Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Randwick on ANZAC Day, Thursday, April 25th.
The eight-race card is set to be run on a Good 4 track with the rail out 9m.
We've got tips and comments for every race on the card below.
RANDWICK RACING TIPS
Best Bet: Race 4 Julkkis
Best Value Bet: Race 5 Hogmanay
RACE 1
Probably just two chances in this first race, which is an absolute shocker. Les Amoureaux resumed from a 10-week break with a 3rd placing at Warwick Farm. She was caught three-wide without cover that day and still battled on fairly well, and that form should be enough to see her over the line in a very weak race. The only real danger is the Snowden horse Regent Street, who trialled relatively well in a heat against the older and better horses recently. He improved from his first to his second trial and should be competitive.
RACE 2
Another race where there looks just two chances. Libertini made her debut in a strong Saturday race, where she split a pair of Godolphin juveniles in Bivouac and Athiri in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes. This is a significantly easier race and despite the wide barrier, she should be winning this. If she doesn't, I think the winner will be whichever Waller horse ends up taking its place. James McDonald is booked for both Born To Play and Tracy May, so one of the two will be scratched on race morning. Both trialled exceptionally well in the lead up to their debuts. Born To Play has had just the one trial, where she ran home strongly under a stranglehold in the straight. Tracy May has had two trials, the most recent of which she won, weaving through the field and going back to the inside to run past Flit. Flit came out and produced the best run of the day a few weeks back. So whichever of those two fillies lines up will prove hard to beat.
RACE 3
Only two I'm really interested in backing here too. Disruptor ran 2nd on debut behind Anaheed, which has turned out to be pretty solid form. He returns from a spell here having trialled well on two occasions at Warwick Farm. Expect him to fire across from barrier 14 to either lead or sit outside the lead and he should be very hard to run down. Lost Light was very well backed on debut at Kembla Grange and was beaten a nose, but he did cop a pretty heavy check at the 600m mark, so to get so close was a good job. Normally I'd pen Kembla form but he trialled well at Rosehill before that debut and I think he can measure up in this race. The Hawkes stable are going well and he'll get his chance from barrier 2. He looks the value at $8.50.
RACE 4
I simply can't have Maddison Avenue at $3.80 here, on the back of a midweek victory in Melbourne at big odds. That takes a pretty large percentage of the market out and leaves three others to back. Julkkis goes on top for me, having won her past two starts. Although they were at Newcastle and Kembla, the latest was pretty impressive and suggests she should be able to measure up in midweek metro company. She had seven weeks off before her last run so she should come on from that. She's drawn well and has JMac on board, so she looks hard to beat. Wild Impact has had just the one career start, which was an impressive victory at Newcastle back in September. She looks to have some ability, but my concern is her being first up from a 33-week spell - typically runners from this stable take a run or two to come good. Lady Evelyn could be the value at $8.50. She'll be better suited second up here, draws barrier 1 and is literally the only runner with any metro form to speak of. The price about her isn't bad. I'll be backing Julkkis and Lady Evelyn.
RACE 5
I think Hogmanay could be ready to win again. He's had three runs back from a very long spell and he was beaten just over a length at Gosford last start despite not getting much room in the straight. He's ready for 1800m now and the firm ground suits him. His only start at this track and distance was a win. White Boots has to be rated a chance again. He's had 13 career starts and has placed in 12 of them. The one time he didn't place, he was beaten half-a-length in 4th. He ran 2nd behind Supernova two starts ago, which is good form for a race like this. He followed that with a last-start win at Gosford (same race that Hogmanay ran 4th in). The Bandit was a surprise winner of the Muswellbrook Cup first up and can only improve second up. The stable is going particularly well at the moment. Milseain has won two on the trot and will be right up on speed again, while Karavali can be competitive. Will be backing White Boots and Hogmanay.
RACE 6
Tricky little race. Interested in Above And Beyond each way at $5.50/$1.80 in the eight-horse field. He's had nine career starts for three wins and four placings. He resumes from a spell here and he won first up last prep by 3L, albeit in a Gosford maiden. He went on to be competitive in metro races before breaking through at Canterbury at the end of last prep. He'll put himself right in the race by being up on speed and the 2kg claim is handy. Looks a good each way bet. The value could be Phoebe's Lass who hasn't won in a while but hasn't had any luck in her past couple of starts. JMac goes on today so she should get her chance. I'm not convinced that Reginae has come back the same horse. She had four trials before her first up run and was just a bit plain in 3rd. She could bounce off that first up run but at the price I'll take her on. Unguarded and The Patrician are blowouts.
Value: Phoebe's Lass
Above And Beyond E/W
$5.50
RACE 7
Wolfe should be winning this. He's undefeated in two career starts and comes into this race first up with three trials under the belt. He was pushed out in those trials but they were against some high quality animals. This is a very weak race and with the blinkers going on for the first time, he should bounce straight to the lead and be very hard to beat.
RACE 8
Tricky little race to finish with a full field lining up over the 1000m. Southern Lad has 61.5kg first up at a distance he's never run over but he did a good job to win first up last preparation and looks to get conditions to suit here with a fast pace on up front. He's trialled relatively well against some good horses leading into this. Golden Hits comes from an ordinary stable but he's trialled superbly leading into this and did win first up last prep. Maps well from barrier 7 and looks the best roughie in the race. Omar won in a small field first up at Hawkesbury. The horse he beat then came out and won its next race so the form stood up, but I wonder where he will map from barrier 4 here. He's likely to have competition for the lead.
