last start it was 1400m up to 2000m and was trapped three-wide the trip in a hot form race behind Levendi. Better run today and surely goes close. (3) Holy Snow and (5) Higher Ground other chances.
TIP: (4) Dissolution EW / (8) Primitivo EW
RACE 5
Very competitive fillies race. Sticking with Sydney form here and sticking with (5) Manicure who I was on at $21 last start when she ran 2nd behind Houtzen, beaten a nose. Third up today, drawn perfectly in barrier 5 and will be hard to hold out at $6. The value could be (10) Ridicule at $12, who only comes off a Class 2 Kembla Grange win, but did sit three-wide the trip and the horse that ran 2nd came out last weekend and flew home to run 2nd after a huge betting move. (4) So Far Sokool brings the Melbourne form after a dominant win in the Bendigo Guineas last start. Prepared to risk him in Sydney here. (1) Frolic not hopeless.
TIP: (5) Manicure / (10) Ridicule EW
RACE 6
Not overly confident here at all. (3) Outrageous only got clear in the final 100m in the G1 Sires’ Produce last start and worked home into 3rd, but should and would have been closer if he got out earlier than the 100m mark. Drawn well in barrier 3, Avdulla keeps the ride and there’s plenty of suspicious types in this race so I’ll take $5.50. The value could be (9) Akkadian who had no luck at a crucial stage last start and draws to get a sweet run in midfield. With a clear run he could be in the finish at $16. (6) Irukandji will be up on speed and did well to win last start despite having no favours outside the leader. $11 is a good price for a runner that will be forward in the run. (11) Guerrier looks way over the odds at $41, and (5) Not A Single Cent is a legitimate chance. Today I’ll be happy to take on (13) Seabrook and the fluke last-start Group 1 winner (12) El Dorado Dreaming.
TIP: (3) Outrageous / (9) Akkadian EW
RACE 7
The Group 1 All Aged Stakes. Only two chances for mine and I’ll be backing both. (10) Trapeze Artist was absolutely dominant in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes two weeks ago, when he sat wide throughout and still gave Redzel windburn. It was arrogant the way he won, and he gets up to 1400m which is a distance he’s won at before (Golden Rose). The simple fact is if he repeats his last start he wins, but the knock is that he’s never won two in a row, and was trained as a sprinter specially for the TJ, so what will he be like stepping back up to 1400m so soon after? I think (2) Brave Smash is the danger horse at $7. I think this horse is better over 1400m than he is over 1200m, and we know that this preparation he’s become an elite sprinter. He was awful last start in the TJ but if he gets back to his best form from earlier this prep, he could give Trapeze Artist a race over this distance.
TIP: (10) Trapeze Artist / (2) Brave Smash EW
RACE 8
Exceptionally open race and I’ll just be backing one horse each way. (6) Interlocuter has seemingly been a touch disappointing this preparation but he didn’t have a lot go right last start and perhaps he’s now looking for the 2000m. I’m not sure barrier 1 is ideal but Angland is riding in terrific form and he finds a race where he really should be competitive at $7.50. (7) Maurus was very good last start and can repeat that effort third up here. (10) Cool Chap comes out of the Doncaster where he was beaten just 3L by Happy Clapper. Drawn well and Oliver takes the ride so it wouldn’t shock to see him win this. (14) Rising Red, (15) The Pinnacle and (16) Nettoyer all chances. Happy to take on (1) Arbeitsam and (9) Radipole who could cut each other to pieces in the lead.
TIP: (6) Interlocuter EW
RACE 9
One standout here and a few others worth mentioning. (7) Osbourne Bulls picks himself really. He’s won six of his eight career starts and really should be undefeated this preparation but for a bad ride from Avdulla two starts ago. He got it right last time though and the horse was dominant. So long as he gets a good run he looks to be the winner here and $2.30 is a fair price. Looks the best of the day. (11) Special Missile is ready to win and can test Osbourne Bulls. He’s third up today and gets a big jockey change with Damien Oliver taking over. Will go forward and be there for a long way. Oliver jumps off (14) Tribal Wisdom who is another hope, while (12) Collateral is one to keep an eye on at $51. He was heavily backed first up last prep and ran a huge race at big odds.
TIP: (7) Osbourne Bulls
QUADDIE
3, 5, 6, 9, 11
2, 10
6, 7, 10, 14, 15, 16
7, 11, 12, 14
$100 = 41.66%
