By Ray Hickson and Brad Gray Nothing but quotes from a range of jockeys and trainers ahead of Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes meeting at Royal Randwick.
Race 2 - 1:10PM IGA LIQUOR HANDICAP (2000 METRES) |
---|
2. Alward ($3.10 TAB), 3. Veladero ($6.50), 4. Up ‘N’ Rolling ($1.75) – Chris Waller “Up ‘N’ Rolling was the unlucky one last start and Alward beat him home. Up ‘N’ Rolling has drawn one again, it was no fault of Kerrin’s the other day he didn’t get out. He basically went to the line unchallenged and he’ll be trying to turn the tables on the stablemate. “Veladero has been disappointing, we’ve taken him back to the trials and stepped him up to 2000m hoping to see him switch on.’’
Race 3 - 1:50PM ADINA APARTMENT HOTELS HANDICAP (1600 METRES) |
---|
3. Interlocuter ($2.40 TAB) – Tye Angland “I thought he went super to be able to win that race first-up. Obviously there was the protest but we just forget about that and look at him winning the race and go into this race confident.’’ “It’s not the easiest race but I think he has plenty of upside. Does he lose a bit of turn of foot second up? Probably, but what he did first-up was superb and he’s going to improve off it so I’m going to the races confident.’’ 5. Impavido ($7.00 TAB) – Bjorn Baker “I thought he was okay, they did go a real solid pace and he was still there at the finish boxing on. He’s a good horse on his day and you only have to go back to his Randwick Guineas run (fourth) and his run before that (third to Dawn Wall). ‘’If he gets back to that form he’s in there with a chance.’’
Race 5 - 3:00PM BOWERMANS OFFICE FURNITURE HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
---|
3. Got Unders ($14 TAB) – Jay Hopkins “The weight is a concern, especially in this grade where it is just below Group racing. He has pulled up really well from his last run it’s just been hard finding the right type of race for him.” “Back down to the 1400m is not a concern as his preferred distance is around the 1400m to 1500m mark, so this will suit him.’’
7. All Our Roads ($14 TAB) – Chris Waller “I expect a forward run from him. He’s quite an aggressive horse so don’t read too much into his trials but at least we have seen him trial well and it would suggest he is fit and he’s drawn well to get a lovely run.’’ 9. Sir Plush ($3.30) – Bjorn Baker “He’ll be positive again and he has bounced through that run, his work on Tuesday was outstanding and he seems to have improved through the preparation and he looks stronger. “I think he is a horse that at times as struggled with big weights so he’s down in the weights and will be able to be on speed.’’
Race 6 - 3:35PM ROMAN CONSUL STAKES (1200 METRES) |
---|
1. Chauffeur ($5.00 TAB) – Michael Hawkes “He’s been knocking on the door and we’re trying to place him in a race he can win. It’s a competitive race but his run in the Golden Rose was excellent. His first-up run was outstanding, if you swap the spots with Pariah he is probably winning. Second-up he should have run right behind them and he got smashed in the Golden Rose so, unfortunately, he’s had things go wrong in his last couple of starts. “Those races are high pressure and you can’t afford for anything to go wrong. This isn’t as high pressure but it’s a nice race for him.’’ 2. Single Bullet ($4.00 TAB) – Tye Angland “We fell into the box seat and couldn’t get out until late. I’m not saying he would have won the race but he would have gone close and challenged the winner. I’ll have a look at the speed in the race but he is pretty adaptable and we’ll have more options.’’
3. Viridine ($3.00 TAB) and 5. Beau Geste ($6.50) – James Cummings “(Viridine) continues to impress me. He’s had an extra week to get over his strong first up win where he wanted to overdo it a bit in the Heritage Stakes. The colt had shown dramatic improvement in the final month before his first up run, to such an extent that he was able to win so impressively when he was a little big in condition. “Since his last win he’s gone ahead again. The only thing I could be a bit doubtful of is that he worked too well in the lead up to this race.” “Beau Geste has been a slow-maturing sprinting type who seems to be coming into his own now. He’s filling out the deeper we get into the spring and I feel he’s going ahead enough to be competitive.’’ 6. The Mighty Fed ($21 TAB) – David Payne “I would have liked another few weeks with him but he’ll run a much better race. He got a virus and then he had a relapse and that’s what knocked him around. He wasn’t at his best in those couple of runs.’’
Race 7 - 4:10PM SPRING CHAMPION STAKES (2000 METRES) |
---|
1. Ace High ($3.20 TAB) – David Payne and Tye Angland Payne: “He’s bred to run it right out. If there’s no speed we’ll go forward for sure but if there is speed he can sit just off them. It doesn’t worry him, he’s adaptable. We’ve had no hiccups, touch wood, we go in with a good chance and what will be will be. As long as he gets his chance that’s all I’m worried about.’’ “He has got the best form lines of any horse going in so I’m very confident. He is in with the right weight to win.” Angland: “He doesn’t have to lead but the good thing about him is he is going to get the trip and he is going to get further. I like how he got to the front, how he relaxed and when they came to him he picked up and went on with it. He knows what it’s all about now.’’ 2. Astoria ($7.50 TAB) and 4. Sanctioned ($4.60 TAB) – James Cummings “Astoria switched off last start on the seven-day back up after having an easy week leading into the Gloaming. He has responded to a better preparation for this race and appears to have gone to another level with the re-application of a set of winkers to keep him focused. His energy levels are right back up and he’s got a better opportunity of getting back to his best.”
Race 8 - 4:50PM ANGST STAKES (1600 METRES) |
---|
1. Daysee Doom ($4.00 TAB) – Andrew Adkins “I can let things happen and I don’t want to over think it but plan A is to jump out and be forward, hopefully one-one. The tempo wasn’t quick enough or slow enough (at Rosehill) so I had to sit there and keep her as balanced and in rhythm as I could and let her get around the turn before I asked her to extend. “She shows that good turn of foot then she holds that top speed for a fair while. When the stablemate came at her she held her off pretty easily and if anything picked up again in the last 50m.’’
3. Imposing Lass ($10 TAB) – Bjorn Baker “Up to a mile at Randwick is more of her go than any run this preparation. She’ll put herself in the first four or five and hopefully we see the best of her.’’ 4. Dawn Wall ($6.50 TAB) – Chris Waller “She was below par but her work has been good since. I thought about giving her three weeks between runs and running her in an easier race but she’s a multiple stakes winner so she deserves a chance in this race. Hopefully we see her get back on track.’’
Race 9 - 5:30PM METROPOLITAN CIVIL CONTRACTORS HANDICAP (1200 METRES) |
---|
4. Firsthand ($4.20 TAB) – Michael Hawkes “The barrier is probably a little bit awkward but he’s a nice horse going forward. He’s taken a little time but he’s always shown ability and is forward enough to run well.’’ 12. Redouble ($8.50 TAB) – Bjorn Baker “The one question mark is he is first-up with just the one trial and we are still learning with him. He has drawn well and it looks too good an opportunity to pass up. He had a really good jump out prior to the trial that we were thrilled with. “He looks fit and all indications are that he can run a big race.” Check out the fields, form and replays for Royal Randwick on Saturday