Ken Callander: Chautauqua ticks All boxes for Group 1 sprint at Randwick
IF Chautauqua can run a strong 1400m and he’s done it before, he is definitely the horse to beat in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick.
IF Chautauqua can run a strong 1400m and he’s done it before, he is definitely the horse to beat in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick.
Chautauqua’s last-start win in the T.J. Smith Stakes, 1200m, was dynamic and the sloppy going did not worry him one bit. He had two 1400m runs last season as a three-year-old and, in one of them, scored an easy win in the Hawkesbury Guineas.
Terravista, the beaten favourite in the T.J. Smith, looks the toughest for Chautauqua to beat with the three-year-olds, Shooting To Win, Wandjina and Scissor Kick, all sure to have admirers.
RACE 1: EGROUP SECURITY SPRINT (1200m)
Betting: $2.40 Private Secretary, $6.50 Dublin Lass, $7 Mohave, $12 Bachman
Comment: King Cobia, Aussies Love Sport and Road To Summer should put enough speed into the race to suit Private Secretary who has shown super acceleration to win two midweek races. Mohave has been gelded since last preparation when his form included an impressive Rosehill Saturday win. Mamwaazel and Dublin Lass are honest mares resuming from let-ups and don’t ignore Boss Lane.
Bet: 6 Private Secretary
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Boss Lane, 3 Mamwaazel, 6 Private Secretary, 11 Mohave
RACE 2: FRANK PACKER PLATE (2000m)
Betting: $3.10 Hi World, $3.50 Merion, $4.80 Farolitos, $6 Wine Tales, $16 Gouldian
Comment: It’s interesting James McDonald is riding Godolphin second-stringer Gouldian, who was wide in the Tulloch Stakes. Merion is strong at 2000m and it is hard to fault his runs, while Hi World and Farolitos (Godolphin) are also at the top of their games and fought out the Carbine Club Stakes at their latest runs. Wine Tales did not handle the heavy going at her last run.
Bet: 1 Merion
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Merion, 2 Hi World, 3 Farolitos, 4 Gouldian
RACE 3: JHB CARR STAKES (1400m)
Betting: $3.70 Peeping, $6 Matilija, $8 Supara, $8.50 Nancy, $9 Slightly Sweet
Comment: Peeping is on trial at 1400m, but could enjoy the slightly relaxed speed and she is in form and has not turned in a bad run in six career starts. Matilija was just behind her last run and is obviously a danger, while Supara was not comfortable in the very heavy going when backed in the Carbine Club. Slightly Sweet, back in distance, has claims and Nancy is flying at the midweeks.
Bet: 3 Peeping
Exotics: Box quinella 3 Peeping, 8 Matilija, 10 Nancy
EXPERT OPINION: THE FINAL WORD WITH RAY AND DUFF
INSIDE MAIL: PUNTER BANKS ON MALACHI HITTING THE MARK
RACE 4: CHAMPAGNE STAKES (1600m)
Betting: $2.70 Pasadena Girl, $3.90 Odyssey Moon, $6 Takedown, Tarquin, $10 Street Rapper
Comment: Takedown is likely to cross and lead from the outside and his last two wins in the Black Opal and the Baillieu have been impressive. Pasadena Girl won two in a row in Melbourne before her fourth in the Sires and she looks as though 1600m is ideal, while Odyssey Moon (dh second in Sires) and Tarquin (fifth) keep hitting the line well. The Barrister bolted in last run and has to be watched.
Bet: 3 Takedown
Exotics: Box quinella 1 The Barrister, 3 Takedown, 8 Pasadena Girl
RACE 5: JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION PLATE (2000m)
Betting: $3.20 Leebaz, $4.60 Malice, $7.50 Kourkam, $8 Our Voodoo Prince, $11 Gypsy Diamond
Comment: The Leebaz of 12 months ago would bolt this in and he did have excuses when slowly away in the Doncaster. I am willing to give him another chance. Malice has won two from three second-up and his first-up run, when second in the Doncaster Prelude, was OK.
Bet: 2 Leebaz
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Index Linked, 2 Leebaz, 4 Malice, 7 Kourkam
BETTING GUIDE: SIX OF THE BEST
HOT TIPS: WEEKEND BEST BETS
BEAT THE BOOKIE: VALUE BETS
RACE 6: ALL AGED STAKES (1400m)
Betting: $3 Chautauqua, $5.50 Terravista, $7 Lucky Hussler, $8 Shooting To Win, Wandjina
Comment: Wandjina looks to cross and lead and the three-year-olds will play a part with Shooting To Win and Scissor Kick capable of showing up. I still lean to the proven Chautauqua and Terravista, and if Chautauqua repeats his T.J. Smith run he will win. Lucky Hussler has to be included on his last-start William Reid win. Dissident, disappointing last run, is in the mix on his best.
Bet: 1 Chautauqua
Exotics: Box quinella 1 Chautauqua, 3 Terravista, 11 Shooting To Win
RACE 7: HALL MARK STAKES (1200m)
Betting: $2.60 Our Boy Malachi, $5 Craftiness, $6.50 Target In Sight, $9.50 Vashka
Comment: Some winners in this lot with Our Boy Malachi boasting 16 from 18, Vashka scoring in his last five and Craftiness in his last four. Our Boy Malachi is drawn a little awkwardly but he has the speed and acceleration to be right in it. Vashka keeps performing and he won’t be easy to beat while Target In Sight will love the likely good speed. Big Money could be the wildcard.
Bet: 12 Vashka
Exotics: Box trifecta 3 Big Money, 8 Target In Sight, 10 Our Boy Malachi, 12 Vashka
RACE 8: TAB REWARDS ROYAL RANDWICK 100 (1400m)
Betting: $4.20 Medcaut, $5 Burbero, $6.50 Strawberry Boy, $8 Ecuador, $8.50 San Diego
Comment: Strawberry Boy, Ecuador and Laohu are the go-forward horses. Strawberry Boy is fresh after a three-months break and looks hard to topple while Ecuador has had 13 months off and faces a tougher task. Medcaut, impressive beating Laohu at Rosehill, has been heavily backed in early betting and is right in it, while Burbero has gone to another level this preparation.
Bet: 3 Strawberry Boy
Exotics: Box trifecta 2 Burbero, 3 Strawberry Boy, 11 Medcaut, 14 Laohu
BEST BET: Chautauqua
VALUE: Strawberry Boy
WHO’S HOT
Peter Moody’s Hi World has firmed from $3.50 to $3.10 pre-post and is a clear favourite in the Frank Packer Plate.
WHO’S NOT
Every horse has its price and Hugh Bowman’s mount Pasadena Girl looks to be under the odds at $2.70 in the Champagne Stakes.
DROP A HINT
Gerald Ryan’s Bachman will be better over longer, but he is going well enough to surprise first-up in the first race at Randwick.
EYE CATCHER
Nancy caught the eye with a barnstorming finish to win at Warwick Farm last run and she can surprise against the better class in the JHB Carr Stakes.
Originally published as Ken Callander: Chautauqua ticks All boxes for Group 1 sprint at Randwick
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