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Tips by Brad Gray
Brad Gray's tips and insights for Royal Randwick. There are winners to be found for nine races!
Winx chases down 20 straight wins when she lines up in the $500,000 Group One Colgate Optic White George Main Stakes (1600m). Meanwhile, there will be plenty of interest in the $200,000 Group Two Bowermans office Furniture Shorts (1100m) which is dubbed a ‘mini Everest’ featuring Chautauqua, Redzel, English and Fell Swoop.
The rail is out 9m 1600m to the winning post and 7m the remainder while the track is rated a Good 4.
| Race 1 - 12:15PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1000 METRES) |
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It’s $4.40 the field in this week’s Highway Handicap which is over 1000m. We've lost the likely leader in Azzie’s Ready which leaves Oakfield Time and She Knows to take it up. Very few of these have been tried at this level but one that has measured up in the past is Undaoaf for Nick Olive. Two back he ran fourth behind Mossman Gorge and Lifesaver. He was beaten near four lengths but suspect that form will be good enough for this. Has since won convincingly in Canberra.
Danger: She Knows has had her price halved since markets opened ($11-$5) after a dominant maiden win at Goulburn last start. She started $20 there which is a concern but she has immeasurable upside.
How to play it: Undaoaf ($8.50 TAB Fixed Odds)
Undaoaf’s Highway fourth two back
| Race 2 - 12:50PM SHOOT OUT MILE (1600 METRES) |
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Embley got out to the mile last start and was able to dictate from the front. He held off the late charge from More To Gain to win in a bob of the heads. Would expect the same aggressive tactics to be adopted this time around in a race without much depth. Imposing Lass will come out having run at Newcastle. The Bjorn Baker stable is currently flying and once his horses find winning form they have been holding it. Rock hard fit, makes his own luck and comes off a victory. He is a box ticker in this and looks reasonable odds too.
Danger: Royal Navy chased down tearaway leader Art Of Excellence at the midweeks to just miss. He is right down in the weights here and finds a winnable race. How forgiving can you be of Veladero? Not enough to back him at the price.
How to play it: Embley WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds)
Embley winning last start at Randwick
| Race 3 - 1:25PM SCHWEPPES HERITAGE STAKES (1100 METRES) |
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Have plenty of time for Viridine and the market looks to have underrated him here ranking him the third Godolphin elect behind Malahat and Marsupial. Viridine has won both of his starts to date and although both have been by narrow margins, never underestimate a horse that makes a habit of winning. Has trialled well twice and should get a lovely trail in the race with Brenton Avdulla steering.
Danger: Marsupial was outstanding first up chasing Tango Rain putting down a slick final 600m. He can only come on from that and should be a couple of pair’s closer here from the draw. He’s also back to his own age. Single Bullet the only danger to a royal blue domination in the Heritage.
How to play it: Viridine WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds) & Marsupial WIN ($3.50 TAB Fixed Odds)
Viridine winning at his second outing
| Race 4 - 2:00PM BILL RITCHIE HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
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Tom Melbourne hasn’t had much go his way this spring with a luckless second first up before travelling wide in the Tramway to be run down by Happy Clapper who goes around in the George Main as the second favourite to Winx. Chris Waller is confident he has kept enough speed in his legs to tackle 1400m again and is eyeing off the Epsom Handicap. Blake Shinn should be able to stalk the speed from a soft draw and suspect his dash will be too good for these including his stablemate Comin’ Through.
Danger: No Doubt has been aggressively placed here but he is set to peak third up out to 1400m after two very encouraging runs. Suspect he’ll go forward and make his own luck. He’s a knockout. Comin’ Through got a confidence-boosting win first up and relishes firm decks.
How to play it: Tom Melbourne WIN ($2.50 TAB Fixed Odds)
Tom Melbourne’s Tramway second
| Race 5 - 2:35PM MCGRATH ESTATE AGENTS TEA ROSE STAKES (1400 METRES) |
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Tulip was rolled as favourite first up at Moonee Valley but she lost few admirers after being jagged back before commencing to overrace. She only missed in a photo finish in the end. Waiting for a filly to announce itself as the dominant force as we head towards the Flight Stakes and Tulip is capable of doing that. Hugh Bowman will have her in a lovely trailing position behind Pandemonium and she’ll be strong at the end of the race. Go back to the spring and as a two-year-old she towelled up Alizee in the Magic Night before running an enormous race in the Golden Slipper. Best suited by the set weight conditions too.
Danger: An awkward draw cost Champagne Cuddles the Furious Stakes last start and threatens to do the same here. In her favour this time is the step out to 1400m. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Acqume figured in the money at odds.
How to play it: Tulip WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds)
Tulip winning the Magic Night
| Race 6 - 3:15PM COLGATE OPTIC WHITE STAKES (1600 METRES) |
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Expect another Winx masterclass but as for a punt, we again turn our attention to the ‘Winx Out’ market. Red Excitement did right by us last time in running second and not inclined to drop off him having returned in the form of his life. Hard to believe given he is an eight-year-old! Josh Parr has been coy about revealing the tactics he’ll adopt this time out but doubt much changes from the Chelmsford. The only difference here is that he’ll have Ecuador for company. Catch me if you can!
How to play it: Red Excitement WINX OUT ($4 TAB Fixed Odds)
Winx and Red Excitement fighting out the Chelmsford
| Race 7 - 3:55PM BOWERMANS OFFICE FURNITURE SHORTS (1100 METRES) |
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Redzel keeps getting better! Thought he was sensational first up in the Concorde running really slick times. He broke 33s for his last 600m after rolling along at a good clip which makes him very hard to beat in any race. He is tough too. Pretty much everything you want in a race horse. Not only does he have a fitness edge on Chautauqua and English but also a tactical one with both mapped to settle in the back half. Ball Of Muscle generally leads at all costs but Redzel is versatile enough to take a drag. Hugh Bowman steers and is always two steps ahead.
Danger: Fell Swoop maps nicely to get a shot at the leaders if they overdo things and doesn’t deserve to be more than double the odds of English. The big grey Chautauqua looks vulnerable over 1100m on a bone dry track but never discount a champion!
How to play it: Redzel WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds)
Redzel dominating from the front in the Concorde
| Race 8 - 4:35PM KINGSTON TOWN STAKES (2000 METRES) |
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Chocante really stuck to his task well first up behind Winx and the tearaway Red Excitement in the Chelmsford Stakes. That was off a 12 week break while the likes of Antonio Giuseppe and Life Less Ordinary already had a run under their belt. They’ll both be out to turn the tables on Chocante but may that that difficult with the Kiwi bowling along out in front. Would be more confident if Classic Uniform wasn’t in the race to make a pest of himself but still siding with him. He looks a genuine dry tracker as evidenced by not only his first up run but demolition job in the Brisbane Cup beating Single Gaze.
Danger: Antonio Giuseppe looks cherry ripe now third up out to 2000m after finishing fourth in the Chelmsford where he didn’t find cover. Where he gets to in the run is not clear from barrier 12. Life Less Ordinary is tracking perfectly towards the 2400m of The Metropolitan and will be hitting the line.
How to play it: Chocante WIN ($3.80 TAB Fixed Odds)
Chocante, Antonio Giuseppe and Life Less Ordinary all ran in the Chelmsford
| Race 9 - 5:15PM TAB.COM.AU HANDICAP (1200 METRES) |
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Missile Coda is already assured a start as second emergency with two early scratchings. She ran her rivals into the ground at Canterbury the last time we saw her with a sustained show of speed. She has missed a subsequent midweek run when playing up at the barriers but a trial since then should bridge the gap. Down on 53kg, expect her to be ridden very positively again and if she can find the front, she’ll take plenty of running down. Team Snowden have high hopes for this progressive mare.
Danger: Dagny possesses an electric turn of foot when she is on song and has won first up both times she has begun a new campaign for Chris Waller. She’ll be humming late from midfield. Wary of I Thought So resuming as a gelding. Has the talent but needs to learn how to race. Has trialled impressively.
How to play it: Missile Coda WIN ($4.80 TAB Fixed Odds)
Missile Coda bolting in at Canterbury
