Ken Callander: Cosmic Endeavour set to light up the track at Randwick

GAI Waterhouse’s brilliant mare Cosmic Endeavour looks the star bet on a crackerjack card at Royal Randwick, says Ken Callander.

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GAI Waterhouse’s brilliant and exciting mare Cosmic Endeavour looks the star bet on a crackerjack card at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Cosmic Endeavour, chasing her fourth win in succession, resumes from a spell in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m). She has to give all of her rivals 5kg or 6kg, but she is a Group 1 winner at the top of her game who has won first-up in two of her three previous preparations.

The main race at Randwick is the weight-for-age Apollo Stakes over 1400m, while the Caulfield meeting in Melbourne is headed by the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m), another weight-for-age contest.

Race 1: Dodo Handicap

Betting: $4.40 Charmed Harmony, $4.60 Spy Decoder, Selectify, $5 Darciwood, $6Weinholt

Comment: Four of the eight runners have not raced this year. Darciwood looks the likely leader and has a strong hope, but I’m plumping for Spy Decoder, who I believe has the most potential. He was racing very well before a break and had a nice hit-out in a recent trial. Selectify is honest, but no star and the Melbourne visitors Charmed Harmony and Weinholt have chances.

Bet: 4 Spy Decoder

Exotics: Quinella 2 Weinholt, 4 Spy Decoder

Race 2: Huawei Handicap

Betting: $2.60 Georgey Aeroplane, $4.20 Koroibete, $5 Last Wish, $7 Ghost Protocol

Georgey Aeroplane is very short in the betting. Picture: Simon Bullard

Comment: Expect Koroibete to go back to his winning tactics and open up a big early break unless Fuerza is hellbent on leading. Either way speed will be on. Georgey Aeroplane is a good honest, tough stayer and a strong chance, but he is short odds. Ghost Protocol was hitting the line well over 2000m last week. Last Wish won well at his latest run, but has not run for six weeks.

Bet: 4 Ghost Protocol

Exotics: Quinella 3 Georgey Aeroplane, 4 Ghost Protocol

Race 3: DX Solutions Lonhro Plate

Betting: $2 Furnaces, $5 Haptic, $7.50 Calaverite, $9.50 Giulietta, $13 Igraine

Comment: Some hot youngsters in this and expect a fast tempo. Giulietta can lead, but, Furnaces, a top colt and a six-lengths winner at his only start, will be up there along with Haptic, another boasting a one-for-one record. Calaverite, the Gimcrack winner, is likely to get back, but will hit the line hard. Sebring Sun needs to improve on his last outing.

Bet: 2 Furnaces

Exotics: Quinella 2 Furnaces, 3 Haptic

Race 4: Adaptra Southern Cross Stakes

Betting: $3 Driefontein, $4 Hot Snitzel, $4.20 Bull Point, $4.60 Territory, $15 Heart Testa

Comment: Driefontein is likely to lead again, but is not as well-weighted as when nailed on the line by Weary in the Expressway Stakes. Territory, who meets her 4.5kg better, will run on strongly and so too Bull Point, who has run some good races in strong fields. Hot Snitzel, resuming after a long break, is a query but a big hope at his best.

Bet: 5 Bull Point

Exotics: Quinella 3 Driefontein, 5 Bull Point

Bull Point should not be underestimated first-up. Picture: Michael Klein

Race 5: Light Fingers Stakes

Betting: $2.90 First Seal, $4.40 Mossfun, $5.50 Winx, $8 Onemorezeta

Comment: Mossfun was a top youngster, but has not run since the Golden Slipper and, although she has trialled OK, it is hard to back her after such a long lay-off. First Seal, the find of the spring, oozes class and has trialled nicely, while Winx goes well fresh and boasts a three from five record. Onemorezeta kept improving last campaign and could be the wildcard. Amicus is also engaged in race two at Caulfield.

Bet: 3 First Seal

Exotics: Box trifecta 3 First Seal, 5 Memorial, 6 Winx, 8 Onemorezeta.

Race 6: Optus Apollo Stakes

Betting: $5 Lucia Valentina, $5.50 Weary, Contributor, $6 He’s Your Man, $10 Boban, Ninth Legion

Comment: What leads? Possibly Queenstown, but a definite lack of speed. Weary was good first-up, but has (13) barrier, Lucia Valentina won well first-up last preparation but had a heavy track to help. I’m not convinced about Boban but Ninth Legion looked good last run and He’s Your Man is a big query and can sprint well. Contributor could find it a bit short, but don’t discard Silent Achiever.

Bet: 3 He’s Your Man

Exotics: Box trifecta 3 He’s Your Man, 6 Weary, 7 Ninth Legion, 13 Lucia Valentina

Epsom winner He’s Your Man (blue cap) returns in the Apollo. Picture: Mark Evans

Race 7: Robrick Lodge Triscay Stakes

Betting: $2.50 Cosmic Endeavour, $6.50 Calming Influence, $8.50 Mahara, $10 Forever Loved

Comment: The query is whether Cosmic Endeavour can give her rivals 5kg and 6kg as she is the best horse in the race and she flew in a recent trial. I think she can. Looking for second, Calming Influence will be up there in the run and won well at Flemington last run, while Mahara won at Randwick and Flemington before having a spell. Consider Thump, Forever Loved and Kristy Lee.

Bet: 1 Cosmic Endeavour

Exotics: 1 Cosmic Endeavour as standout in trifectas with 2 Thump, 6 Mahara, 7 Calming Influence

Race 8: Crown Castle Handicap

Betting: $3.80 Countryman, $5 Telepahtic, $5.50 Coolring, $6 Snippet’s Land

Comment: Coolring has won three in a row and Countryman was very unlucky behind him last run, but they are facing a tougher field this time. Telepathic (ex Donna Logan now Chris Waller) is a classy mare who has been well backed in pre-post betting and Snippets Land had an easy win at Wyong and is ready to step up in grade. Black Revolver, improved by a recent run, can surprise.

Bet: 7 Black Revolver

Exotics: Box trifecta 2 Coolring, 4 Countryman, 7 Black Revolver, 9 Telepathic

Black Revolver is capable of surprising in the last. Picture: Simon Bullard

BEST BET: Cosmic Endeavour

VALUE: Ghost Protocol

WHO’S HOT

Red Excitement is down to run in Sydney and Melbourne, but he is going to Caulfield and has been heavily backed as a $2.20 favourite in race five.

WHO’S NOT

Mossfun was an ace two-year-old, but is she a top three-year-old? She is short odds for us to find out in the Light Fingers Stakes.

DROP A HINT

Silent Achiever won over 1500m first-up early last year and then ran fourth in the Memsie Stakes first-up last preparation. She can surprise in the Apollo.

EYE CATCHER

The Hawkes stable has whisked Toydini down to Melbourne for the Orr Stakes and he has caught the eye in his recent work.

Originally published as Ken Callander: Cosmic Endeavour set to light up the track at Randwick