Racing Confidential: Randwick on Friday to host a Group 1 trial that no punter can afford to miss

It’s the barrier trial that could shape the Spring Carnival: Celestial Legend, Giga Kick, Private Eye and Linebacker will clash in an all-star heat at Randwick on Friday.

Celestial Legend, Giga Kick, Private Eye and Linebacker will clash in an all-star heat at the Randwick barrier trials session.

The quality quartet is contesting a 900m course proper trial that also includes Kovalica and Punch Lane.

Sunshine In Paris continues her preparation for The Everest in a trial against last start Missile Stakes winner Schwarz, former top Kiwi mare Belclare, Buenos Noches and possibly Storm Boy.

Chris Waller’s promising, unbeaten three-year-old Emirate is entered for a 1000m heat, and crack colt Espionage, a stablemate of Storm Boy, is due to have his first test of the new season in a 740m trial.

• Rosehill Turf Talk: Storm Boy or Gatsby’s? The answer is clear

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O’Shea, Charlton start new season with a bang

We’re looking forward to a great day of Saturday racing with four runners across @aus_turf_club Royal Randwick and @newcastleraces_🏇
Good luck to all connections! pic.twitter.com/6aXxgLiLBQ

— O'Shea & Charlton Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) August 23, 2024

Sydney’s new training partnership of John O’Shea and Tom Charlton has made a flying start to the 2024-25 racing season.

The O’Shea-Charlton stable has prepared six city winners this month at a remarkable strike-rate of 50 per cent (a winner every two starters) to be second on the Sydney trainers premiership behind Chris Waller (14 wins).

The season so far 🏇 60% of our 2YO starters are debutant winners, boasting a juvenile winning strike rate of 42% 🙌 We’ve been busy inspecting yearlings @inglis_sales Easter in order to build on this year's success into next season! pic.twitter.com/5TBhgbA01J

— O'Shea & Charlton Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) April 5, 2024

• Boom filly can add to Spring Glow for Waller, McEvoy

At Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, O’Shea and Charlton don’t have a runner but Waller can extend his premiership lead with another powerful stable entry for his home track meeting including early favourites Gatsby’s ($2.10, San Domenico Stakes), Autumn Glow ($2, Up And Coming Stakes) and Up And Under ($3.60, Cabra-Vale Diggers Handicap).

James McDonald, who is aiming for a seventh consecutive Sydney jockeys premiership, has begun the new season in sensational form with 20 city wins to lead the premiership by 11 wins.

The champion jockey has eight rides at Rosehill including market leaders Gatsby’s, Up And Under, Vivy Air ($3.50, Merrylands RSL Handicap) and Willaidow ($4, Mounties Group Handicap).

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Storm Boy not playing favourites on Saturday

Storm Boy (3c Justify x Pelican) strong again at 2nd spring trial.

2nd Caballus. Looking for an Everest slot.

Cafe Millenium 3rd an eye-catcher.@GaiWaterhouse1@CoolmoreAus@Darby_Racingpic.twitter.com/hC96MBsy3W

— Breednet (@BreednetNews) August 19, 2024

Storm Boy is unlikely to start favourite for the first time in his headline-making race career when he resumes in the Group 3 $250,000 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Storm Boy, who is also entered for Friday’s Randwick barrier trials but is expected to resume racing at Rosehill, is at $2.40 in latest fixed odds markets for his three-year-old comeback race behind $2.10 favourite Gatsby’s, a brilliant winner of The Rosebud earlier this month.

That's a MORE than great win to Gatsby's in the Listed Rosebud today! 🌹@[e-mail]/S3iCW0rMZ2

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 17, 2024

In his six previous starts, Storm Boy has dominated betting. He won his first four races at odds of $1.85, $1.45, $2.50 and $1.18 before finishing third in the Golden Slipper at $2.60 then fourth in the ATC Sires at $2.05.

• ‘Follow with confidence’: Amor wins in store for plunge horse

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ATC does its bit for charity

🚨 TAB Track Report 🚨

The latest track conditions at Rosehill Gardens ahead of this Saturday's @ClubsNSW West Metro San Domenico Raceday. @racing_nsw | @tabcomau | @SkyRacingAU | @7HorseRacing

🌤 ATC Weather Tracker: https://t.co/kUtjvi6mRJpic.twitter.com/hhcHGfhCpw

— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) August 29, 2024

The Australian Turf Club is combining with ClubsNSW for the 34th consecutive year to raise money for charity at the San Domenico Stakes meeting.

Some of western Sydney’s biggest clubs including Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL, Smithfield RSL, Bankstown Sports, Mounties Group, Campbelltown Catholic Club, Cabra-Vale Diggers and Merryland RSL are supporting the race meeting.

Since the annual raceday started in 1990, ClubsNSW Western Metropolitan Region has raised more than $2 million for a range of charities.

Their charity partner on Saturday is Little Wings, an organisation which flies children from remote areas across NSW to Westmead Hospital for repeat treatment.

ClubsNSW Western Metropolitan Region president Bill Treloar said the Little Wings charity will receive a $30,000 donation.

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Originally published as Racing Confidential: Randwick on Friday to host a Group 1 trial that no punter can afford to miss