Racewatch: Shayne O’Cass’ race-by-race tips and analysis for Royal Randwick on Saturday

Form expert Shayne O’Cass dissects the 10-race card Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday, presenting his tips and race-by-race analysis.

Form expert Shayne O’Cass analyses the 10-race card for Day 1 of The Championships featuring the Doncaster Mile and Australian Derby at Royal Randwick on Saturday, presenting his tips and race-by-race analysis.

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RACE 1: WIDDEN KINDERGARTEN STAKES 1100m

SYLPH was born, raised and retained by Yarraman Park. Don’t know the backstory to this one but I love it when a big nursery keeps a filly. As for her pedigree, she’s by I Am Invincible (naturally) while her sixth dam is the mother of the great Tobin Bronze. Trials like a topliner. Ditto a fair bit of all that for the Yarraman Park born, raised but sold (for $1.7 million) I Am Invincible filly, THALESTRIS. KING OF POP has drawn 1; wish that was the case in the Slipper.

Bet: Sylph to win, quinella 2, 11, box trifecta 2, 3, 11, 12

What a victory by Flaming Moon on debut at@nowraracing! She comes from last on the home turn to win, giving @tomo_sherry and @ACummingsracing a double! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4NYH0p2Qvs

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 9, 2025

RACE 2: TAB ADRIAN KNOX STAKES 2000m

Good to see Edward Cummings name alongside a horse again. He bought FLAMING MOON at the sales for a now bargain $80,000 and leans on her to win his third Adrian Knox following the path of Duais and Arts. She’s not as good as one of those but potentially better than the other. SWELTER should do the Winx colours proud. She and POLYMNIA were both impressive last start winners.

Bet: Flaming Moon each-way

What a start for @nashhot!
Strathtay bolts home and wins the second on the card for @cwallerracing! 💥 pic.twitter.com/fuD3N4dvGH

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 24, 2024

RACE 3: SCHWEPPES CHAIRMAN’S QLTY 2600m

Chris Waller-trained STRATHTAY is a son of the Chris Waller-trained Preferment out of a granddaughter of Sadler’s Wells which kind of explains why Strathtay has placed in the last two Manion Cups. I think this year’s one was a lot better than last year and on top of that, he was better in 2025 than he was in the 2024 renewal. The stablemate MR WATERVILLE was pretty good in the Manion and ‘overs’ here compared to a few who crossed the line ahead of him.

Bet: Strathtay, Mr Waterville each-way

🦅 Swiftfalcon flies and wins the Listed Dulcify at Randwick for Team @HawkesRacing!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/FXosYtX96N

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

RACE 4: HKJC WORLD POOL CARBINE CLUB STAKES 1600m

SWIFTFALCON deserves some reward for effort. Go back to the spring and he was a bit unlucky at times. Fast forward to the present and he was as good as the winners in the Hobartville and the Randwick Guineas and was set a task in the Rosehill Guineas given the tempo. For what it is worth, here is the way I see it; he is a better racehorse than EVAPORATE (by a fraction) but the Randwick Mile favours the Victorian. Going to play it safe then.

Bet: Quinella 1, 2

GALLANT STAR wins the @Evergreen_Turf WRA Country Championships!

A dominant showing from the odds-on favourite as he leads all the way at Coonamble over @RacingRobb stablemates Rouge Moulin, who also qualifies, and Poisen Point. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/Q4DVWwtl9c

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 16, 2025

RACE 5: EVERGREEN TURF COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL 1400m

There are a lot of reasons why GALLANT STAR is the favourite to win the Country Championships Final. The most obvious is that his Benchmark rating is 97. Barrier 4, Jason Collett, Barn Dance winner, etc. The way I saw this race is that if KNOW THYSELF wasn’t here, Gallant Star would be a $1.80 shot here. I feel as sure as you can in racing that one of the two will win. The blowout of the race is SUMO FISH at $61. Gee it has been going well. Same for $16 pop ZARIZATYCOON. Even luck, Gallant Star probably just wins.

Bet: Gallant Star to win, quinella/exacta 1, 7, Sumo Fish to place

🙌 Rivellino remains unbeaten, and announces himself as a real TAB Golden Slipper contender as he wins the G2 Skyline Stakes for @Leesracing!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/YTh8hxNtTM

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 1, 2025

RACE 6: INGLIS SIRES’ 1400m

Not talking through the kick here but RIVELLINO is the one who should have won the Slipper out of he and WODETON. If you go along with that, it would mean that the Kris Lees-trained colt would still be unbeaten. Whatever your point of view, we can surely all agree he is crying out for 1400m. Same for Wodeton it seems. In so far 1400m goes, VINROCK has already won one Sires’ Produce and aims to be the first male to do the Flemington/Randwick double since Tullloch in 1957.

Bet: Rivellino to win, exacta 1 to beat 2

Joliestar returns with a bang! That was arrogant 😳 @[e-mail]/PJd0XxfDtb

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 24, 2024

RACE 7: ASAHI SUPER DRY T J SMITH STAKES 1200m

JOLIESTAR’s resume is already awesome; a Thousand Guineas at 3, a Newmarket at 4 and we still all remember how unlucky she was in the Everest. Damien Lane won the Newmarket Handicap on her last start in 1.08.75 seconds it must be said. This is her trip, this is her track. Barrier 4 seals the deal. BRIASA could be eight from eight. He, and the absent Private Harry, are the new brigade of T J Smith and Everest horses. MAGIC TIME has been there and done that and still does. KIMOCHI and OVERPASS are major players.

Bet: Joliestar to win, exacta 7 to beat 8

6th in the $10 million Golden Eagle three weeks ago, the trip west has done wonders for Port Lockroy as the 4YO entire captures the $1.5 million Group 1 Swan Draught Railway Stakes over 1600m at Ascot in a thriller.

With 2 previous stakes placings, Port Lockroy becomes the 14th… pic.twitter.com/ulfdwYBAMN

— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) November 23, 2024

RACE 8: THE STAR DONCASTER MILE 1600m

PORT LOCKROY won a Railway in WA and sure, that’s a long way short of a Doncaster, but he’s run some fantastic races in much better races, namely the Silver Eagle and Golden Eagle where he finished sixth beaten about two lengths in both. Craig Williams (tick), drying track (tick). I am a sucker for KOVALICA. I’d tip him in an Oakleigh Plate or a Melbourne Cup. He was as good as a lot of his rivals first-up in the Ryder behind the bombproof GRINGOTTS.

Bet: Port Lockroy Kovalica each-way, quinella 13, 14, box trifecta/First 4 Nos. 2, 3, 9, 13, 14, Daily Double 1st Leg 14, 2nd Leg 9

What a total thriller in the G1 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas! 🤩

Broadsiding hangs on from the fast-finishing Aeliana to give @mcacajamez a G1 double today!@JamesCummings88 | @godolphin | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/c9kvMmuoeM

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

RACE 9: ATC AUSTRALIAN DERBY 2400m

AELIANA is a granddaughter of a Triple Crown winner in Dundeel and in-bred to Zabeel. Her real stamina comes through broodmare sires Galileo, Zabeel (again) and best of all Noble Bijou, Mellay and Kurdistan, the father of Bagdad Note and like him, she’ll run 3200m when asked. None of us know how, and if, the Tulloch horses will or won’t back up but this race has always looked a suitably attainable target for Sydney Cup winner Honor Babe’s grandson KING OF THUNDER.

Bet: Aeliana to win

Miss Busslinger gets punters off to a flyer from Doomben!@[e-mail]/DsZwt0eICK

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 10, 2024

RACE 10: PRECISE AIR P J BELL STAKES 1200m

MISS BUSSLINGER’s two-year-old autumn campaign included consecutive fourths in the Reisling (huge run) and Baillieu (to Linebacker) prior to her fifth in the Fernhill to Broadsidsing, El Castello and ahead of Powers Of Opal and Tenbury Wells. The two runs this time in have merit and she looks to be peaking. Huge odds for a mare with her record. Clearly the ones at the top are going to be hard to beat; CLEAN ENERGY, LILAC and ZEITUNG.

Bet: Miss Busslinger each-way

Originally published as Racewatch: Shayne O’Cass’ race-by-race tips and analysis for Royal Randwick on Saturday