Group one racing at Randwick continues on this week with all eyes on the three year olds as they step out to 2000m in the Spring Champion Stakes today. Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile is also back in Sydney, headlining the field in the newly-named group 2 Callendar-Presnall. We’ll also see the running of The Invitation, with an awesome line up of fillies and mares going head to head for $2 million.
The rain is back in Sydney once again and while it hasn’t been heavy there has been enough all week to keep the track in the heavy range. With 20mm predicted across Friday and race day I think we will be on the better side of a heavy.
As always, Billy Bestford has cast his eye across the program and brings you his free horse racing tips with previews and best bets for every race on the card.
Best Bet: Race 6 - (2) Kote
Best Value: Race 8 - (5) Matcha Latte
Randwick Racing Tips: Saturday October 22nd
Race 1
The Kirkham Plate is always a tough race to assess with all nine of them making their debuts here. Godolphin have a strong hand with five horses and I’ll side with (8) Dipsy Doodle who has trialled well and maps for a nice run in transit. She’s a full sister to Magic Carpet who was no slouch and I expect she will be popular off the back of her recent work at home.
(1) Barber is another of the ‘blue army’ who looks a winning chance. He led his first trial and won it well so the inside draw might see him take up a forward position with in-form Blake Shinn to do the steering. Should see every chance and the rail could be the place to be early on.
(2) Coincide is well related being a half to Converge and you’d expect he takes a prominent position in running. Bowman sticks off the back of a good 2nd at the trials.
(10) Infatuation dug deep to win a recent trial and showed good speed out of the gates. Draws well here and expect he will be right in this.
(8) Dipsy Doodle
$6.00 (0.5 unit)
Race 2
Doesn’t get much easier with a big Highway field and as open as ever.
(6) King Of Spades who is knocking on the door for another win. Has been brave up on speed at his last couple and I think he’s hard fit and looking for this trip now. He always puts himself in a winning positon and handles wet ground.
(9) Almahero can go forward from an inside draw and did well 2nd up in inferior ground. With two runs under the belt now he looks ready for 2000m. The first up win was very good and he should get his chance with Collett sticking for the ride.
(4) Socrates bolted in last start, winning the race that most of these horses all come through. He’s getting up in the weights now though but is clearly flying and no reason why he couldn’t win again.
(3) Jalmari was the big closer from the back in that race and he did very well considering many struggled to make ground on the day. He’s ready to win now.
(6) King Of Spades
$6.50 (0.5 unit)
Race 3
(4) Mayrose was a complete forgive run last start when impossible to make any ground on the day. The previous run was a belter and arguably should have won the race when clipping heels and finishing hard. Gets a nice little weight relief with the apprentice claim and should be able to find plenty of room out wide and run on hard.
(18) Tristate drops well back in grade for this and his placings behind Shades of Rose and Remarque look very good form for this. Big weight to carry but he is easily the class horse of the field. Think he might be looking for a heavy track to show his best form.
If there’s any on-speed bias early on then expect (5) Eyewitness to be a big winning chance. She handles all conditions and comes into this off a tough win at Canterbury.
(11) Super Bright has been building nicely this prep and was very unlucky not to win last start. 4th up now I think she can run well. Drawn wide but will get back on and run on anyway.
(9) Russbuss is a good wet tracker and was well backed last start before getting the money. She drops 6.5kg off the back of that effort and looks to get the run of the race from barrier three. Expect she can be right in the finish.
(4) Mayrose
$9.50 (0.5 unit)
Race 4
(6) Willinga Rufio has had a little freshen since a tough run 2nd up when racing on a hot speed and dropping out. The first up win before that was dominant and I think he looks to get every favour today. There is very little speed here and the lead should be his for the taking. Handles all conditions and looks an easy bet to have from a map perspective.
(8) Mahagoni was far from disgraced in stronger grade last start and is suited dropping back to a race like this. Had been tracking along nicely before that and will just need some things to go right from the barrier with his pattern.
(12) Naval Seal came a long way in his first prep and tackles 1600m first up here. I do think he will improve as he gets further into the prep but he does race well fresh. Looks progressive enough for a race like this.
(9) One Aye ran a respectable 4th in a group 3 first up and usually races well 2nd up. The rise to 1600m looks suitable and he should get a perfect run from barrier 6.
(2) Cognac bolted in the Bathurst Cup and looks to get his chance in a race lacking genuine tempo.
(6) Willinga Rufio
$5.50 (1 unit)
Race 5
(6) Yiyi finished a 1L 2nd to Durston two starts ago which now looks like A grade form. Any rain will bring him into calculations and I like the little freshen up and then dropping him back in trip. Has had a tick over trial in between and he could regain some of his best form.
I think (1) Bigboyroy is ready to do something now with two runs under the belt in stronger races than this. He should roll to the lead from barrier 10 and I like him getting up to 1600m. On best form he is right up to this.
(4) Diamil was never a chance last start when too far back in a race which was dominated by on-speed horses. Third up and rising to this trip looks a good setup while he drops to just 54.5kg.
(8) War Eternal drops out of the group one Epsom and is much better suited back to this sort of grade. His 2nd up run was very good and he maps to be up on speed with very little weight on his back. Expect to see plenty of improvement from him.
Race 6
(2) Kote looks a progressive type and while benefited by the extreme on-speed bias last start, he was dominant. Arguably should have won the start before that and I think they have figured out how to ride him up in the lead. With Willinga Beast heading to Melbourne I expect this horse starts a heavy favourite and continues on his winning ways.
There was a bit of money around for (10) Cholante when tackling a strong race down in Melbourne. Don’t think he handled the track all that well and happy to be forgiving of that run. Think he has plenty of raw talent and could be the one at odds.
(1 Thron Bone strung together a three impressive wins before finishing 5th behind now Everest winning Giga Kick in the Vain Stakes. He’s still very lighty raced and trust the stable bringing up to Sydney.
(3) Insurrection hasn’t done much wrong this prep and looks on the up. Should find the front from the kind draw and give a strong kick. Blake Shinn going on is a big positive with the form he is in at the moment.
(9) Spicy Hotpot could be the blowout and looks a horse with plenty of talent.
(2) Kote
$2.80 (3.5 units)
Race 7
No surprises here but (1) Golden Mile really should just be winning. He comes into this off the back of an awesome Caulfield Guineas win and the horses he takes on today would do well to finish the front half of that field. I like him drawn wide out of trouble and will just need something to take him into the race. So long as the track is playing fair, he looks the obvious.
(4) Communist was very good when tackling stakes grade for the first time, finishing 2nd to Williamsburg here a few weeks ago. He hasn’t done much wrong in his career to date, winning three of six and deserves his chance at a race like this.
(5) Flag Of Honour was a good run last time out when drawing the inside gate. That wasn’t the place to be on the day and he’s much better for that run. His first up run was great, finishing a few lengths off Golden Mile.
This is easier than what (3) Basquiat has been contesting and he’d been racing well leading into those group one runs. Can improve into the placings today.
(10) A Lot More Love was less than half a length off Matcha Latte first up and that form has been stacking up since. Looked super impressive with the blinkers going on last start. On the quick backup and can go on with it.
(1) Golden Mile
$1.80 (3 units)
Race 8
The feature race of the day sees the three year olds line up in the Spring Champion Stakes. Victorian visitor Elliptical is your early favourite but it is very open with a handful of winning chances.
(2) Promitto drops out of WFA company for this and was far from disgraced, finishing 3rd to Cascadian. He’s been in great form this prep and I think he looks one of the better suited horses getting out to 2000m.
(5) Matcha Latte was an enormous run in the Gloaming Stakes when missing the kick and charging home for 2nd in a photo. Probably should have won that race and looks a big price here. Horse is flying.
(11) She’s Extreme looks ready now and comes off a very good 2nd in the Flight Stakes. That Zougotcha form looks strong and I think she has profiled like a horse who will love getting out to 2000m. She loves wet conditions and comes through the best form races.
(1 Elliptical was the eye-catcher in the Caulfield Guineas, charging home for 2nd behind Golden Mile. Off that run you would expect 2000m looks ideal and from barrier 1 he will see every chance.
(7) Conqueror was once upon a time an early favourite for this race. There was plenty expected from him this prep but he has failed to live up to the hype so far. He could improve to be the blowout chance.
(4) Williamsburg was huge in the Gloaming and was the real loser out of the race being switched to Warwick Farm and dropping to 1600m. He will eat up 2000m better than most.
Value: (5) Matcha Latte - $14 (0.5 unit)
(2) Promitto
$7.00 (1 unit)
Race 9
I can’t believe I am doing it to myself again but (10) Espiona goes on top here in The Invitation. We have been on her probably every start in her career and she just hasn’t lived up to the promise she showed early doors. With that said, she finally draws a nice middle gate here and her runs on big tracks have been her best. She’s got the explosive turn of foot to beat these and I’m thinking she gets her best chance to put it all together now. Waller will have her primed for this.
(2) Nimalee is an easy horse to back because she puts herself up on speed and rarely puts in a poor one. The more rain the better for her and you can guarantee she will be right in the finish. Back to 1400m is a positive.
(1 Forbidden Love was never a factor first up from the carpark draw but she gets many more favours today. With that run under the belt, stepping out to 1400m and drawing low she can regain some of her best form which saw her win a group one in the Autumn.
Forget (5) Promise Of Success went around first up on that day where it was genuinely impossible to make any ground. She’ll bounce back here and could be the roughie who runs well. Don’t leave her out of the exotics.
(3) Icebath is as genuine as they come but I thought she was just a touch plain in the Epsom when heavily favoured. Happy to let her go round at the current price.
(7) Expat was a forgive run in The Nivision when missing the kick and pulling up with breathing issues. Will give a much better sight here.
Value: (5) Promise Of Success - $21 (0.25 units)
(10) Espiona
$6.50 (1 unit)
Race 10
(5) Bacchanalia was beaten by Remarque 2nd up who has been airborne this prep. I think he is primed to run well with two good runs under his belt and the booking of Shinn from barrier 1 means he sees every chance. The wet track will play into his hands more than a few key rivals here.
(4) Coal Crusher could be the danger who will be out in front and looking the winner at some stage in the straight. Fitter now off the first up effort and he is a proper swimmer.
If the rain misses then (7) Clemenceau looks a big winning chance. Draws wide but probably fine by this time of the day and his record is very good. Hardly run a bad race and will see every chance off the speed. Be surprised if he isn’t scratched if we’re on a heavy.
(14) Bella Rouge is a smart type who resumes today. Thinking she might need the run today but worth following off what she does here.
(13) Fox Fighter and (6) Titanium Power the two blowout chances who you could throw in the quaddie.
(5) Bacchanlia
$5.50 (1 unit)
