Latest News

By Brad Gray

1. Elettrica was devastating when winning at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day four weeks ago. The five-year-old finally drew a soft gate and she took full advantage. Once the five-year-old angled into the clear, having settled fifth on the fence, it was all over. Times and margins. She put 3.5 lengths on her Midway rivals at the finish. The trade off for the dominance of that win is a jump in her rating. That sees her carry 61kg, even after the claim of Angus Villers. That’s a hefty weight in another competitive Midway, especially given her diminutive size. However, she is a proven weight carrier. In her first run in Australia she ran a narrow second at Warwick Farm with 62.5kg on her back. Also has to cope with a drop back to 1400m. There are negatives but on the back of a career-best win, she might just prove her that she is simply better than this grade.

Dangers: 6. Silvanito stuck on well to run second to Commemorative at Wyong first up, his first run for Nathan Doyle. Balkans and Yiska franked that form line further at Canterbury on Wednesday. It wasn’t an easy meeting to make ground. Well placed here out to 1400m second up. 16. Always Sure was lining up for just his second start in nearly two years at Rosehill first up and he made a stack of late ground behind 3. Cruel Summer, hard up against the fence. Drawn much kinder here and any improvement off that, he’s a knockout hope. Note that he is a dry tracker. 2. Uzziah wasn’t beaten far by Terra Mater at Newcastle last start having led. Molly Bourke has ridden him once, for a win. 9. Resistible was a brave first up winner having covered ground at Wyong.

How To Play It: Elettrica WIN

Highway Handicaps are back and so is the Dunn/Rawiller combination with 3. Belvedere Boys lining up a rightful favourite. The four-year-old has only had seven starts as he continues to pick his way through the grades. He just missed out in getting a run in the Country Championships Final, flashing late to run third in the Wild Card as an odds on favourite. Matt Dunn and Nash Rawiller have combined 26 times this season for nine wins. They’re a deadly duo. This son of Maurice is starting to pay a penalty at the weights but we’ll only one more chance to back him in this company with three wins already to his name. Shouldn’t be too far away from barrier 1. Just needs the runs at the right time.

Dangers: 4. Rapidash was beaten fair and square by Belvedere Boys in Highway company back in late February but this Lyle Chandler-trained mare has been excellent in two runs since. She was luckless in defeat in the Country Championships Final, motoring home from the wide draw. She has improved with every run this time back. 10. Monte Outlander kept finding the line first up at Doomben over 1200m. Out to 1400m suits now and respect that the start prior to spelling he jumped $3.80 in Highway company and raced without luck. Can show up here at odds. Suspect 2. Shipshape is going much better than the form guide suggests. He was a handy horse when with Godolphin and this looks a target race out to 1400m fourth up. 1. Tip Of The Spear and 9. Stormy Witness next best.

How To Play It: Belvedere Boys WIN

Want to give 2. Miraval Rose the chance to bounce back. The filly had a lot against her first up at Randwick in the PJ Bell Stakes, which looks the right form reference for this. Respect how heavily backed she was late. Plenty of her rivals kicked up underneath her in the early stages and she found herself shuffled back in the run on a heavy track, which was foreign to her. She didn’t throw it away late. Back on top of the ground, presumably, with the forecasts, and out to 1400m look positives. As does the prospect of potentially finding the front in a race without a lot of speed on paper. The last time she raced over 1400m she led at Caulfield, winning impressively. Grahame Begg’s horses are flying in Sydney.

Dangers: 1. Kristilli comes through the same race and although she looked to get her chance having settled outside of the leader and eventual winner, she raced too keen having seen so much daylight. Perhaps five weeks between runs on a heavy track saw her knock up late too. Worth one more chance, despite having her quirks. Jamie Kah takes the ride on Saturday. Kermadec filly 12. Scarlet Oak won on debut in New Zealand over 1400m, making a wide sustained run. Has trialled well since for Chris Waller, winning a heat at Warwick Farm. Has been well backed in early markets. Big watch. 5. French Endeavour hasn’t been done any favours but her PJ Bell run was great. Back out to 1400m suits. As it does for 13. Unique Ambition.

How To Play It: Miraval Rose WIN

There’s enough in the early price about 13. Our Gold Hope to take the punt that this crop of staying fillies are better than the boys. The Robert and Luke Price-trained galloper ran fifth in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes three weeks ago. She was well held by the likes of Orchestral and Zardozi but she didn’t get the chance to build into the race at a key moment given how the race unfolded. She should have finished a touch closer. Prior to that she ran second in the Kembla Grange Classic, beating home Arctic Glamour, Good Banter and Tutta La Vita. The daughter of Lope De Vega will benefit from having had a run over 2000m and she draws a lovely gate to be put asleep in the run. Dylan Gibbons sticks having been with her at her past two starts.

Dangers: Have been waiting for 1. Tannhauser to get out to 2000m all autumn. He was an eye-catcher in the Phar Lap Stakes behind Zardozi and then ran on to be beaten a length by Ducasse in the Carbine. Chris Waller has won four of the past six editions of this race and this colt looks the top seed. 8. Bullets High clocked fast closing splits to announce his return at the midweeks before floundering on a wet track at Gosford. Forgive him that. Suspect he’ll measure up in this company. 4. Kintyre is never far away. 11. Texas Fireball went to the line untested in the Tulloch.

How To Play It: Our Gold Hope EACH WAY

7. Front Page nearly landed a plunge in the G1 Galaxy first up, having been well backed at big odds. The seven-year-old sped across to take up the running, dictating before giving a kick. He looked the winner only for Zapateo and Sunshine In Paris to grab him in the final 50 metres. On face value, his second up form suggests that he can flatten off but that’s deceptive. His past three second up runs have been in Group One weight-for-age company. He has been given a month to freshen up from his Rosehill run and the only two other times he has raced at Randwick have been his two Kosciuszko wins. A repeat of what he did in last year’s Kosciuszko where he clocked a lightning 1:08.04, would win this. Looks the only leader here too. The only knock is the price.

Dangers: 4. Rocketing By has made a habit of popping up at big odds throughout his career. He is a Sydney Stakes winner over the Randwick 1200m and brings fresh legs into this having raced in restricted room in the Star Kingdom first up. 6. Kalino has won his past two first up, albeit in easier company. Looked sharp in a trial at Warwick Farm to tune up for this. Has to give Front Page weight so he isn’t particularly well suited under the scale but expecting him to race well fresh again. James Cummings and Nash Rawiller are chasing three straight wins in this race. They combine with 3. Vilana, who won this race 12 months ago on a heavy track. He returns a gelding and flies first up. 2. Aft Cabin was disappointing in the TJ Smith and has to bounce back.

How To Play It: Front Page WIN

6. New Energy ran 14th in the G1 George Ryder Stakes last start but that doesn’t do the run justice. The import was forced to settled out the back from the wide draw. It was a non-event thereafter but he attacked the line late like a horse wanting 2000m now, even though this is the first time he’ll run beyond the mile. His last 200m split was only bettered by Militarize on the clock. Prior to that the five-year-old flashed home behind Phearson at Randwick over 1300m. He is four weeks between runs but has trialled well since. James McDonald got a feel for New Energy in that trial. He is the jockey tasked with overcoming a wide gate on Saturday. The horse to beat but needs a few things to fall into place.

Dangers: 12. Fawkner Park got himself back in the winners’ stall a month ago making light work of his rivals in the Albury Cup. That coincided with being third up and getting out to 2000m. Only has to hold that form to be a big player here. 3. Bold Mac is a tease but his last three runs have been great. He raced without luck in the Doncaster Prelude so forgive the beaten margin. Prior to that he ran on into fourth in the Ajax Stakes. The 2000m is as far as he wants though. 4. Bois D’Argent raced a touch flat second up on the Tancred but he has a history of doing that. His record over 2000m is much better than 2400m. Suited back in trip. The mares 8. Renaissance Woman and 9. Yonce look well placed over 2000m now too.

How To Play It: New Energy WIN

History suggests not to overlook the obvious when it comes to finding the Champagne Stakes winner. Enter 7. Manaal. The Sires Produce has produced 17 of the past 20 winners of this race with Manaal looking to replicate what Militarize achieved 12 months ago in winning the double. This Tassort filly perhaps fights out the finish had she drawn a barrier in the Golden Slipper, flashing home into fifth, before proving too strong late out to 1400m two weeks later. This field drops off further. She has a half relation that won out to 2000m so the mile looks fine. The other thing to note is that she finally draws a gate. She has had to be ridden negatively at her past two starts. That won’t be the case here. Deserved favourite.

Dangers: 2. Linebacker got 3kg off 1. Anode in the G3 Baillieu three weeks ago and needed every metre of the 1400m to grind him down. In the defence of Linebacker, he was five weeks between runs and having just his second career start having won a midweek maiden at Hawkesbury on debut. Expecting him to improve again at start number three. He’ll need to if he wants to beat Manaal but he is untapped. Anode subsequently failed in the Sires but the wet track was blamed. He looks to get control alongside Linebacker here. 3. Broadsiding was no match for that pair in the Baillieu before relishing the mile in the Fernhill Stakes to frank that form line. Strikes this on the back up off a dominant win.

How To Play It: Manaal WIN

We haven’t seen the best of 1. Private Eye at his past two starts. That’s for good reason. He stayed at 1000m second up, set an impossible task in the G2 Challenge Stakes before charging home in very fast time. A change of plan saw him line up in the G1 Galaxy two weeks later and again, he ran on from out the back without ever threatening. The run was much better than it reads on paper. Joe Pride elected to dodge the wet track in the TJ Smith Stakes, freshening for the All Aged out to 1400m. His first up run alongside Imperatriz tells you that he is going well, he just hasn’t had the chance to show it recently. Like the four weeks between runs and he has won a trial since. Don’t like the barrier but we’ll leave that up to James McDonald. Private Eye’s best wins this.

Dangers: 9. Espiona was the hard luck story to come out of the TJ Smith Stakes and six of the past eight winners of this race have come via that Group One sprint a fortnight earlier. She is hard to trust with her racing manners and pattern but hard to hold out with clear running at the right time. Nash Rawiller clicks with her. The TJ winner 8. Chain Of Lightning mightn’t be getting the respect she deserves. Any rain around would enhance her chances further. Racing in career best form. 12. Southport Tycoon beat Veight and Riff Rocket to win the Australian Guineas seven weeks ago. Has trialled sweetly twice since then. 5. Buffalo River has a knockout hope as the likely leader. 10. Sunshine In Paris and 11. Magic Time deserve a mention at the very least. Deep race.

How To Play It: Private Eye WIN

9. Waterford brings it upon himself to some extent with his racing style, but he raced without luck all through the spring. If he wasn’t being inside towards inferior ground, he drew off the track, having to get too far back. He likes to find his feet, hit the line so he’s going to encounter traffic problems from time to time too. Saturday’s set up look perfect. Drawn well to camp midfield, the five-year-old races well fresh. First up last campaign he was a narrow third in the Theo Marks behind Golden Mile and The Inevitable. There is a lot of speed on paper here too which suits. Then throw into the mix that Tommy Berry rides and he has been aboard in all four of Waterford’s previous wins. The other main chances look found. Thought he was the one that’d run well at odds.

Dangers: 12. Jimmystar has made headlines for all the wrong reasons at his past two starts. He was beaten as a $1.26 favourite at Flemington, having led, rightly or wrongly, before a couple of weeks later he never got clear in the Newcastle Stakes. Again, he went down as an odds on favourite. He’s a talented horse. James McDonald rides Saturday. 15. Iknowastar went fast in front at Rosehill first up with 61kg, only for Gringotts to run him down. Encouraging return. 16. Whinchat is one-dimensional but he is yet to be beaten when he leads. Maps to find the front here but there is pressure from wide draws. One of those being 4. Zou Tiger who is a sharp improver. 3. Welwal fits in well.

How To Play It: Waterford EACH WAY

It was a disaster from start to finish for 17. General Salute in the Darby Munro Stakes first up. The three-year-old had to be restrained from the wide gate in the early stages, he resented that and got the backwash of midrace interference which saw him spat out the back. Coming into the home turn he crabbed around the bend but still let down to record the fastest closing splits in the race. All that despite being his first run as a gelding. It mightn’t have helped. There is no knock on his raw talent, however. He showed that in two runs as a two-year-old before running well without winning against Group company over the spring. That included a close second up run in the Run To The Rose. Can settle closer on Saturday from the gate and this promises to be a fast run race.

Dangers: It’s been seven weeks since we’ve seen 7. Pereille at the races. He went down to Tashi over this same track and trip but lost nothing in defeat. It was a fast race and he clocked the quickest closing splits of the meeting, getting home into second. Given an easy time in a trial since then. Drawn wide but he too will appreciate a good tempo. 12. Kazou is all speed. Has to step into better grade again here but she trialled like a rocket at Rosehill recently. Just needs to harness that speed. 3. Kibou won well first up last campaign before his form tapered off. His trials suggest he has returned well. Just needs some luck from the draw with speed drawn underneath him. 2. Wategos is an underrated horse. Has a recent second to Airman over the Randwick 1200m.

How To Play It: General Salute WIN

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting