Race-by-race preview and tips for Randwick on Saturday
By Brad Gray
Race 1 – 11.10AM TAB HCP (1400m)
2. Bartolf was sent around an odds on favourite on debut at Scone, justifying the market confidence to score an impressive win. The margin flattered his rivals. He swung widest and rounded them up to win going away. That was on a Heavy 10 track so we know he’ll handle the ground. The visuals of the victory was backed up on the clock. His was comfortably the quickest of the four 1200m races across the meeting. The son of So You Think accelerated from the 400-200m before sustaining that through the line. He finds Nash Rawiller, draws perfectly to stalk his main threat and early favourite 1. Wanaruah and should relish getting out to 1400m. Happy to be in his corner at the better price. Wanaruah ran along at a strong gallop at Canterbury on debut. He too profiles like he’ll appreciate getting out to 1400m.
How to play it: Bartolf to win.
Race 2 – 11.45AM ASX MAURICE FARHART HCP (1100m)
1. In Flight has won three from four this time back as she builds an impressive record. The challenge for her on Saturday is now doing it with 60kg. The daughter of Flying Artie has won at Rosehill over 1100m at her past two starts, carrying 53.5kg and then 56.5kg with Jay Ford in the saddle for both victories. Last start she overcame a slowly run race to still score comfortably. The early market suggests that her main dangers come through maiden and Class 1 company. They have upside but she is the three-year-old with the run on the board. Maps to have no excuses. 5. Detendu comes through a midweek super maiden at Warwick Farm but liked the killer instinct he showed to run right away from his rivals late. Looks progressive. Should jump straight onto the back of the leaders from the soft gate.
How to play it: In Flight towin.
Race 3 – 12.20PM TAB HIGHWAY PLATE (1600m)
1. Cranky Harry looks too good for these, especially under the set weights conditions. The Matt Dunn-trained gelding comes through stronger races than this. Despite being a four-year-old with 12 starts to his name he still isn’t the finished product and cost himself winning at Doomben last start. He wasn’t the best into stride, overraced, was held up momentarily and wanted to lay in late. Take your pick of the excuses! Despite that he was beaten in a photo finish. The third horse subsequently won while the winner ran second to Atlantic Ocean last Saturday. The Ipswich race Cranky Harry won prior has produced four winners. 6. Perovic relished getting out over further last start at Lismore to win a Class 1. Also trained by Matt Dunn and this three-year-old has also only had a handful of runs for his stable.
How to play it: Cranky Harry to win.
War Eternal is the top selection in race 8.Credit: Getty Images
Race 4 – 12.55PM MIDWAY HCP (1600m)
11. November Falls comes through a fast race at Rosehill last start where she more than held her own. That was behind smart import Bear On The Loose out to 1800m. The mare looks well set up two weeks later back to Midway company with 54.5kg on her back. Rachel King also jumps back on and she looked to have the key to the four-year-old, allowing her to roll along out in front. Not an easy horse to get past. 9. Charming Legend is likely to be the best horse in the race. He has a lot to overcome, however. The Les Bridge-trained gelding wasn’t suited by the lack of speed on debut but once he clicked through his gears, he powered through the line to win his maiden. Ignore the overall time. His last 200m was the quickest across the entire meeting. Should relish getting out to the mile. He is four and a half weeks between runs.
How to play it: November Falls to win.
Race 5 – 1.30PM JAMES SQUIRE HCP (1800m)
It was a disaster from start to finish for 1. I’mintowin at Rosehill last start. He began on the backfoot and never really recovered having been expected to lead. If he jumped clean, he’d have won. Convinced of that. Instead he found himself buried in behind the speed, a crawling speed at that, before having to duck and weave for a run. It eventually came but the bird had flown. Don’t mind the wide gate allowing Amy McLucas time to come across to settle in the first couple. His turn of foot is his asset over 2. Don Diego De Vega, who would be on top if this was 2000m. The knock is staying at 1800m. Hopefully he still has some speed in his legs, tackling this two weeks between runs. Like the depth of his overseas form and he was first up there after a 50-week spell. Follow him whether he wins on Saturday or not.
How to play it: I’mintowin to win.
Race 6 – 2.05PM I LOVE 0% COCKTAILS HCP (1400m)
1. Hellavadancer brings the strongest last start form reference into this. The four-year-old never looked the winner at Rosehill first up but she was only beaten a length by the speedy Kazou. She never shirked her task in the run home. This race sets up much better, out to her pert trip of 1400m against the fillies and mares. She is probably still a run away from being at her best, having won third up at her past two campaigns, but she can still get away with this. If it’s not Hellavadancer, you’re left to pickup the pieces from the
5. Anagain race. 9. Hide Your Heart was just as strong through the line as Anagain four weeks ago and started similar odds. We’ve seen that form franked. The start prior there was little between her and 3. Defining. The market has been quick to forget her. She will need the speed to be on in this given her racing pattern.
How to play it: Hellavadancer towin.
Race 7 – 2.40PM ELITE SAND & SOIL HCP (1600m)
8. Nails Murphy gets his chance to chalk up his first Australian win. This is such a winnable race for the UK import that has had five starts in Australian for Ciaron Maher. The four-year-old looks to be building towards another win. Forget his run at Randwick behind Diamond Diesel two starts ago. He never saw daylight. It was a non-event. He then stepped out at Rosehill and kept chasing behind Franz Josef and I’mintowin. The first three to the corner were the first three home but he kept chipping away into the margin late. Gets out to 1600m now, proved himself in heavy ground last time out and looks well paired with Jason Collett. 3. Space Age goes around in the same colours. The initiative of the ride won him the race at Warwick Farm, bouncing out to lead. Ran right through the line to win well and that Danish Prince formline ties in here with Nails Murphy.
How to play it: Nails Murphy to win.
Race 8 – 3.20PM KANEBRIDGE HCP (1400m)
3. War Eternal did an enormous job to get as close as he did last start at Rosehill. The Bjorn Baker galloper was forced back to near last in the run from the draw and horribly suited by a lack of pressure up front. He rattled home into third to be beaten less than a length. First and second in the run ran the quinella. Prior to that the five-year-old fought off Xidaki to win over this same track and trip. Jason Collett has ridden him twiceback in 2022, for a win and a fourth in the Randwick Guineas behind Converge and Anamoe.
5. Testator Silens missed by a nostril behind Highlights two weeks ago, through the same race as War Eternal. Showed tactical versatility there. Gets the blinkers on now fourth up. 10. Bojangles didn’t get the clearest of passages last start and was six weeks between runs after a minor setback. Fitter for that and well placed out to 1400m.
How to play it: War Eternal to win.
Race 9 – 4PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS HCP (1800m)
9. Bear On The Loose did it the hard way first up. The import was backed as if unbeatable two weeks ago and the four-year-old landed good late bets. He rode the speed, tracked a three-wide path to angle away from the inside but found under pressure to hold a decisive margin on the line. That saw his price slashed form a number of spring features. It’s still a long way away for Bear On The Loose but that fresh win stamps him as a horse that should race his way through the black type company in a matter of time. 11. Aramco wasn’t suited by the lack of pressure behind Highlights first up. He travelled strongly but didn’t get much luck in the straight. He trucked through the line like he had more to offer. That was his first run for Chris Waller. Is a four-time winner, the latest two of those out to 2000m.
How to play it: Bear On The Loose to win.
Race 10 – 4.35PM SCHWEIZER KOBRAS LAWYERS HCP (1000m)
5. Memoria is unbeaten fresh. Three from three. This is the deepest race she has contested first up but she sets up well. The four-year-old grey ended last campaign as a dominant Gosford winner out to 1200m. That was a Wednesday metro meeting and she was backed into an-odds on favourite late in betting. Even her second up run had merit when third to Hanau and Ebony King. It was hot rails in run that meeting at Canterbury. She looked sharp in a recent Wyong trial to tune up for her return. This promises to be a fast run 1000m race and she’ll camp on the back of the speed from the soft draw. 6. Gitalong is 6:3-1-0 over 1000m. He is a distance specialist. He kept trying at Caulfield first up behind Whistlefield with a luckless Fleetwood back in third. His trials suggested that he had come back well and like the way he went through the grades last time in. Still improving.
How to play it: Memoria to win.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
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