Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Randwick on Saturday, October 12th.
The Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes headlines today's meeting, supported by the G2 Stan Fox Stakes, G2 Roman Consul Stakes, G3 Angst Stakes and the Silver Eagle.
There is plenty of rain forecast to hit Randwick so I'd suggest planning for a wet track. The rail is in the 6m position.
You can also check out our Caulfield preview for Caulfield Guineas Day HERE!
Randwick Racing Tips: Saturday, October 12th
Best Bet: Race 7 - (2) Shadow Hero
Best Value: Race 9 - (1) Black Magnum
We start off with a Highway Handicap that I have zero interest in. If anything, an each way bet on the Keith Dryden-trained (10) Gunga Din could be an option. This horse had some specking in a similar race two starts back on wet ground where he was flattened half way down the straight and went to the line untested after that. That was after a first up win at Canberra. He was left with a lot to do at Goulburn last start but still worked home ok. Glen Boss is booked today to replace Blake McDougall which is a positive. He gets the blinkers on for the first time and this is a winnable race.
The favourite (12) Master Of Wine looks hard to beat here with the blinkers applied for the first time but he's proving to be a bit of a non-winner with five placings from as many starts since arriving in Australia. I'll look elsewhere and hope for a bit of value. (5) Aliferous might be ready to run a race. She's third up from a spell today and steps up to a distance which is suitable for more suitable for her at this stage. Her only start at the track and distance was a win and that was on a Soft 7 so any rain shouldn't be an issue. (10) Lord Gododdin could be the value at double figures. He won two starts back in Brisbane before running 4th at Rosehill last start. The form out of that race has proved very good so far and he didn't necessarily get the clearest of runs. Back up to 2000m today, wet ground no issue and he's drawn well so expect a good run.
Value: (10) Lord Gododdin $11
Keen on (2) Quackerjack to win this first up. He won a BM78 first up here at Randwick last prep over 1300m on soft ground, leading all the way to give nothing else a sight. He's trialled well leading into today's reappearance and he'll get conditions to suit with wet ground. He might not be able to lead this field but he should land on speed and run very well. (6) Star Reflection could be a chance at double figure odds. She ran the best final 800m sectional first up. Five of her seven career victories have come at this distance so the step up in trip should suit. She's got a terrific second up record and she's effective on wet ground so with a positive jockey booking, she can be competitive. (1) Ranier broke through for a deserved win last start, which was his third run back. Prior to that he had no luck first up and ran the best overall sectionals in defeat second up. He carries extra weight today but can still give this a shake.
Value: (6) Star Reflection $14
Pretty ordinary Group 2 this. I'll stick with the favourite (1) Bottega who is undefeated coming into this. He smoked (3) Brandenburg on debut at Newcastle before backing that up with a comfortable victory at Hawkesbury last start. That's not quite city form but Gerald Ryan knows is a gun trainer of these sorts of horses and the horse has had little trouble with what he's faced to date so I think he'll handle this. (9) Kooweerup was undefeated in its debut preparation, including a G3 success in Adelaide. She was good first up at the Valley but had no luck last start when caught wide the entire race. Ciaron Maher generally has a bit of success when he brings horses to Sydney so she should run well.
We see the return of the Golden Slipper runner-up and Sires' Produce winner (1) Microphone here and I think he'll prove very hard to hold out here. Even though he's first up and likely to have some bigger targets on his plate throughout the Spring, I really think he stands out as the class runner in the field and if he's anywhere near tuned up for this, he should be winning. We know he handles wet ground so that's not an issue, the only little query is whether he can back up his two-year-old success as a three-year-old, because plenty don't. (2) Cosmic Force has race fitness on his side. He was beaten first up in the Heritage Stakes but wasn't disgraced in defeat. He has form behind the likes of Bivouac and he did post a 7L win on wet ground last prep, but each time he's faced Microphone the Godolphin colt has proved too strong for him. (4) Standout beat Cosmic Force first up so even though Cosmic Force will come on from that first up run and gets a weight swing in his favour, the price difference seems a bit strange. Standout will get the run of the race once again. Waller puts the blinkers on both (3) Accession and (5) True Detective.
Value: (4) Standout $8.00
I was a bit disappointed by her first up run but (8) Amangiri really should be winning this if she's anywhere near her best. I really don't think there's a great deal of depth to this race. The step up to the mile second up will help her and any rain would probably also suit her. Both her career wins have come at the mile so there's no exuses for her today. (1) Noire drops back from open G2 company back into G3 for mares. Third up today and track conditions should prove no problem. The wide draw will see her go back so it's just whether she can pick them up. (5) Organza can run a place, while (10) Eugene's Pick hasn't had much luck lately and could be a blowout chance at $31.
(2) Shadow Hero has the G1 Spring Champion Stakes at his mercy. He's been set up beautifully for this race and he couldn't have been any more impressive than he was when winning the G3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill last start. He went past the field like they were all tied to posts in that race and the step up to 2000m looks right up his alley. Josh Parr chooses to ride him instead of (1) Castelvecchio and Castelvecchio's set up for this race is hardly ideal. He resumed over 1500m, dropped back to 1400m for the Golden Rose and now steps up sharply to 2000m after he ran poorly in the G1 last start. He did pull up with the thumps and post-race distress so he had excuses for his sub-par showing, but it's also hardly ideal to come into a G1 on the back of that. (4) Quick Thinker is ticking along nicely and looks the main danger to the favourite if the track gets to the heavy range.
What a cracking race. I have a huge opinion of (3) The Inevitable so he goes on top. His win at Moonee Valley last start was simply ridiculous and that took his record to seven wins from nine starts. He draws softly here in barrier 4 and Nash Rawiller is booked to ride, which are both positives. He's won on wet ground before so that should be no issue and it will take a very good one to beat him. With that said, the race isn't short of good ones. (7) Kapajack might just be the value at $14. He's won three of his six starts and I like him resuming over 1300m here with two trials under the belt. He found the 1100m a bit sharp first up last prep but they didn't get near him when he stepped up to 1300m. (11) Fasika was completely murdered first up when she sat three-wide without cover and still only went down by a nose. She's got a much better draw today so she can settle wherever she wants and she'll take some beating from there. (4) Military Zone is undefeated from three starts when third up from a spell. (10) Mizzy is flying but this might be the race to bring her winning streak undone, while (9) Buffalo River is undefeated in Australia. He stretched out to the mile last prep but resumes over the 1300m here. The positive for him is the fact he's proven on wet ground, but trainer Mike Moroney's record at Randwick is very poor.
Going to give (1) Black Magnum another chance here. He started his prep with two good wins and since then he's had no luck at all, caught wide without cover in three consecutive starts. That won't be the case today as he's drawn the rail so he'll get the gun run in behind the speed. He's won on heavy ground before so the rain won't be a problem for him and I reckon the horse that beat him last start is very smart. He looks hard to beat and we're getting a good each way price about him. (3) Agent Pippa has been given a freshen up. She won first up on heavy ground over this distance at Rosehill at the start of the prep but since then she just hasn't been able to get across and find the rail. If she can do that today she will take plenty of running down. (2) Poised To Strike cantered in first up last prep and has trialled up well in Sydney leading into this.
(1) Black Magnum E/W
$6.50
