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Ray Thomas’ Inside Mail for Randwick: Don’t let Harron’s colt get under your guard

A controversial Blue Diamond scratching is poised to put that disappointment behind him with a bold showing at Royal Randwick on Saturday. RAY THOMAS’ BEST BETS

Ray Thomas
4 min read
March 8, 2024 - 4:00PM
Punters Hold All Tickets 2024 (Episode 26) 09-03-24

Unbeaten colt Bodyguard has been cleared to continue his Golden Slipper preparation in the Group 2 $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Bodyguard was a controversial scratching from the Blue Diamond last month on veterinary advice.

But the brilliant colt has passed a series of veterinary assessments since returning to the Snowdens’ Randwick stables and is fit to take his place in Saturday’s race.

Bodyguard is rated at $9 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Todman Stakes behind Straight Charge ($2.70), Switzerland ($3.90) and Espionage ($4.60).

Leading owner-syndicator James Harron, who races Bodyguard and Espionage, said the Todman Stakes was “going to be a great race.’’

“They are an amazing group of colts with ‘big’ pedigrees, it’s exciting to be involved,’’ Harron said.

Bodyguard was an impressive winner of the Maribyrnong Trial and Blue Diamond Prelude at his only starts and Harron said the Snowdens are “very happy” with the colt’s progress.

“He looks really well and although he has a tricky draw, there looks to be plenty of speed in the race and we will leave it to Tommy (Berry), who is riding well, to hopefully work it out,’’ Harron said.

Espionage, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, won the Breeders Plate on debut then resumed in the Silver Slipper in which he chased home Straight Charge.

“I thought Espionage was terrific first-up,’’ Harron said. “The times out of that race were super and he has come on really well by all accounts.’’

Harron, who also races promising Aardvark in the Group 2 $300,000 VRC Sires Produce Stakes at Flemington, revealed he also had an interest in the Group 2 $300,000 Reisling Stakes at the Randwick meeting.

“My wife, Alison, has a share in Nymphadora,’’ Harron said. “She ran a very good race in the Inglis Millennium and we are hoping she can run well in the Reisling Stakes.’’

RAY THOMAS’ BEST BET

Randwick Race 6 No.1 PRIVATE EYE

The Joe Pride-trained sprinter resumed with an outstanding effort in the Lightning Stakes, leading early and fighting hard when a close second to Imperatriz. The son of Al Maher was surging again late in a game effort at Flemington and returns to his favourite track of Randwick where he has won an Epsom and been placed in two Everests. Although Private Eye’s staying at 1000m and is short enough in betting at $2.25 for the Challenge Stakes, he is the one to beat.

BEST VALUE

Race 1 No.3 MAHAGONI

The David Payne-trained gelding has improved with every run this campaign and indicated he was ready to return to winning form when he closed late for fourth behind Redstone Well in a benchmark 88 over the Randwick mile course last start. He drops back to a Midway benchmark 72 and has drawn to get the run of the race from the inside barrier. Mahagoni is great value around $11.

EARLY QUADDIE
Race 3: 4,6,10
Race 4: 1,2,7,9
Race 5: 3,4,5,6
Race 6: 1,3,4,6

QUADDIE
Race 7: 1,6
Race 8: 1,2,3,4
Race 9: 4,11,12,18
Race 10: 1,3,5,12

PRICE CHECK
Think About It (race 7) opened at $1.80 but he has got out to $1.95 for the Canterbury Stakes despite some sizeable wagers including $4,675 at $1.90 and $2,000 at $1.90 multiple times. Aft Cabin (race 6) has also attracted good support, firming from $4.60 to $4.40 including a bet of $3,150 at $4.50.

RANDWICK BIG BETS, MARKET MOVERS
R1: Cut On A Dime $12-$7.50
R2: Too Darn Lizzie $3-$2.50, Silmarillion $8-$5
R3: Canberra Legend $4-$3.50, Bois D’argent $12-$7.50
R4: Facile $4.80-$4.60
R5: Switzerland $4.40-$3.90
R6: Remarque $4.60-$4, Aft Cabin $4.60-$4.40 including a bet of $3,150 at $4.50, Mazu $11-$8.50
R7: Think About It $1.80-$1.95-$1.90 after bets of $4,675 at $1.90 and $2,000 at $1.90 multiple times, Espiona $4.40-$3.80
R8: Militarize $2.50-$2.30, Celestial Legend $4.60-$4.20
R9: Lekvarte $4.60-$4.20, Thalassophile $8-$5.50
R10: Call Di $4.80-$4.60-$5

TRIAL POINTERS
• Remarque (race 6) is a somewhat enigmatic racehorse. His best would rank alongside some of the nation’s top sprinters but he has, at times, let his supporters down for one reason or another. A brother to Golden Slipper winner Estijaab, Remarque is at his most deadly at the Randwick 1000m. Three times he has raced at the track/distance for two wins; the last of those was in the Concorde Stakes where he lowered the colours of In Secret, Nature Strip, Eduardo and others. The Team Hawkes-trained son of Snitzel goes into this weekend’s Challenge Stakes off the back of two 900m trials wins at Rosehill.
• Eagle Nest (race 10) was sold at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for the princely sum of $550,000. Part of the reason she was so sought after is that she is a half sister to Black Opal winner, Kalashnikov, giving her considerable residual value as a broodmare when the time comes. Eagle Nest has won back close to $200,000 in the space of 11 starts, four of which she has won together with three seconds. The Ryan and Alexiou-trained mare is ready to add to her tally at Randwick on Saturday judging on her two outstanding trials, both behind Remarque.

SECTIONAL STARS
• Silmarillion (race 2) is the eighth foal of Redoute’s Choice mare Yavanna. Her first was Telperion who was unlucky in his Golden Slipper attempt. Yavanna’s second foal was Kementari whose catalogue of big races wins includes the 2018 Randwick Guineas. Silmarillon went out way over the odds at $31 on debut in a likely very deep maiden last month where she drew 10 of 11 and came from a long way back to finish a diminishing three-lengths behind the potential top-liner, Gatesby’s.
• Little Mix (race 9) won on debut at Toowoomba. She added two more there in 2022 when trained by local idol Michael Nolen. Fast forward to more recent times and the daughter of dual Sandown Stakes winner Mahisara races in the Yes Bloodstock colours and is managed by Annabel Neasham. No one could have missed the mare’s late surge in the hotly-contested Benchmark 100 Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill two weeks ago.

Originally published as Ray Thomas’ Inside Mail for Randwick: Don’t let Harron’s colt get under your guard

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