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Shayne O’Cass and Mitch Cohen’s Randwick preview, tips: $11 chance ‘to fire fresh’

Form analysts Mitch Cohen and Shayne O’Cass preview the 10-race card at Royal Randwick on Saturday, presenting their race-by-race tips and analysis.

Racenet
8 min read
July 11, 2025 - 11:24AM

Form analysts Mitch Cohen and Shayne O’Cass preview the 10-race card at Royal Randwick on Saturday, presenting their race-by-race tips and analysis.

MITCH’S BEST BET
Race 9 No.10 IT’S A KNOCKOUT

MITCH’S BEST VALUE
Race 6 No.9 MORNING SUN

SHAYNO’S BEST BET
Race 7 No.3 LULUMON

SHAYNO’S BEST VALUE
Race 8 No.11 KING RATEL

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RACE 1: SCHWEPPES HANDICAP (1400m)

Shayne O’Cass: KOKATAHI (6) is by Farnan from the same family as Black Caviar. This gelding was bought by Winx’s trainer (and Guy Mulchaster) for $425,000 at Karaka and ran quite well against the stablemates Central Coast and Crossbow on debut over 1250m; the 1400m suit. If you like Central Coast form then you’ve got to have CROSSBOW (4) in there. FEAZABEEL (5) trialled well and had a headstart in life by being born and raised at Newhaven Park.

Mitch Cohen: I was with CROSSBOW (4) first-up when he was only narrowly beaten by his smart stablemate Central Coast and see no reason to drop off him here. He was scratched from an 1100m event last Saturday for a more suitable 1400m assignment here. It looks to suit. PILLOW FIGHT (2) didn’t fire up in Brisbane in stakes grade but they’ve added the blinkers now. That could prove key. TOMATO TOASTIE (3) deserves consideration off a slashing Warwick Farm win.

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RACE 2: TAB HIGHWAY PLATE (1600m)

O’Cass: IN SUMMER (6) is by The Autumn Sun, naturally, but also from one of the best families in the Stud Book. In brief, her dam is a very close genetic relative of Typhoon Tracy. What’s not to like about her form? So often it takes a Highway winner to win a Highway and she’s ticked off that box. Ditto that for another Scone visitor RED RAGS TO BULLS (7) who was a deserved Highway winner at Rosehill last start. Why not again?

Cohen: Typical competitive Highway isn’t it. RED RAGS TO BULLS (7) gets the nod after her terrific effort last start to come from near last to win in the same grade. She was only getting better through the line so the mile should suit her perfectly. PENSATIVA (15) comes out of the same race after she was it a long way last start. Barrier one affords her the same chance to go forward here. PREMISE (14), a former Group 1 ATC Oaks placegetter, undoubtedly has class on her day.

Red Rags To Bulls (right) holds off Pensativa at Rosehill on June 28. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images
Red Rags To Bulls (right) holds off Pensativa at Rosehill on June 28. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

• EXPERT TIPS: Clinton Payne’s race-by-race tips and analysis for Randwick on Saturday

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RACE 3: MIDWAY HANDICAP (1600m)

O’Cass: AGITA (9) is one of mine, Mitchy; I remember telling anyone who’d listen that he would win a Derby of some description. Didn’t happen for one good reason or another but I feel I know the horse well enough to suggest that a Randwick mile, first-up, is right up his street. Wide draw might even help him. HASTY HONEY (4) was never going to lose when she led on the Kensington track second-up. She’s always had Saturday-class talent; maybe a bit more even. Hard not to be taken with CALLISTEMON (10)’s Midway win last time.

Cohen: CALLISTEMON (10) is hard to drop off on the strength of her dominant Midway win last start. She finds the same track and trip here with an extra 2kg but should still be too good for them. One of the best on the program for mine. KINGSTON CHARM (5) was good from back in the pack first-up. If you go back to last prep, she finished a touch over 2-1/2 lengths off the winner in Group 3 grade. That’s top form. HASTY HONEY (4) looks to have come back in good order.

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RACE 4: PETALUMA HANDICAP (1100m)

O’Cass: Godolphin don’t buy that many horses at the yearling sales but they certainly wanted CELERITY (11), given they signed off on her for $850,000. She’s by Exceed And Excel and who knows them better than Godolphin. She is a 3YO filly taking on all comers but we are late in the season and more to the point, James Cummings invariably hits the mark when he tries this. FLAME OF HESTIA (9), the half to Hot As Hell, has won three times – all by pretty sizeable margins. This is harder than last start but if she wins, it will be the draw that did it.

Cohen: The money has come for FLAME OF HESTIA (9), shortening from $7 into $4.60 favourite in early betting. I am with her but this is a competitive. She smashed them at Wyong last start and Are Ee Que – the horse she beat by 3-1/2 lengths – only just missed out during the week. She’s on the way up. KING’S SECRET (1) deserves plenty of respect with a strong bounce back win last time at Rosehill. He’s up goes up 2.5kg but hard to knock. REGIMENTAL COLOURS (6) and CELERITY (11) both in winning form too.

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RACE 5: TOYOTA FORKLIFTS HANDICAP (1800m)

O’Cass: FEDERER (2) is trading off on those two wins that cast him as a future star of the sport early days and hey, he might still make it to a decent grade; he has only had five runs. His breeding reveals a lot being a son of Dundeel out of Jameka and it could be that he will get to 2000m and even 2400m before we see him really sparkle again. Third-up here; he is peaking. MISTERKIPCHOGE (4) toughed it out for a well overdue win last time. How often does it happen, they win and they win two. It is Misterkipchoge though. Mitchy. Are you game?

Cohen: I’m not Shayno. PIGGYBACK (2) has been carrying me for a few weeks but can finally deliver on her promise here. She just got caught in traffic at a crucial stage when half a length of MISTERKIPCHOGE (4) last time. Doubt she gets penned in this time from the wide draw. Hovland is only lightly-raced but is going well. There’s no question he goes close at Canterbury last time with even luck. FEDERER (2), the daughter of Dundeel out of Jameka, is third-up now and should be ready to peak.

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RACE 6: EREMEIN HANDICAP (1800m)

O’Cass: AGE OF KINGS (1) left England/Ireland as a Group 3 winner at Ascot over 1408m. The now Chris Waller-trained 5YO has run in some big races since he got down here including the Golden Eagle, Linlithgow, Hall Mark, Luskin Star and a McKell Cup last start. You would like to – nay, need to – see him doing something in a winter Benchmark 88. Ditto that last bit for ROYAL SUPREMACY (2).

Cohen: A few of these have convictions so the fresh form of MORNING SUN (9) has appeal. This Irish import has never missed the placings first-up with win there resuming last time at the same track and trip. With three trials under his belt, he can fire fresh. RISE TO IT (11) should be rock hard fit now and could do something with the featherweight of 51.5kg on her back. ZAPHOD (4) has been well found again and gets another chance here in an even race.

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RACE 7: THE AGENCY REAL ESTATE HANDICAP (1000m)

O’Cass: LULUMON (3) was purchased by Jason Coyle at the HTBA Yearling Sale in 2022 for $50,000. So far she has won $436,125 and she’s only a 4YO with 18 starts under her belt. The good numbers don’t end there; she has won 5 times with 5 seconds and 3 thirds. Just to top it off, she is a last-start Randwick winner beating Storm The Ramparts and Hi Dubai; talk about form being franked. YISKA (2) has 2 of 3 of 6 on Soft, 2 of 5 first-up and there was plenty there to like about her last trial.

Cohen: Trainer Jason Coyle has worked out the secret with LULUMON (3) this prep. She’s two out of three now and both of those wins came over the 1000m. Barrier 10 shouldn’t be too much of a worry with a couple of scratchings. CASSIEL (8) hasn’t put a foot wrong this time with demolition jobs at Canterbury and Hawkesbury. This is harder but she drops 5kg from that last start success and has been kept fresh for this. Big market watch on AVONE (4) in her first start for the Bjorn Baker yard. She’s trialled up well.

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RACE 8: ASAHI SUPER DRY HANDICAP (1600m)

O’Cass: KING RATEL (11) has raced twice since February 11, 2023. Both runs are here at Randwick; in fact he has run at HQ 8 times in his 20 starts for the simple fact that he is purpose-built for Randwick, pattern-wise, etc. Take note that the Bryce Heys-trained son of Animal Kingdom’s best stats are at this same track/trip. OH DIAMOND LIL (4) is 1 for 1 at the track/trip and drawn a peach this time. TRAVOLTA (5) deserves great praise for that first-up win at Warwick Farm given he had 60kg on a Heavy 9.

Cohen: Geez you’d love to own a share in PUNTIN (8), Shayno. The Baker galloper has never finished worse than second and you could make a case he should be unbeaten his prep. The 1400m win at Rosehill Gardens was a tough performance and a mile now looks ideal. SLY BOOTS (16) chased him home in his first-up assignment and should derive plenty of benefit from that display. A drying track is Sydney should also be to his liking. OH DIAMOND LIL (4) will be in this a long way from a favourable gate.

• Shayne O’Cass’s race-by-race tips and analysis for Randwick on Saturday

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RACE 9: TAB HANDICAP (1400m)

O’Cass: Mitchy I was rather keen on RAZORS (7) first-up in a very deep Benchmark 94 here on June 21 but the market indicated that he might need the run; he was $12 to $18 on the day. He ran more like a $12 shot than a drifting $18 pop too, making a bit of ground at the right end. Gets out to 1400m today. The only time he was at this track/trip was his nose second in the Listed South Pacific. SUPER HELPFUL (3) is back at Randwick for the 12 time on Saturday. Funny record here at HQ, no wins, no seconds but one third and for that he picked up $300,000 – wow. Yep, it was the Big Dance.

Cohen: IT’S A KNOCKOUT (10) is a stakes quality mare, there’s no doubt about it. She put rivals on the canvas first-up with a slashing first-up win over the same track and trip she faces this weekend. The second-up stats are good and the draw should make life easy for apprentice Braith Nock. She’s my best bet. GETAFIX (16) is the obvious danger off his dominant Kenso victory. We are yet to see him do it twice in a row though so treading cautiously. COOL JAKEY (2) was the victim of a hot speed last time and can bounce back.

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RACE 10: PRECISE AIR HANDICAP (1400m)

O’Cass: Could be a Randwick (Daily) double for Bryce Heys who has King Ratel in the first leg and GENTLY ROLLED (2) here in the Get Out Stakes. Two things stand out about the daughter of Press Statement – one is that she is an accomplished 1400m horse and two, she has a neat little record here at Randwick. She was third to Nettoyer’s little (half) sister CHANGING COLOURS (5) 14-days ago so if you like one, you have to like the other.

Cohen: Race in two to finish the day for mine Shayno and I leant the way of CHANGING COLOURS (5). The switch back to Sydney and 1400m proved just the tonic for her last time. She was excellent winning there and can do it again. SLINKY (10) is the danger. She was the sectional star second-up, running home in the best 600m of the meeting in a slick 32.88 seconds in a 1200m event. A third-up peak display looks likely. LIBERTY STATE (3) holds some claims third-up while GENTLY ROLLED (2) is the knockout hope.

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Originally published as Shayne O’Cass and Mitch Cohen’s Randwick preview, tips: $11 chance ‘to fire fresh’

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