Shayne O’Cass’s extended preview and tips for Royal Randwick

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass examines every race for Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday to point you in the right direction to finding a winner.

Gin Martini is set for Group 1 glory in the Sydney Cup. Picture: Grant Guy

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race, including suggested bets, for Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday.

The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here.

RANDWICK

Track: Heavy 8. Rail: Out 4m.

RACE 1

Overview: Savabeel gelding Bobby Shiraz was trialling like a good horse before his debut at Eagle Farm, which he won. Had a few favours, yes, but comes here as a confident and upwardly mobile two-year-old who is eager for a mile. Baillieu runner-up Inhibitions has to go an extra 200m against a better field on the weekend. Not easy but doable of course. Hard to say what barrier 1 means on the day but at least he gets first use of the track.

The Bet: Bobby Shiraz to win

RACE 2

Overview: Stylised is a huge talent. He should have won on debut, he won easily at his second run and then ran in the Gloaming and was under two lengths behind Sharp ‘N’ Smart. Great trial at Rosehill 12-days ago. Going to be a good horse by the time he’s done. Renaissance Woman, the granddaughter of Lady Jakeo, did some very good things all on raw talent last spring. Going to be even better this autumn and winter and nothing racing on Saturday has trialled better than she did at Rosehill the other day.

The Bet: Stylised to win, exacta 4 to beat 12

Stylised is looking good for a first-up win. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 3

Overview: Lazzago was poleaxed in the Golden Slipper having earned her way into the big race off the back of her Sweet Embrace win. Seems to go on whatever ground she is asked. Tiz Invincible was nothing short of heroic in the Black Opal to stick on and finish fourth to Autumn Ballet after the horrible run she had in transit after all those others kicked up and held her out four-wide the trip. Autumn Ballet was convincing in the Opal and has trialled like a bomb (again) since.

The Bet: Autumn Ballet to win

RACE 4

Overview: Loch Eagle was awesome winning at Newcastle. He’s probably got the biggest finish of any horse in the race. Pardon the pun, but he could swoop on them the last bit. Brad Widdup’s pair Phearson and Short Shorts arrive here in fabulous shape. Kayobi has raced six times for four wins and two seconds. He runs on Good to Heavy and is unbeaten on both Soft track runs. He was sufficiently dominant, beating serious rival Audette in the Gosford Heat. Ceiling unknown. Stay tuned.

The Bet: Kayobi to win

RACE 5

Overview: Others will disagree but I reckon Aft Cabin is a 1200m horse. If and when he is able to park in behind the speed, fast or slow, he can let rip with the best of them. He is back from the Randwick Guineas mile but he is fresh and the trial was a ripper. He looked like the old Aft Cabin that morning. What You Need hasn’t looked like being beaten in any and all of his three starts. This is the next test for the grandson of Wrap Around but there is just something about him that says he is top shelf. We’ll know more on Saturday.

The Bet: What You Need to win

RACE 6

Overview: Pavitra beat all bar She’s Extreme in the VRC Oaks and that was 2500m so she gets a tick for the mile and a half of the Randwick version of the fillies classic. Very fit and will be prominent in the run. Polygon is peaking and, if it stays wet, she will in fact peak. Frankie’s Me Dad needs to lift on her Vinery run but she raced like a filly looking for 2400m. Arts was no fluke artist in the Adrian Knox. No reason why she won’t run 2400m.

The Bet: Arts to win, quinella 4, 5

RACE 7

Overview: John Sargent couldn’t have hoped for a better build up to the Sydney Cup with his Sandown Cup winning mare Gin Martini. She could just as easily be the last start Chairman’s winner; swap her run and Surefire’s and we swap the result. Cleveland is in-bred to Sadler’s Wells via his titanic sons Montjeu and Galileo which accounts for that 3749m win at Chester and the a four length win on a heavy track when he broke his maiden at The Curragh. In short, he stays all day and eats mud. Pesto is the best $101 chance all day.

The Bet: Gin Martini each-way, Pesto to place, duet 16, 19

Champion Anamoe is the best horse in the Queen Elizabeth. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 8

Overview: Dubai Honour was immediately hailed as the obstacle for Anamoe in the Queen Elizabeth after he won the Ranvet by four. Not knocking him but it was gifted to him and plenty of others behind weren’t able to challenge the way it was run. One of those alluded to was Montefilia who appreciated a somewhat truer tempo in the Tancred. This is not beyond her. Anamoe is the best horse in the race. It all comes down to how good, or flattered last start, Dubai Honour was.

The Bet: Anamoe to win, exacta 1 to beat 12

RACE 9

Overview: The whole world will be watching to see how the $10m mare and four-time Group 1 winner Alcohol Free performs here at her Australian debut where she is very well treated at WFA and off an absolutely brilliant trial win the other day. Not unbeatable but clearly the one to beat. Hope In Your Heart was just too good in the Guy Walter and followed up with some outstanding performances in the Coolmore and the Doncaster where you could just about argue that she was the run of the race outside of the winner.

The Bet: Hope In Your Heart to win, Excelida to place

RACE 10

Overview: Princess Grace is a better horse than any of these and, in my opinion, by a considerable margin. The only things that are troublesome is, one, what if it is heavy and two, what if the fence is off bearing in mind she has drawn 3. Kiku has won $1.1 million, has a Benchmark of 107 and beat boys in the Theo Marks and Carbine Club Stakes. What a great record and what an underrated mare. Not giving up on Dalchini, if they are swooping down the middle, she could medal.

The Bet: Kiku each-way, box First 4: Nos. 1, 2, 7, 13