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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! The $500,000 Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) highlights Randwick’s meeting as we start gearing up for The Everest in just eight days’ time! The rail is out 3m the entire while the track is rated a Good 4.
| Race 1 - 12:30PM BRMM HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
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Our Mantra split Beau Geste and Paret last start at Rosehill. They’d both start firm favourites in this and are two three-year-olds with scope to measure up in Group races eventually. His prior win at Warwick Farm, albeit in maiden company, was strong from near last while his form last preparation ties in with the likes of Sanctioned and Tangled. Not sure of the tactics the team will adopt from the draw but between Molten, French Tune and Cabeirian, there looks to be enough tempo for him to get his chance if they ride him conservatively early. Danger: Regent is very close to another win after two encouraging runs this time in. First up he was set a monster task from a long way back before he found The Avenger a touch too good at Warwick Farm. No excuses for him now third up. Sparky Lad next best. How to play it: Our Mantra WIN ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Our Mantra splitting two smart horses last start
| Race 2 - 1:10PM IGA LIQUOR HANDICAP (2000 METRES) |
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Up ‘N’ Rolling never got the chance to click through his gears when he was beaten by Alward last start. He is a momentum horse so there was merit in his closing second. Looking at Punters’ Intel, it’s clear from monitoring his speeds throughout that it was a stop start affair for him. Have little doubt he can turn the tables on that horse here in a three horse field. Will be on the shoulder of likely leader Veladero giving him plenty of time to wind up. Danger: Alward has won three of his past four and is a stayer with scope to keep improving so don’t treat him lightly. Can’t wait to see him out to 2400m eventually. How to play it: Up ‘N’ Rolling WIN ($1.75 TAB Fixed Odds) Up ‘ N’ Rolling will need to turn the table on Alward
| Race 3 - 1:50PM ADINA APARTMENT HOTELS HANDICAP (1600 METRES) |
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Interlocuter lost in a protest first up with the plunge being awfully close to being pulled off. What gets a big tick from me is the month between runs and the easy trial to keep his engine oiled in between. It’s a formula James Cummings has used with great success recently, including before taking over at Godolphin. Some of these imports do their best work when kept on the fresh side. If he was two weeks, two weeks you’d be concerned the speed would be out of his legs. Not such concern here. He’ll explode when given a click from Tye Angland over the mile. Danger: Hogmanay is hard to catch but his second to Sir Plush last start, albeit beaten a long way, suggests another win is close. In third was talented mare Zumbelina. This is the right kind of race for him. Mapmaker is too honest to discount. How to play it: Interlocuter WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Interlocuter was relegated to second
| Race 4 - 2:25PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1600 METRES) |
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Confidential is monster odds here at $34 with TAB Fixed Odds. This son of Sebring didn’t fire a shot when under the care of Chris Waller but he has improved nicely under the care of Dryden and Collings. Two back he took ground off Don’t Give A Damn at Goulburn before franking that form at Canberra with a fast-finishing win over Fun Tickets who is no slouch himself. Tackles the mile again and has no weight on his back after the claim of Andrew Adkins. He is right in this! Danger: Cascata Rossa won by the length of the straight (5.8L to be exact) at the Gold Coast last start and Matt Dunn is a Highway juggernaut. Schedule is closing in on another win after two nice efforts this time in. He is no stranger to Highways and will get the last crack at these. How to play it: Confidential EACH WAY ($34 TAB Fixed Odds) Confidential winning at Canberra last start
| Race 5 - 3:00PM BOWERMANS OFFICE FURNITURE HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
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Would be very surprised if we don’t see a big run fresh from Shillelagh and at $10 with TAB Fixed Odds, she’s the price is right to find out. This mare hasn’t had a great deal go her way since being transferred to Chris Waller with wet tracks, horses falling in front of her and a case of cardiac arrhythmia at Scone tarnishing her record. The one time it all went to plan she rounded up Daysee Doom at Hawkesbury in what was a brilliant win. Thought her trials this time in have been particularly strong and kicking off over 1400m suggests she is forward. Danger: Sir Plush and Burning Passion are not only two of the form horses in the race, as the market suggests, but also the two likely to take up the running. That makes them both hard to beat but there’s a chance they cut at each other and set it up for something else to pounce. How to play it: Shillelagh WIN ($10 TAB Fixed Odds) Shillelagh’s booming win at Hawkesbury
| Race 6 - 3:35PM POLYTRACK ROMAN CONSUL STAKES (1200 METRES) |
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Viridine resumed with a soft win in the Heritage Stakes and having won three from three, he can’t have done much more in his career to date. Not only is he a winner but he improves every time he steps out so wouldn’t expect that progression to stop here second up, having just his fourth start. He should get a lovely trail from barrier 2 in behind Shudabeen with Brenton Avdulla steering. Single Bullet was held up momentarily behind Viridine but doubt it’d have made much difference to the finishing order. Danger: Chauffeur comes out of the strongest races last seen in the Run To The Rose and Golden Rose. Prior to that he finished second to Pariah. He has the talent to win this but he doesn’t make a habit of winning. The exact opposite to Viridine. Inclined to keep him safe though. How to play it: Viridine WIN ($3 TAB Fixed Odds) Viridine winning the Heritage Stakes
| Race 7 - 4:10PM MOET & CHANDON SPRING CHAMPION STAKES (2000 METRES) |
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Ace High finished up a dominant winner of the Gloaming Stakes last start. What was particularly encouraging about the victory from a Spring Champion Stakes perspective was his work across the line – he was going further away from his rivals. Using Punters Intel, he was the only runner in the race to break 12s for his last 200m. How do his rivals, including Sanctioned, turn the tables? He should lead this field up again from barrier 4. Three of the past five winners of this race won the Gloaming (Vanbrugh, Complacent, It’s A Dundeel). It’d be David Payne’s first Group One winner since Criterion in 2014! Danger: Tangled is the race wildcard. He improved sharply out to the mile in the Dulcify and looks like he’ll relish 2000m. There is a big query on the depth of the Dulcify but he’s the one with upside. Sanctioned next best. How to play it: Ace High WIN ($3.30 TAB Fixed Odds) Ace High taking out the Gloaming Stakes
| Race 8 - 4:50PM MOSTYN COPPER GROUP ANGST STAKES (1600 METRES) |
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It’s sometimes easy to overlook the obvious. Daysee Doom was posted wide the trip in the Golden Pendant but still held off Dixie Blossoms quite comfortably at the finish. Convinced this mare has never been better which is saying something for a five-year-old that already boasts a record of seven wins from 14 starts and four placings. She’s out to the mile for the first time but it’s no concern having run well over 1500m before and the barrier is likely to be offset by Imposing Lass who I suspect will really string them out this start from the front. Danger: Ron Quinton’s mares fought out the Golden Pendant and I’m expecting the exact same result in the Angst. Dixie Blossoms had her chance to beat Daysee Doom but perhaps just peaked on her run late. Pencil her in for second again. Zenalicious for the exotics after a return to form last start. How to play it: Daysee Doom WIN ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Daysee Doom holding off Dixie Blossoms in the Golden Pendant
| Race 9 - 5:30PM METROPOLITAN CIVIL CONTRACTORS HANDICAP (1200 METRES) |
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Calabasas is a much better horse than his record suggests. He only has a Newcastle maiden victory in his win column but has five seconds some of which are behind some handy gallopers including Super Too, Acatour and Vigilance, who is scratched from this assignment already. He has trialled twice and should be able to settle in the first few from the soft draw. There doesn’t look to be a lot between these to it could come down to luck in running. Danger: Big watch on Redouble starting the second phase of his career with Bjorn Baker, having formerly been trained by Team Hawkes. He wasn’t disgraced in Group Two company on two occasions last campaign. Has only trialled once but went nicely. Monitor any market moves. Must respect the early race favourite Firsthand. How to play it: Calabasas EACH WAY ($9 TAB Fixed Odds) Calabasas winning his latest trial at Newcastle – Sept 29
