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Ray Thomas’ tips, inside mail for 2024 Spring Champion Stakes Day at Royal Randwick on Saturday

Get the inside mail from the Waterhouse-Bott yard ahead of their two-pronged Callander-Presnell tilt as Ray Thomas brings you his tips, quaddie picks and all the market movers for 2024 Spring Champion Stakes Day at Royal Randwick.

Ray Thomas
4 min read
October 25, 2024 - 1:00PM
Tim Clark gets Anode home in the Tapp-Craig at Rosehill on October 12. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images
Tim Clark gets Anode home in the Tapp-Craig at Rosehill on October 12. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Trainer Adrian Bott is confident the famous Royal Randwick 1600m course won’t expose any stamina limitations for favourite Anode in Saturday’s Group 2 $1 million Callander-Presnell.

Anode goes into the big race on the back of his win in the Tapp-Craig over 1400m at Rosehill two weeks ago when the three-year-old colt opened up a comfortable lead halfway down the straight before scrambling home a narrow winner over the fast-finishing Just Party.

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“I feel Anode might have switched off because he was left in front a long way from home,’’ Bott said.

“He has come through that race well and I think he will be OK at the mile.’’

Anode is the $2.60 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for the Callander-Presnell with Just Party, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, pressing at $3.

• EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Randwick on Saturday

Bott, who trains in partnership with Hall of Famer Gai Waterhouse, also has Prost ($9) in the feature three-year-old race.

Prost showed promise last season winning the Canonbury Stakes and finishing second to stablemate Storm Boy in the Skyline Stakes but he has been unplaced in two starts this spring.

“I feel Prost has been looking for the extra ground,’’ Bott said. “I expect he is ready to step up now.’’

• She’s Due: Seib plots Group 1 breakthrough in Spring Champion

The Waterhouse-Bott stable also has New Endeavour and Converge lining up in the Group 3 $750,000 Craven Plate (1800m).

New Endeavour, who was a runner-up in the Group 1 Doomben Cup earlier this year, has been improved by three runs from a spell while Converge, a dual Group 1 winner, hasn’t won for more than 30 months but he does have a good second-up record.

“I’ve no doubt New Endeavour has been improved by recent racing and this should be his right trip,’’ Bott said. “Converge needs a firm track which he gets on Saturday so we expect him to run well.’’

• The Little General to evoke memories of the master, Tommy Smith

Waterhouse is aiming for her sixth win in the Craven Plate after previous successes with Lorne Dancer (2008), Fiery Venture (2004), Shower Of Roses (2003), Adventurous (1996) and Stony Bay (1995).

The Little General and Chicama make their debuts for Tulloch Lodge in the opening two-year-old race, the Kirkham Plate (1000m), and Townsend has been trialling well ahead of his return in the closer, the Robrick Lodge Filante Handicap (1600m).

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RANDWICK BIG BETS, MARKET MOVERS
Race 1: Comedy $4.60-$3.40
Race 2: Mogul Monarch $8-$5.50, French Ruler $11-$9, Putt For Dough $15-$9.50
Race 3: Cable Express $11-$9
Race 4: Smashing Time $4.40-$3.20, High Octane $5-$3.50, Amazing Eagle $4.80-$4.40, Don’t Forget Jack $11-$7.50
Race 5: Just Party $3.50-$3
Race 6: Fawkner Park $4.40-$4.20, Democracy Manifest $6-$4.80, Lindermann $8-$5
Race 7: El Castello $3.90-$3.70
Race 8: Magic Time $4.60-$4 with a bet of $3000 at $4.50
Race 9: Yellow Brick $4.60-$3.70, Territory Express $8-$5.50
Race 10: Riyazan $6-$4.20

• ‘It doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense’: Champion status at stake on Saturday

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EARLY QUADDIE
Race 3: 4,7,14,17
Race 4: 1,2,4,8
Race 5: 1,2,4,6
Race 6: 2,6,10

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

• How a quick-thinking jockey helped save star sprinter’s life

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PRICE CHECK
MAGIC TIME (race 8) has been one of the best-backed runners on the Randwick program, firming from $4.60 to $4 after some solid support with TAB Fixed Odds including a bet of $3,000 at $4.50. MOGUL MONARCH (race 2) is another big market mover, firming from $8-$5.50.

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TRIAL POINTERS
CHICAMA (race 1) didn’t show a lot of early speed and was being urged along to stay within three lengths of the leaders into the straight before he started to stretch out generously late to finish third to Comedy in a Randwick 740m heat. Chicama, a $1.35 million yearling purchase from the Inglis Easter Sale, is by champion sire Written Tycoon out of The Broken Shore, which makes the colt a half-brother to Group 1 winner Shoals. Superbly bred colt and expect him to be charging to the line.

AMAZING EAGLE (race 4) showed plenty of promise last season with placings in all three starts including his third in the Black Opal. A $400,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase, the son of 2016 Golden Slipper winner resumes in the Brian Crowley Stakes off two brilliant barrier trial wins, the most recent at Rosehill on October 18 when he cruised clear of the chasing pack to win comfortably. Promising three-year-old who is primed to sprint well fresh.

• Spring Champion, Cox Plate expert tips

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SECTIONAL STARS
SWIFTFALCON (race 7) got a long way back in the Gloaming Stakes but ran on powerfully late to finish second behind El Castello at Rosehill. The Team Hawkes-trained Swiftfalcon ran his final 600m in 33.57s including 11.07s for his closing 200m – impressive sectionals at the end of an 1800m race. He should appreciate going out to 2000m at Randwick in the Spring Champion Stakes.

TERRITORY EXPRESS (race 9) ran a blinder when resuming in the Alan Brown Stakes. He was back near last on the turn and had to weave his way through the field but was still able to finish fast for sixth behind Here To Shock. The real merit of Territory Express’s run was in his closing sectionals – he has reeled off a stunning final 600m in 32.91s including successive sub 11s 200m sectional splits. He had no luck first-up but his finishing effort suggested he has returned in great order and will be hard to beat in the Five Diamonds Prelude.

• Doyle seeks Spring Champion checkmate with Queen

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BEST BET
OLENTIA (race 8) looked in need of the run when resuming in The Nivison but she showed her class with a brilliant win. Olentia only had one barrier trial going into that race but was still able to demonstrate her impressive powers of acceleration as she came from off speed and reeled in her rivals effortlessly before dashing clear for a comfortable win. She will be improved by that run, her second-up record is good, and she is a winner over the Randwick 1400m course. The one to beat in The Invitation.

• Begg banking on Rawiller to produce some Magic

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VALUE
CABLE EXPRESS (race 3) needed the run when resuming at Goulburn when beaten about two lengths behind Dashing Rupert. Cable Express had the run of the race but seemed uncomfortable inside horses although he was doing his best work on the line. He will be fitter for that run, drawn well in barrier three and drops 4kg. He’s good value at close to double figure odds.

Originally published as Ray Thomas’ tips, inside mail for 2024 Spring Champion Stakes Day at Royal Randwick on Saturday

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