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By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Randwick on Saturday.

The rail is in the True and the track is expected to remain in the Good range come Saturday.

The Autumn Sun beat Royal Celebration in this race last year and Chris Waller is plotting the same path to the JJ Atkins with 5. Reloaded . The Snitzel colt was brilliant on debut winning at Randwick’s Anzac Day meeting. He was given plenty of time to wind up with Punters Intelligence revealing two 11.05 splits from the 600-400 and 400-200. His last 600m of 33.87s was two lengths superior to the second placed Disruptor (albeit after travelling wide). Everything we’ve seen him do to date, even his trials, suggest that he’ll be much more comfortable out to 1400m and a mile. At first glance I thought barrier 1 might be a touch awkward for him but suspect he’ll have the tactical speed to use the draw. It’s a small field after scratchings too. His tickover trial since his debut was strong. He’s untapped and the horse to beat.

Dangers: 7. Prince Fawaz comes here a maiden but he shouldn’t be. Tommy Berry put his hand up after Newcastle last start where the Anthony Cummings-trained youngster was set an impossible task from the rear of the field. Prince Fawaz rattled home into third and had no right to get as close as he did. His closing effort prior to that in the G1 Champagne Stakes was also meritorious where only Castelvecchio had a faster last 600m (and last 200m) split. Blinkers go on for the first time and looks to settle in the first half here. 3. Discharged was brave on debut to finish a length away from Reloaded before franking that form by beating Kordia at Canterbury. Kordia has since won himself. 6. Sea Of Life wasn’t beaten far by the talented Erno on debut despite covering ground and has also trialled well since.

How to play it: Reloaded WIN ($170 TAB Fixed Odds) and QUINELLA 5,7

Reloaded winning on debut at Randwick

3. Lifesaver is the horse with the runs on the board so surprised he has come up the odds he has. The five-year-old is no stranger to the Highway series having run in five of them. He has won one of them, which was first up last time in, and placed in another three. One of those was a very near miss behind Another Sin back in mid-2017. His only Highway failure was in a soft track, a surface he clearly doesn’t enjoy. He is 8:3-3-1 on Good decks and 5:0-0-0 on Soft tracks. He has never missed the quinella fresh in four runs and loves the 1000m trip. Drawn soft and Josh Parr takes the ride. All of the ducks line up for him and can only see this Helmet gelding running well for the Dunn stable. Have to be with him at the price.

Dangers: We still don’t really know how good 6. Bombdiggity is. With just three starts under his belt, winning two of them, the Zoustar three-year-old tackles this after winning at the Sapphire Coast 10 weeks ago. That was with 60kg and the time stacked up well against the BM58 on the same day. 5. Major Danger is exactly that after dominating the Hawkesbury Highway last time out from the front. There is more speed here but he’s going well. 9. Vernazza is the more fancied of Matt Dunn’s team being the one with upside. Won well first up and has scope to continue improving. Ran in a Listed race two back which says something for the stable’s opinion of her. 13. Madame Pauline has had a long spell (66 weeks) so happy to just watch her go around first up given how well she is found in the market. Talented mare, however.

How to play it: Lifesaver EACH WAY ($8.50 TAB Fixed Odds)

Lifesaver winning a Highway fresh last prep

Not surprised to see 6. Frenzied come straight to town on the back of an outstanding win at Kembla Grange last start. It has been a rapid rise for the three-year-old having debuted in late April over 1300m. He was only getting warmed up there before dominating over the mile at Wyong, leading from start to finish. It was then third up out to 2000m and after being shuffled back in the run, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained gelding picked himself up to win from a seemingly impossible position. It was a Class 1 at the provincials but he had no right to win from where he was in the run. Would have liked for him to have drawn a touch wider, allowing him to roll to the front. Last start he wasn’t quick to muster and a wall of horses were quick to cross him. Could see this horse sneaking through the back door into the Queensland Derby.

Dangers: 2. Nobu was explosive winning last start. His last 600m was a whopping six lengths superior to the next best in the race (which was Duchess Of Lennox and she ran well at Doomben subsequently). He rises 6.5kg from that win, however. The Chris Waller-trained galloper has been up since early December, and that included a trip to NZ for their Derby, but is thriving. 5. Baaed has come into his own out to staying trips. Seven of his nine starts have been in the country but that’s not an unusual set up for a Bjorn Baker-trained horse. Having won well at Hawkesbury last start, bowling along in front, he deserves a shot at something harder. 15. Brilliance Squared is a maiden but ran third to Frenzied last start and looks dangerously weighted with just 49kg. Patience is running out with 3. Carif! Might want 2400m.

How to play it: Frenzied EACH WAY ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds)

How did Frenzied win from there?!

We got our first look at 4. Wolfe out to a staying trip last start and the Japenese-bred four-year-old exploded clear. He took a sit there too, displaying some versatility. He accounted for Welsh Legend, a filly that was subsequently Group Three placed in Queensland. The four-year-old was a beaten favourite first up but found the 1400m too sharp and the winner there, Something Fast, has since gone on with the job. Can’t find a many to challenge Wolfe for the front so expect him to roll forward and control the race, even more so with He Ekcels scratched.. Despite having won three of his four career starts, it’s fair to say we haven’t yet reached the ceiling with Wolfe, and you can’t say that about too many of his rivals. He is better than a Benchmark horse.

Dangers: Import 11. Master Of Wine has had two runs for Team Hawkes, both at Sandown, and he has impressed. In the first of those he was chopped out just before the 200m mark but picked himself up to still run third behind a handy one in Begood Toya Mother before out to 1800m he covered ground, finishing second to Main Stage. 6. Occupy improved sharply out to the mile second up for Kris Lees at Scone. He is another import and that was just his second start in the country. Has overseas form around Cross Counter and can only improve again out to 2000m. 14. Belfast Bella didn’t have the clearest of passages at Hawkesbury behind Free Fly Too, a horse that has won again since. No weight on her back. 13. Zoffany’s Lad for the exotics.

How to play it: Wolfe WIN ($2 TAB Fixed Odds)

How did Frenzied win from there?!

5. Kolding returned a gelding this campaign and his two wins back have been dominant. Even that’s probably underselling him. They have been in the manner of a horse destined for much bigger and better things. The form guide says this he is only stepping up from a BM74 to a 78 but this is considerably harder than the race he won at Canterbury last time out. That said, he’ll only has to hold his form to put these away too. The three-year-old drew barrier 1 last start over 1250m and was able to hold some sort of position, settling fifth, so would expect Jason Collett to have him only a pair or two back from the leaders. It was a sprint home at Canterbury, but Punters Intelligence reveals that Kolding clocked 10.97s for his last 200m and did it eased up. Big extra tick for him out to 1500m now.

Dangers: 1. Quackerjack serves as another advertisement for gelding! He too has returned a much more genuine animal backing up his easy win first up with a brave third behind Military Zone and Trope in the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas. He rode a hot speed set by Kylease without cover and never shirked his task. Not sure why he hasn’t been sighted since then but his tickover trial behind Irithea at Rosehill was a beauty. The horse has never been better and don’t be surprised if Kolding and Quackerjack both meet again in the Queensland Guineas. 8. Asharani, according to Punters Intelligence, clocked the fastest last 600m (33.96s) in the G3 Dark Jewel against the older mares despite being held up. Another win isn’t far away for her but can’t afford to keep giving away big starts.

How to play it: Kolding WIN ($2.30 TAB Fixed Odds)

"I'd be surprised if they hold him out."@BradJGray expects this three-year-old to make it three wins on the bounce @tabcomau @royalrandwick pic.twitter.com/W65prY8seN

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) May 24, 2019

If you could guarantee that 4. Ready For Prophet will hold her form from Scone, she’d be a dominant favourite in this. However, in the filly’s short career to date it’s been rocks or diamonds. Happy to trust her off the back of her win in the Listed Denise’s Joy where she fended off Madam Rouge (thanks to a 5.5kg difference at the weights) and a fast-finishing Prophet’s Thumb. Off a similar first 600m split the race stacked up well time-wise against the Ortensia Stakes where Viridine beat Victorem. There was about 1.5L between the two races. That suggest the form from the race can be followed confidently. Go back to Ready For Prophet’s maiden win and she beat Mizzy and Sylvia’s Mother. The claim of Billy Owen sees the daughter carry only 3kg more than what she did at Scone.

Dangers: 1. Zonk will join Ready For Prophet up the front in this race and Les Bridge’s mare won well first up after controlling the race. She won’t have it all her own way here, despite the soft draw, but finds another suitable assignment back to her own sex and Chris Williams has built a good affinity with the five-year-old. Fresh has generally been best with her though so wary of her regressing second up. The knock on 15. Goddodin is the price. The Godolphin filly has come back in great order on the back of a strong trial and victory at Canterbury first up. This is considerably harder and not sure where she gets to from the wide draw. 12. Alart wasn’t disgraced in the Listed Luskin Star last start behind Trekking. Throw her into exotics.

How to play it: Ready To Prophet WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds)

Ready To Prophet winning at Scone last start

11. Renewal had the blinkers applied two starts ago and he’s found a couple of lengths. He savaged the line at Caulfield from a mile back to run second before giving Star Of The Seas a touch up on the Kensington track last time out. Loved how the four-year-old cruised into the race and put his rivals away with a turn of acceleration at the 400m mark. It’s a nod to the horse’s talent that he has won five from his 14 starts despite still doing so much wrong. He does appear to have put his bad barrier manners behind him though, jumping cleanly last start. Don’t mind him drawn out for that reason despite there being some chance he finds himself posted. Jean Van Overmeire, who rode the horse for the first time last start, will probably have to gamble from the barrier, slide midfield and attempt to slot in. Very hard to beat if he gets an early break, and finds cover.

Dangers: 10. Mahalangur should get a lovely trail from barrier 3. Two starts back he camped on the back of 4. Special Missile over this track and trip and got the better of him late. With Special Missile since winning the Scone Cup, Mahalangur actually meets him 2kg better off. Since that win Mahalangur ran fifth in a deep edition of the Luskin Star where he couldn’t match the turn of foot of Trekking and Brave Song. No shame in that. 13. Organza has her hoof on the till. She loomed to win the Dark Jewel after box seating but her fitness gave way late. Her second up record is outstanding (4:3-1-0). Would fancy her from a soft draw as she looks to have returned better than ever. Rachel King might look to roll forward from the wide draw? Game on if that’s the case. 7. Tip Top for the multiples.

How to play it: Renewal WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds)

Renewal winning easily last start

4. Cradle Mountain might just be a control freak. In races he has led, he is six from six. In races he has sat in behind or outside the leader, he is zero from four. The asterisk there is that two of those were his first two starts, another he tore a hamstring and most recently, the wet track was blamed more so than him being forced to sit outside of Fell Swoop. The set up of the race is critical to his chances. 12. Heart Conquered has drawn inside so has to be aggressively dug up to hold the fence, however, being a little suspect at 1100m, is he happy to then hand up and take a trail? 17. Noble Joey is the other front-runner drawn immediately to Cradle Mountain’s inside. We know Cradle Mountain is a sprinter capable of making the top grade if he stays injury free, and the clock backs this up. Thought his most recent trial was the best he has ever produced and that was enough for me to lean his way.

Dangers: 15. Deprive went to pieces in the yard last Saturday before rearing in the barriers which forced him to be scratched. We have to trust that he has got that out of his system now but certainly keep a close on him in parading. No knock on his ability and his trials have been excellent. If the leaders cut at each other he’ll be screaming home over the top. 7. Guard Of Honour was excellent at Scone behind Viridine and Victorem last start. His two runs prior to that in Queensland were better than they read, being leader-dominated races. 1. Badajoz is a hope while 14. Dissolute is the blowout with Tactical Advantage form.

How to play it: Cradle Mountain WIN ($2.70 TAB Fixed Odds)

Cradle Mountain’s Randwick trial – April 26

No horse hit the line harder than 22. November Man across the entire meeting on the Kensington track last start. Punters Intelligence reveals a 32.45s last 600m. We’ll get some guide on the depth of this form having seen Heart Conquered go around in the race prior. There is a slight query around the race itself with the two-year-olds running quicker time on the day however there is no denying how well this four-year-old is going at the moment. He was given a confidence-boosting win at Goulburn three back. His form suggests he is a bit of a Kenso specialist but am hopeful of him transferring that to the main Randwick track, which he is yet to race on. Imagine he positions up just off midfield and sweeps down the middle of the track.

Dangers: 19. Three Sheets hasn’t won for over 1000 days but there has been merit in his two runs back and he should be at his top now third up. Races well at Randwick. The blinkers go back on. 7. Taniko won three from seven last campaign and was luckless at Canterbury in one of those losses. She’ll need a few breaks go her way but is a sharp mare. Was hard to get much off a guide off her quiet trials. November Man ran past 4. Revenire last start but 1000m on a dry track is in the Godolphin four-year-old’s hitting zone. 6. Miss Exfactor made a mess of the start at her first run for Joe Pride. She pulled up lame too so forget she ever ran. Can certainly bounce back and could start silly odds given she jumped hard in the market first up. 13. Argent D’Or is one dimensional but will win another one of these shortly.

How to play it: November Man WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds)

November Man hitting the line behind Brook Magic

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