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

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

Just A Jedi looks well placed to win again at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Grant Guy

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race, including suggested bets, for the Randwick meeting 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: Soft 5. Rail: Out 9m.

RACE 1

Overview: The Magic Millions market before the race was Empire of Japan $5 fav, Platinum Jubilee $6 and Godfather $11. That pretty much is the way I have them myself in this weekend’s clash, namely the Breeders’ Plate winner to beat the Gimcrack winner and then the Phelan Ready Stakes winner. Empire Of Japan was a dominant winner of the Breeders’ Plate. He has trialled twice ahead of this and went super both times. Ditto for the Gimcrack winner, Platinum Jubilee.

Betting Advice: Empire of Japan to win, exacta 1 to beat 5

RACE 2

Overview: There wasn’t a bean for Frankel’s son Touristic when he made his Australian debut off some really nice trials. He finished sixth of eight in that race but it was a pass-mark introduction to local racing and a good way to start the new campaign. At home and up to 1800m now are both positives. Irish Legend will be at his absolute peak for this. Deficit crying out for 1800m. Hard to line up the Brisbane form of Logan Street Lion but Chris Waller obviously thinks it is up to Sydney standard.

Betting Advice: Touristic each-way

Estadio Mestalla can bounce back from his last start failure. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 3

Overview: The jury will deliver a verdict on Estadio Mestalla one way or another after Saturday. He was so impressive winning at his Australian debut but at face value, very disappointing next time, although there have been defenders out there citing ‘race shape’ as their Exhibit A. Ausbred Flirt has been well placed by Brad Widdup hence why he is on a hat-trick of wins on the weekend. Saturday city racing is more or less the ultimate test for a horse but this doesn’t look to be an overly strong line-up top to bottom.

Betting Advice: Estadio Mestalla to win

RACE 4

Overview: Let’s see how the Melbourne Cup form holds up in Highway grade on Saturday. Supido Beauty famously beat Gold Trip in a trial at Albury on July 12 and went on to win a maiden and a Class 1 at her only two starts. Trialled like a bomb at Wagga on November 26. Penthouse (1st) beat Salire (3rd) when they met in a recent Highway but you would nearly have to call it a draw given how the race panned out.

Betting Advice: Supido Beauty to win

RACE 5

Overview: Real Peace has been racing well without much reward this preparation. You could probably also add ‘racing without much luck’ at times including at last Friday’s Canterbury night meeting where he didn’t have a lot of room. He won’t get any fitter and he’s got 51kg on his back. Ripped sets up well here, fourth run into the campaign and seemingly looking for the 2000m, on paper at least. Media Starguest gets James McDonald.

Betting Advice: Real Peace each-way

RACE 6

Overview: We saw the real King Of Clubs when he resumed at the start of his second Australian campaign when he was an honourable second to stablemate Zoumon at Rosehill on December 3. Fitter again for the trial in between runs. Just depends on how much work he has to do to get across from the outside alley. Just A Jedi had no luck at all at Kembla on The Gong Day but when he got an even break, we saw just how good he can be in these staying races when he powered past them to win at Warwick Farm on Dec 7.

Betting Advice: Just A Jedi to win

RACE 7

Overview: Democracy Manifest has a great record of 13 starts for five wins, four seconds, a third and two fifths. His worst run was his ninth in the 2021 Wellington Boot. A lot of horses with his pattern get beaten more often than they win but not this horse which says a lot about his ability, Waller’s placement and some very well timed rides. Ditto almost all of that for Mahagoni. If things go to plan, this could be the battle of the barnstormers - Mac versus Zac as it were.

Betting Advice: Democracy Manifest to win, exacta 6 to beat 10

Democracy Manifest (right) can make it back-to-back wins when he steps up to 1600m at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 8

Overview: Chris Waller has a tight hold on the race with most of the main players. Kir Royale stands tall among them given she was so good first-up and mindful of the fact that she is unbeaten in her two second-up outings. Pretty Wild is another one from the Waller camp who turned in a rock solid first-up performance and can only be improved for the outing. Vienna Princess, a last stakes winner, would win most anything if and when jockeys get the timing right.

Betting Advice: Vienna Princess to win

RACE 9

Overview: You wouldn’t see too many better ‘10ths’ than Robusto’s run here two weeks ago behind Democracy Manifest. Snagged back to last from 13 of 13, he stayed pretty close to the inside rail. Drawn gate 2 on Saturday, it would be nice to see him on the outside this time. Whatever the case, his form says he is good enough to win. Dr Evil caught the eye first-up in an unsuitably short race. If not this time then the next. Kanazawa can reel off some super quick sectionals and could run over the top of them.

Betting Advice: Robusto to win

RACE 10

Overview: Eager to chart the fluctuations here vis-a-vie Ringmaster, He is a very well-bred three-year-old who was only beaten two lengths in the J.J. Atkins. The majority of his starts have been in stakes races which says a bit what they think of him at home. Two trials and both good. Speaking of trials, Kalino looked fantastic winning a heat at Rosehill on December 8. His is no morning glory though with three wins and two placings from his 13 starts. Has a very good pattern and with barrier 5 and James McDonald, Kalino’s probably gets the run of the race.

Betting Advice: Kalino to win, Ringmaster to place, quinella 7,11

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