Stable watch: Ray Thomas gets the inside mail for day one of The Championships at Randwick
TAB BIG BETS: TARZINO is heavily favoured to complete the rare Victoria Derby-ATC Australian Derby double at Randwick on Saturday.
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TARZINO is heavily favoured to complete the rare Victoria Derby-ATC Australian Derby double at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Since the ATC (formerly AJC) Australian Derby was switched from spring to autumn in 1979, only two horses have completed the classic double — champions Dulcify (1978-79) and Mahogany (1993-94).
Dulcify also won the Rosehill Guineas that season and Tarzino goes into Saturday’s classic with similar form.
Tarzino was dominant winning the Victoria Derby last spring and showed glimpses of that form with his strong win in the Rosehill Guineas last start. TAB Fixed Odds price assessors have the Mick Price-trained colt at $1.90 to win the Randwick classic.
“The horse is spot on and has had a good preparation for the Derby,’’ Price said. “He goes from 2000m to 2400m which seems a beautiful distance for him, he has a great set of lungs.
“I was happy with his Rosehill Guineas win and that race has brought him on for the Derby.’’
R1: KINDERGARTEN STAKES (1100m)
PAT Farrell, the master trainer from Muswellbrook, maintains Alliterate is not out of place taking on the boom juvenile colts Astern, El Divino and Lionhearted.
“I don’t think it is a hard race, to be honest,’’ Farrell said. “Alliterate won the Wellington Boot easily and she has trained on well. I feel she is up to this class and has enough ability to run a good race.’’
Farrell is also bringing Alliterate’s older half-sister Alart down for the P.J. Bell Stakes on Saturday. “Alart has improved since Gosford,’’ Farrell said. “She’s worked better than she ever has (Thursday) morning.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Astern $1.90-$2.30, El Divino $3.80-$2.80 ($350 @ $3.80, $300 @ $3.50, $600 @ $3.20)
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis: Who will go forward and who be charging home?
SPEED: Genuine. If Astern goes the same speed as he did in the Golden Slipper, then he will lead this easily. Tipping they’ll look to go a bit slower, giving El Divino, and Lionhearted the chance to lead. RUN-ONS: Geneteau stalks them with Mooshakissa.
R2: CARBINE CLUB STAKES (1600m)
TATOOSH, a multiple stakes placegetter, is set to run a much improved race in the Carbine Club Stakes, according to trainer Paul Perry.
“He has had three runs back and has needed those races,’’ Perry said. “The recent racing has done him the world of good and coming back to a mile suits him. He’s needed the racing and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned his form around. He is ready.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Odyssey Moon $8-$4.80 ($700 @ $8, $350 @ $7), Data Point $6-$3.80 ($400 @ $6, $500 @ $5, $600 @ $4.60, $300 @ $4.20)
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Moderate. Moher leads comfortably with Montauk on his back. RUN-ONS: Data Point sits deep and runs on while Rosaleisha comes wide on the turn.
R3: CHAIRMAN’S HCP (2600m)
THE irresistible form of Supercoach in weaker races has convinced trainer Bjorn Baker to ‘’have a throw at the stumps” in the Chairman’s Handicap.
Supercoach notched his third win in succession at Warwick Farm on Monday and Baker said the gelding is the type who thrives on racing.
“All I know is that he has pulled up really well, he’s a fit horse, is as tough as they come and he can stay,’’ Baker said. “His three wins have been at 2600m and 2400 (twice) and he is getting better with racing. This is a much harder race but you have to be in it to win it.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Libran $2.30-$2.10 ($4,000 @ $2.30)
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Genuine, with Supercoach and Café Society looking to lead, while Dee I Cee sits in behind them. It’s possible Café Society will take a sit and push the button early. RUN-ONS: Libran powers to the line in the middle of the track and keep an eye out for Allegria — could sprint hard.
R4: COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL (1400m)
TOMMY Berry is adamant all Clearly Innocent needs is galloping room and the emerging Scone sprint star will do the rest in the Country Championships Final.
Clearly Innocent has been favourite for this race since he won the Scone qualifier in stunning style nearly two months ago. Trainer Greg Bennett kept the big bay up to the mark with anther dynamic effort to win a Scone 1100m sprint two weeks ago.
“There is some talk about barrier two not being ideal for the horse but I still think he is a class above them,’’ a confident Berry said. “He just needs luck in running and if he gets that he will beat them with a leg in the air.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Clearly Innocent $1.90-$2.30, Loftys Menu $6-$4.60, All Summer Long $11-$9.50
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Hot. Profiler, Heza Thief, Mitchell Road come across from out wide with Pera Pera handy but not leading. RUN-ONS: If Clearly Innocent gets a crack at them, look out. Lofty’s Menu is the only one that can go with him.
R5: P.J. BELL STAKES (1200m)
TEMPT Me Not’s trainer James Cummings regards the three-year-old fillies race as “the best support race on the card” for day one of The Champonships.
The race has attracted a capacity field of 18 (plus one emergency) with bookies betting $6 the field.
“I have a heap of respect for the strength of this field,’’ Cummings said. “Tempt Me Not has drawn barrier 16 but it is our intention to run. This is the race we have targeted with her, she excels when her races are spaced, and she is working exactly the way you want to see from a horse going into a black type race. It all bodes well for her to run a nice race.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Egyptian Symbol $7-$4.20 ($500 @ $7, $1,200 @ $6, $2,500 @ $4.80, $1,750 @ $4.40, $2,460 @ $4.20)
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Genuine. Secret Agenda punches through to hold lead. RUN-ONS: Tempt Me Not and Perignon down the outside, Egyptian Symbol and Lady Sniper through the middle and watch Dawnie Perfect.
R6: ATC SIRES PRODUCE STAKES (1400m)
TRAINER David Payne has revealed Chimboraa has continued to improve since his eye-catching effort to split Souchez and Mount Panorama in the Pago Pago Stakes.
“Chimboraa showed last start the ability he has been showing us in trackwork,’’ Payne said. “It was a very good run, particularly his last 200m when he really charged to the line. I hope he has some luck in running as he will run a strong 1400m.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Seaburge $8 unchanged ($1,000 e/w @ $8/$2.47, $400 @ $8), Yankee Rose $4.60-$3.80 ($1,000 @ $4.20)
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Moderate. Detective handy with Attention on his back. RUN-ONS: Omei Sword and Telperion get sweet runs in transit but might have to use the inferior section. Yankee Rose, Chimborra, Seaburge down the outside.
R7: ATC AUSTRALIAN DERBY (2400m)
TRAINER Mick Price nominated rivals Tally and Jameka as the main dangers to his crack colt Tarzino completing the Derby double.
“This Derby won’t be a pushover,’’ Price said. “Tally and Jameka both look hard to beat but I can’t fault Tarzino. There is no complaints from our end and he is there to win on his merits.’’
Price virtually ruled out any chance of Tarzino backing up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes next week regardless or the Derby result.
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Tarzino $2 unchanged ($2,280 @ $2, $2,000 @ $2), Tally $6-$7-$6.50, Jameka $7-$6.50
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Moderate. Jameka comes across with Tally stalking and What’s The Story handy. RUN-ONS: Tarzino might not be that far back but he’s the one with the big finish.
R8: T.J. SMITH STAKES (1200m)
CAN Fell Swoop become the second Canberra-trained galloper in a week to take out a Group 1 during the Sydney autumn carnival?
At Rosehill last start, the Nick Olive-trained Single Gaze upset her rivals in the Vinery Stud Stakes and Matthew Dale is hoping for a similar result with Fell Swoop in the T.J. Smith Stakes.
“This is probably the strongest sprint race in Australia, it is Fell Swoop’s first crack at weight-for-age so it is a big task,’’ Dale said. “But he should have won the Oakleigh Plate first-up and the form out of that race has held up. I thought he might have had the dash out of his legs for 1100m again second-up but he still ran a very good race in The Galaxy.
“He goes into this race third-up at 1200m so the timing is right to have a look at him. He is such a competitive horse we are happy to be there.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Chautauqua $3.40 unchanged ($500 @ $3.40), Exosphere $2.70 unchanged ($2,000 @ $2.70), English $11-$9
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Our Boy Malachi and Flamberge lead with Dothraki and Fell Swoop in behind them. RUN-ONS: Exosphere up the guts and Chautauqua down the outside.
R9: DONCASTER MILE (1600m)
HALL of Famer David Hayes believes He Or She is “flying under the radar” going into the Doncaster Mile — but even the trainer admits he may have to wait another year to finally claim one of the few majors to elude him.
“He Or She won the Blamey Stakes from Group 1 horses The United States and Stratum Star so there is very good form around him,’’ Hayes said. “He goes in very well at the weights with 50kg and he is going into the Doncaster a very fit horse but it is hard to say we can Winx — she is pretty special.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Kermadec $6.50-$7, Winx $1.85 ($10,000 @ $1.85), Azkadellia $13-$10 ($400 e/w @ $13/$3.28), He Or She $26-$23
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Genuine. Turn Me Loose, Vergara, Ecuador battle for the lead. Volkstock’n’barrell gets a nice cart three-wide with cover with Winx on his back. RUN-ONS: Kermadec and Bow Creek up the inside, Azkadellia, Happy Clapper down the outside but Winx is the one with the big finish.
R10: ADRIAN KNOX STAKES (2000m)
PEGGY’S Cove takes bragging rights into the fillies staying test — she has more career wins than any of her 15 opponents.
Trained by Paul Perry, Peggy’s Cove has won three of her 12 starts while the rest of her Adrian Knox Stakes rivals have not managed to win more than twice.
“Peggy’s Cove has been winning in the bush so whether she is up to these is the question,’’ Perry said. “But she is a game, little filly, a real trier and she hits the line hard at the end of her races. She has been beating older horses which is hard to do for a three-year-old filly so that is a good sign. We felt she deserved her chance in this race.’’
TAB MARKET MOVERS: Sacred Eye $6-$5, Bulla Baby $9.50-$7.50
NIC ASHMAN’S race analysis
SPEED: Genuine. Sacred Eye with a host of them coming across from wide gates. RUN-ONS: Rainbow Park and Daisy’s Joy look to get the right runs.
Originally published as Stable watch: Ray Thomas gets the inside mail for day one of The Championships at Randwick
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