Ken Callander: Nothing can stop Hartnell in Sydney Cup
IF Hartnell doesn’t win the Sydney Cup, you can tear up the form guides, throw out the weight charts and pick your future winners with a pin.
IF Hartnell doesn’t win the Sydney Cup at Randwick on Saturday, you can tear up the form guides, throw out the weight charts and pick your future winners with a pin.
The imported stayer, to be ridden by big-race jockey Tommy Berry, has brilliantly won his past two starts in Australia and he is already a winner over the Cup distance of 3200m in England.
At his previous run, he comfortably won The BMW at Rosehill at weight-for-age with 57.5kg and drops to 52kg on Saturday which gives him a huge advantage over Melbourne Cup placegetters Protectionist and Who Shot Thebarman, who ran in the BMW, and drop 1kg and 4.5kg respectively.
RACE 1: FERNHILL HANDICAP (1600m)
Betting: $3.70 Clash Of Clans, $5 Muzyka, $5.50 Rhode Assassin, $7 The Barrister, Eolande
Comment: There are two formlines with Clash Of Clans beating Cracklin’ Rosie (third) and Chachapoyas (fifth) at Newcastle and The Barrister beating Eolande (second), Alittle Loose (third) and Scadden’s Run (last) at Mornington. Rhode Assassin also won a Newcastle maiden, but I feel of all of them, Clash Of Clans has the most improvement and most potential.
Bet: 1 Clash Of Clans
Exotics: Box quinella 1 Clash Of Clans, 2 The Barrister, 4 Eolande
RACE 2: SOUTH PACIFIC CLASSIC (1400m)
Betting: $2.70 Federal, $3.30 Ygritte, $4.80 Thinking Of You, $6 Sadler’s Lake
Comment: Ygritte looked good covering ground and beating Federal in the Gosford Guineas (1200m), but I am going to have a throw at the stumps and tip the lightly raced Sadler’s Lake (two wins from three starts), who has had two recent trials and will be ridden by Joe Moreira. Thinking Of You and Redoutable Heart are also in the mix.
Bet: 6 Sadler’s Lake
Exotics: Quinella 2 Ygritte, 6 Sadler’s Lake
RACE 3: PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL (1400m)
Betting: $4.60 Sure And Fast, $4.80 Harmonic, $8.50 Darci Magic, $9 Oxford Poet
Comment: Kris Lees has six runners, Bede Murray three and Kim Waugh two, but I think the horse with the best form is the Tony McEvoy-trained Harmonic, who overcame difficulties to win the Hawkesbury qualifier. All three of the Murray runners are in the market and I think Selectify and Magic Of Dreams (Lees) and Oxford Poet and Supreme Effort (Waugh) are top hopes.
Bet: 1 Harmonic
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Harmonic, 3 Oxford Poet, 7 Supreme Effort, 10 Magic Of Dreams
RACE 4: PERCY SYKES STAKES (1200m)
Betting: $2.60 Lake Geneva, $5 Serenade, $6 Ottoman, $7 Calaverite, $7.50 Sempre Libera
Comment: Lake Geneva’s runs in the Blue Diamond (third) and Golden Slipper (third) have been great, but this will be run a little differently. Ottoman is a good filly, Serenade’s Slipper seventh was good and Calaverite looked to be ready to realise her early season potential with a 3½-length Moonee Valley win last start. She’s good value and Mine Two might be another over the odds.
Bet: 1 Calaverite
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Calaverite, 2 Lake Geneva, 3 Ottoman, 5 Mine Two
RACE 5: ARROWFIELD SPRINT (1200m)
Betting: $2.90 Kuro, $4.80 Earthquake, $5.50 Rubick, $8.50 Bring Me The Maid
Comment: Kuro, a tough young sprinter, and the speedsters Rubick and Earthquake are the three who appeal. Delectation and Mossfun (especially if it is wet) are also in the mix. Kuro could have a little trouble with his barrier and Earthquake looked unlucky and on the way back to form in Melbourne last run. Bring Me The Maid has been well-backed pre-post.
Bet: 11 Earthquake
Exotics: Quinella 4 Kuro, 11 Earthquake
RACE 6: AUSTRALIAN OAKS (2400m)
Betting: $4.60 Winx, $5.50 Fenway, $6 Thunder Lady, $6.50 Ballet Suite, $8.50 Savaria
Comment: New Zealand three-year-old form is stacking up well so the NZ Oaks winner Savaria is definitely the wild card. Thunder Lady (third) and Ballet Suite (fourth) ran top races in the 2000m Vinery while Winx (fifth) had no luck, has a touch of class and should have been in the finish. Monday’s winner Candelara and the improving Zarzali are the best of the rest.
Bet: 2 Winx
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Thunder Lady, 2 Winx, 4 Savaria, 10 Ballet Suite
RACE 7: QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES (1600m)
Betting: $3.40 Noble Protector, First Seal, $5 Catkins, $16 Diamond Drille
Comment: Questions to answer are: can Noble Protector stand up to this opposition after two impressive Melbourne wins; is First Seal still at the top of her game after some tough runs and will Catkins run out a strong 1600m in a tough race? The Gai Waterhouse runners, Cosmic Endeavour, Diamond Drille and Amanpour can surprise and so too the Kiwis, Diademe and Sports Illustrated.
Bet: 2 Catkins
Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Cosmic Endeavour, 2 Catkins, 6 Noble Protector, 14 First Seal
RACE 8: SYDNEY CUP (3200m)
Betting: $2 Hartnell, $4.60 Who Shot Thebarman, $5 Protectionist, $14 Dominant
Comment: Hartnell has proved himself at 3200m, is in dashing form and beautifully weighted. Who Shot Thebarman, third in the Melbourne Cup, is starting to hit his straps and his BMW run was good, but Cup winner Protectionist doesn’t seem to be going so well although he might just be looking for the 3200m. Dominant has Hong Kong form. Grand Marshal is a good roughie.
Bet: 6 Hartnell
Exotics: Quinella 4 Who Shot Thebarman, 6 Hartnell
RACE 9: QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES (2000m)
Betting: $3.80 Contributer, $4 To The World, $6 Criterion, $7.50 Adelaide, $8 Tosen Stardom
Comment: Contributer was scratched on Friday after he was found to be lame. To The World was outstayed in The BMW but is top grade and will have been brought on by that run. Cox Plate winner Adelaide faces a tough task after a long lay off. Criterion, second over 1500m in the Ryder, and Tosen Stardom can win without surprising.
Bet: 10 To The World
Exotics: Box trifecta 2 Criterion, 10 To The World, 12 Royal Descent
RACE 10: SAPPHIRE STAKES (1200m)
Betting: $4.60 Avoid Lightning, $5 Shamalia, $6 Peron, $8.50 Griante
Comment: I’m going for Shamalia as she is right at the top of her game and a few of the others mightn’t be, but every drop of rain that falls helps Avoid Lightning. Atmospherical can give a big sight and the Melbourne mares, Griante, Politeness, Chloe In Paris and Peron can all shake the life out of this.
Bet: 6 Shamalia
Exotics: Box trifecta 3 Avoid Lightning, 6 Shamalia, 8 Atmospherical, 9 Chloe In Paris
BEST BET: Hartnell
VALUE: Calaverite
WHO’S HOT
Hartnell is the horse the big punters want in the Sydney Cup. He is $2 with TAB Fixed Odds and will start the day’s shortest favourite.
WHO’S NOT
Imported mare Noble Protector has looked sensational in two Melbourne wins, but this week it is the G1 Queen Of The Turf and that will be different.
DROP A HINT
If she can lead, watch out for Cosmic Endevour in the Queen Of The Turf. Remember it is only three runs ago she beat Catkins at WFA.
EYE CATCHER
Criterion usually takes at last 2000m to warm up yet he ran a blinder when runner-up in the 1500m George Ryder. He’s the value in the Queen Elizabeth.
Originally published as Ken Callander: Nothing can stop Hartnell in Sydney Cup
COMMENT: Weir is entitled to a second chance … just not as a horse trainer
More than 600 days since covert video revealing Darren Weir using a jigger on three horses was first aired publicly, the disgraced trainer has been handed a new two-year disqualification. But in racing’s case, time doesn’t heal all wounds.
Randwick Turf Talk: Top tip ‘on the up and knows how to win’
Mitch Cohen and Shayne O’Cass are both pinning their hopes on a lightly-weighted stayer proving too strong for a ‘fascinating’ import at Randwick on Saturday. Get their best bets for the 10-race card.
Ray and Shayno’s Turf Talk: $41 top tip at Randwick on Saturday
Ray Thomas and Shayne O’Cass preview the 10-race card at Royal Randwick on Saturday, where Shayno is taking a punt on an import who looks well over the odds at $41.