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Tips by Brad Gray
Brad Gray's tips and insights for Royal Randwick on Saturday. There are winners to be found for nine races!
The rail is out 9m the entire while he form has been done for a soft track.
| Race 1 - 12:30PM DAILY PRESS KIRKHAM PLATE (1000 METRES) |
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Fiesta went enormous in the Gimcrack on debut and there’s a case to be made that she should have won the two-year-old feature. She was shuffled back through the ruck before picking herself up to run a game third. Of all the fillies that lined up, she looks the one you want to follow out of the race. Chris Waller sent her back to the trials and she looked very strong finding the line under a throttlehold from Brenton Avdulla, who takes the ride here. There are naturally plenty of unknowns with so many unraced but I like what we’ve seen from this filly.
Danger: Tactical Formation didn’t run particularly flash time in his latest trial but like the way he accelerated from the front to gap his rivals. Sometimes you have to believe your eyes with two-year-olds. Gododdin also looked a likely type off his trial win.
How to play it: Fiesta WIN ($2.70 TAB Fixed Odds)
Fiesta’s luckless Gimcrack third
| Race 2 - 1:05PM 2CH HANDICAP (1600 METRES) |
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Don’t be surprised to see a big turnaround in form from The Mighty Fed. His last two runs have been better than his finishing positions suggest and they were both behind Coolmore-bound colt Viridine. He has found his rivals too slick over the sprint trips on good tracks. He gets completely different circumstances here tackling the mile and on a rain-affected surface. His two wins both came on heavy decks with one of them being over handy filly Debonairly. He is worth an each-way ticket at $16 and you might get even better on the day.
Danger: Kaonic is a horse on the up. He hammered the line on debut before chasing down a tearaway leader at Canterbury. That horse, Delos, has since run fifth at Wyong which is a slight knock but Kaonic did overcome plenty of trouble in the run. We’ll get a guide on exactly how good he is this time. Regent can improve on wet ground while Our Mantra is in this if he runs the mile.
How to play it: The Mighty Fed EACH WAY ($16 TAB Fixed Odds)
The Mighty Fed’s work on the line was good in the Roman Consul
| Race 3 - 1:45PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1100 METRES) |
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Plenty of scratchings with the early favourite Rekindled Force opting to run at Newcastle today instead. Polskie Lady won a Coffs Harbour 800m race last start which is impossible to line up here but she couldn't have been much more impressive and it made it two wins straight. She handles the wet and this Highway is ripe for the picking with plenty of the top chances coming out. She is worth a spec at the odds on offer for trainer Jim Jarvis.
Danger: There was nothing between Larlabrook, Undaoaf and She Knows in a Highway a fortnight ago. There is not much wet form between them.
How to play it: Polskie Lady WIN ($9 TAB Fixed Odds)
Larlabrook, Undaoaf and She Knows fighting out a Highway
| Race 4 - 2:20PM CITY TATTERSALLS CLUB CUP (2400 METRES) |
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The price of Destiny’s Kiss continues to tumble with the Sydney rain. Twelve of his 12 of his 16 wins have come on soft to heavy tracks and he is four from eight, with a couple of placings, over the Randwick mile and a half. He is such a consistent old horse and four lengths off Big Duke in a St Leger last week reads very well for this. He is a proven weight carrier, despite being a small horse, and is rock hard fit. An interesting pattern in his form is that 13 of his 16 wins have been in fields of less than 10 runners. It gives him a chance to settle within striking distance.
Danger: Alward is still untapped and profiles like he’ll relish getting out to 2400m. Had several cracks at the trip in France and despite not winning, wasn't too far away. All five of his wins have been on good tracks so a soft surface is a little query. Enough chinks to bet around him at $1.95.
How to play it: Destiny’s Kiss WIN ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds)
Destiny’s Kiss ran fourth in the St Leger
| Race 5 - 2:55PM CLUBSNSW HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
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King Darci is an underrated horse. Tim Martin has been clever with his preparation bringing King Darci back before the spring – then having nine weeks off – and here he is again now the carnival has finished. His first up run blew out the cobwebs and he found the line well over 1200m. The 1400m is his pet trip winning three of four, the booking of Adam Hyeronimus is a signal of intent and he’ll sit in the first couple with only Peacock and potentially Improvement for company. Perhaps, the biggest tick of all though is the likelihood of a wet track. He grows a leg with the sting out.
Danger: Expecting a cheeky fresh run from Collateral at $41. He has won five from eight for Bjorn Baker. Improvement hasn’t been beaten very far in her last two and looks suited out to 1400m now having lost a bit of her natural zip. Shazee Lee is going much better than the form book reads but needs everything to fall her way.
How to play it: King Darci EACH WAY ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds)
King Darci’s Randwick return over an unsuitable 1200m
| Race 6 - 3:30PM SOUTHERN CROSS GROUP BRIAN CROWLEY STAKES (1200 METRES) |
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Goodfella was outstanding winning last start after covering ground at Randwick. He drops back to 1200m which isn’t ideal but the wet track and the likelihood of him settling in the first couple bode well for him overcoming it. The Snitzel colt gave his rivals too big of a start fresh in the Heritage before Jason Collett realised you have to bustle him early to have him handier, like he did last start. The Godolphin pair Malahat and Piracy will keep him honest but he’s a strong horse and will be running right through the line. Will take running down.
Danger: Single Bullet and Chauffeur come out which leaves Andaz as some sort of danger to Goodfella. He is a full to Arinosa and is much better than his last showing. He could improve sharply.
How to play it: Goodfella WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds)
Goodfella’s last start win at Randwick
| Race 7 - 4:10PM ICD NIVISON (1200 METRES) |
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After a first look at the Nivison, thought I’d be opposed to Ron Quinton’s mares back to 1200m but found myself keen on Daysee Doom at odds on offer and with the edge off the track. She is the sharper of the two – the other of course being Dixie Blossoms – and has won dropping back in trip before. Drawn barrier 5, Andrew Adkins should be able to stalk Diddums who looks the hardest to beat. However, Diddums is 18 benchmark points off Daysee Doom but under the set weights and pen conditions only gets a 1kg off. That’d be 9kg in a handicap!
Danger: Outside of Diddums and Dixie Blossoms, Daysee Dooms other major threat looks to come from White Moss. This striking grey mare returned with a big win at Canterbury and although this is her stiffest test to date by some margin, she looks up to it.
How to play it: Daysee Doom WIN ($5.50 TAB Fixed Odds) and SAVE Diddums ($3.80)
In 2016, Daysee Doom dropped back from 1400m to 1200m…
| Race 8 - 4:50PM PROCARE PROPERTY SERVICES PTY LTD HANDICAP (1600 METRES) |
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Impavido was only beaten three lengths by Interlocuter last start and looks ready to win now third up. Don’t think the wet track does him any harm either boasting a Randwick Guineas fourth to Inference back in the autumn on a heavy surface. He subsequently failed in the Rosehill Guineas and ATC Derby but there’s the possibility that he simply doesn’t stay so be forgiving. Jason Collett will need to produce a clever ride from barrier 13 but if he can get a tag into the race, he’ll be there at the finish.
Danger:Mapmaker comes out of the same Interlocuter race and is holding his form well at the moment. Hasn’t run a bad race in his last five and doubt that starts now. In an open race, where Chris Waller has a team of runners, include Great Glen at odds in your exotics. Liked his fresh run and he’ll be steaming home.
How to play it: Impavido WIN ($7 TAB Fixed Odds)
Not much split Impavido, Mapmaker and Hogmanay last start
| Race 9 - 5:30PM JEM COMPUTER SYSTEMS HANDICAP (1200 METRES) |
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Noble Joey looks to have slipped under the radar here at $11. He has been that type of horse his entire career though. Tactics will be interesting with Isorich, Sweet Serendipity and Crafty Cop all capable of leading. Noble Joey has drawn the inside so young Brock Ryan will have options. Ideally he settles outside of the leader though, as he seems to do his best racing when allowed to roll along. His recent form around Deploy reads very well now.
Danger: New Universe is an exciting sprinter and will be charging late. He was outstanding winning his first Australian start before flattening out a touch. Doubt we’ve seen the best of his yet either. The fact he runs here first up on a wet track suggests Chris Waller doesn't think it'll pose a problem.
How to play it: Noble Joey WIN ($11 TAB Fixed Odds) and New Universe WIN ($2.80)
The last time Noble Joey tackled the Randwick 1200m!
