Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday, June 6th.
Sydney racing returns to headquarters with a nine-race card on the agenda, featuring the Listed Bob Charley Stakes. The track is a heavy 8 at the time of writing and the rail is in the 9 metre position.
Tim Geers has previewed every race on the card in depth below!
Randwick Racing Tips: Saturday, June 6th
Best Bet: Race 9 - (1) Opacity
Best Value: Race 3 - (12) Bad Boy For Love
Race 1 (Market)
(1) Acrophobic and (3) Yangtze Rapids met on debut over 1200m at Warwick Farm, where Acrophobic got the better of Yangtze Rapids by 0.6L. I think this presents as a fascinating race though with the step up to 1400m. Yangtze Rapids was under pressure a long way out over the 1200m but stuck to his task nicely in the straight and was strong through the line. His breeding indicates he'll relish extra ground, as well as wet conditions, so with Bowman going on and a small weight swing, the $9.50 appeals about him to turn the tables. Bowman also rode (4) Oregon on debut but jumps off here. Oregon settled last at Canterbury and worked through the field nicely to finish 3rd. If he can settle a touch closer from barrier 4 today, he could be the value at similar odds. (2) Jeronimos next best.
Race 2 (Market)
Tricky little race. (5) Money Magic did a very good job to finish as close as she did last start, after she was caught wide without cover throughout the race. She was only beaten a length and I was keen on her that day, so I have to stick with her today. She maps much more favourably and we've seen her lead in the past, so expect her to be more forward in the field. That should give her a head start on the favourite (2) Kirwin's Lane, who I had as my best bet last start when he bolted in over 1900m at Canterbury. He was aided by a perfect Hugh Bowman ride that day but he was still impressive. Barrier 12 is a different scenario for him today; he'll likely have to loop the field and if Money Magic steals a break, she could be tough to run down. (7) Secretly looks value at $15. She was just fair first up but she put in a similar performance last prep before coming out and beating She's Ideel second up. Expect her to improve with the run under the belt.
Race 3 (Market)
I dislike these Highway races and they are always tough to assess, so I'll keep it to one horse that I'll be backing. (12) Bad Boy For Love is going much better than what his form reads on paper. He had a seven week break back in March-April and since returning from that, he's been very good. His first run back he powered home from last to run 2nd at Bathurst. He then ran in a Highway similar to this here at Randwick over 1200m and was caught four-wide without cover throughout. Then last start, he dropped back to the 1000m, again in a Highway here at Randwick, and was untested in the straight, held up all the way. He was backed from $21 into $12, so he had supporters that day, and he never got a crack. McEvoy goes on today, he does draw wide but with even luck, he looks a decent each way bet at $16.
(12) Bad Boy For Love
$16
Race 4 (Market)
This has a few of Sydney's great pretenders in it and the race itself is almost impossible to bet in. (8) Re Edit goes on top, but how can you be confident when Sam Clipperton rides it for Chris Waller, and the horse itself has only two wins from 18 starts, the last of which was more than 13 months ago? Clipperton himself only has one winner from his past 50 ides, so we are really going low percentage with our play, but that's the type of race it is. She had no luck two starts ago when caught wide and then ridden upside down in the lead, but they took her back last start and it worked well as she flashed home to get within a length of Costello. If she can repeat that performance, she'll give this a big shake, but that's a big IF. (6) Elaborate is probably the fresh talent in the race. He comes off back-to-back wins at the provincials and now comes to the city. He does step up sharply in distance from 1900m to 2400m but he's in good form, which is more than you can say about a lot of these. The stable have only on winner from 31 runners at Randwick this season though.
Race 5 (Market)
(6) Tony's Reward looks an each way play first up today at $11. This race lacks a bit of depth and he's fresh onto the scene. His first up record stands at three wins and a 2nd from six starts. Although he only won at Hawkesbury first up last prep, he overcame a bit of a tough run in doing so. He's also never won from nine tries at the distance but he has done all his winning over 1100m or 1300m, so it's not that much of an issue for me. Nash Rawiller has a good strike rate for Bjorn Baker and if he's ready to go, I think he looks a good price at the double figure odds. (5) Burning Crown is probably the horse to beat with Hugh Bowman replacing Josh Parr, who was caught four-wide the trip on him last start. (8) Sheriff was very heavily backed first up but failed to deliver. I'd be keeping a close watch on the market again today.
(6) Tony's Reward E/W
$11
Race 6 (Market)
I was with (3) Enfleurage first up and while she was disappointing, I'll give her another chance as I think this is probably a better race for her. I think she's better suited at 1200m than she is at 1000m and with the run under the belt, I would expect improvement. Bowman sticks with her so that's enough for me to think she's not completely gone from that first up run. (2) Wandabaa resumed with a very good win in the midweeks and the stable did say she may have been vulnerable there so she should be improved from that run. The query is she beat Spaceboy who is definitely no superstar and has a knack of turning it up. (1) Segalas probably brings the best form line to the race behind Masked Crusader. The concern with her is Jean Van Overmeire takes the ride, replacing Bowman who sticks with the stablemate. (16) Malea Magic should go forward and give a good sight once again.
Race 7 (Market)
If (1) Classique Legend turns up in his best form, this should be his race. I know he has to carry top weight first up on a wet track from a wide barrier, but he's the only legitimate Group 1 horse in this race at the moment and from all reports, he's come back an improved horse this time in. First up last prep he ran 2nd to Pierata. A repeat of that would see him go very close to winning. So I'm taking the punt that he's forward enough and good enough to overcome the race set up, and the $2.70 we're being offered is a good enough price. (6) Snitz has kicked off his campaign with two wins from as many starts. This is another test for him and the heavy ground is something he's yet to tick off, but it's hard to knock him in his current form. The same can be said about (8) Coruscate who loves the wet ground and draws softly. Again, this is a harder race and he will need to keep improving, but he does go well in the ground. (2) Jungle Edge needs it as wet as possible.
(1) Classique Legend
$2.70
Race 8 (Market)
(7) Phaistos is going particularly well this campaign. He was unlucky not to win first up when beaten by a pimple, but he atoned for that with a good win second up, before just finding one better in the Scone Cup last time out. Bowman gets back aboard him today, he draws softly in barrier 1, handles the wet, goes well at the track, and looks to find a very suitable race. (1) Dr Drill was the horse who beat him in the Scone Cup last start and there's no reason he can't run well again here. The negative for him is the fact he's to be ridden by apprentice Chris Williams, but he's found form and is still only three runs into his prep. (3) Order Again is a huge watch and has to be included in everything. He's on stable debut for Chris Waller and has trialled fairly well. He has a good second up record and has two wins from three starts on heavy ground, and I'd expect him to improve under the care of Waller. (4) Sambro has a good third up record and gets JMac on, and (8) Hallelujah Boy has a good record both first up and on heavy ground.
Value: (3) Order Again $26
Race 9 (Market)
(1) Opacity looks the best bet of the day. I think he's a pretty smart horse, as his record backs up, with four wins from six starts. He was good winning here last start over 1500m, where he ran down Miss Einstein, and I suspect he'll only improve with that run under the belt. He does draw wide but Bowman sticks with him and if he can get a cart into the race, he should be right in the finish. He only got better as he got further up in distance last prep, and he remains lightly raced with improvement to come, whereas plenty of these are well exposed. (4) Guise can improve second up from a spell and (10) Greek Hero isn't hopeless from the inside gate third up.
