Stable watch: Brad Davidson gets the inside mail for Randwick on Saturday

TAB BIG BETS: GAYNA Williams’ jaw dropped when TAB Highway Handicap favourite Galaxy Warrior first arrived at her stables.

GAYNA Williams’ jaw dropped when TAB Highway Handicap favourite Galaxy Warrior first arrived at her stables.

“The owners bought him off an internet site unseen ... for either $6000 or $7000,” Williams said. “The photograph of the horse they had where he was for sale wasn’t him and … there was a lovely horse that looked like a stallion and I thought, ‘Wow, this is the horse they bought, this is great’.

HOT TIPS: WEEKEND BEST BETS

BEAT THE BOOKIE: VALUE BETS

HOW WINX MOTIVATES HER RIVALS

“He got off the truck and I thought, ‘This doesn’t look like the horse in the photograph’, because Galaxy Warrior has a big dent in his forehead where he had a bad accident as a yearling and he just wasn’t anything like the horse in the photograph. But, anyway, he has turned out to be the right one.”

Williams can see the funny side to the story now but couldn’t at the time.

“My mouth dropped when he came off the truck I can tell you and with all due respect he wouldn’t win a ribbon in a show ring but he is OK for a racehorse,” she said.

BRAD DAVIDSON & SHAYNE O’CASS PREVIEW SATURDAY’S RANDWICK CARD

RACE 1: SCHWEPPES HCP (1600m)

JOHN Thompson is one trainer hoping the rain arrives as Signposted bids for his fourth-straight win on soft or heavy tracks. “The wetter the better and his form on heavy tracks is excellent,” he said.

TAB MARKET MOVERS: Signposted $4.50-$2.80 ($500 @ $4.50, $300 @ $4.20)

RACE 2: TAB SUPPORTS JOCKEYS TRUST HCP (2000m)

HE has had to settle for second at his past two starts but trainer Kim Waugh reckons Dowdstown Charlie can go one better at Randwick on Saturday. “He has been racing very well and it’s a nice race for him,” she said.

RACE 3: DAILY TELEGRAPH MING DYNASTY QUALITY (1400m)

PAUL Snowden has told punters to expect an improved showing from Taj Mahal at Randwick. “Taj just raced a bit fresh (first up) and it just took a bit of his ping out of him late,” Snowden said.

RACE 4: TAB HIGHWAY HCP (1400m)

GALAXY Warrior has an interesting backstory but he can also gallop. He was a good thing beaten in a Highway race in April and bolted in first up at Narromine last month. “He has been going extremely well,” trainer Gayna Williams said.

TAB MARKET MOVERS: Assurity $11-$7 ($350 @ $9.50, $200 @ $9.50, $200 @ $8.50)

RACE 5: THE MOSTYN COPPER GROUP HCP (1400m)

SOME form experts believe this is a race in three between Tsaritsa, Burning Passion and Super Tycoon but the latter may not run.

Trainer Greg Mcfarlane said Super Tycoon can extend his winning run to five-straight city wins if the gelding lines up but he is considering scratching the horse following a death in the family.

TAB MARKET MOVERS: Tsaritsa $4-$3.60 ($500 @ $4)

RACE 6: FURIOUS STAKES (1200m)

CO-TRAINER Adrian Bott is upbeat Global Glamour will give the best named race on the program a shake first-up. “She has returned in fantastic order and she has really developed physically,” he said. “She is forward enough (to win).”

News of Global Glamour’s surgery to remove bone chips from her fetlock since her last start in January barely created a ripple this week compared to Winx’s identical surgery. It just goes to show the Winx injury saga was massively overplayed.

TAB MARKET MOVERS: I Am A Star $5 unchanged ($1,000 @ $5), Awoke $11-$6 ($200 @ $8.50, $500 @ $7)

RACE 7: CHELMSFORD STAKES (1600m)

THERE seems to be three certainties in life — death, taxes and Winx winning the Chelmsford Stakes. That’s what TAB customers believe at least with Winx’s short quote of $1.15 not scaring punters off.

“As of 10am Thursday she was responsible for 90 per cent of the investment on the Chelmsford,” TAB’s Glenn Munsie said. “The biggest bets are $5000 at $1.20 four times.”

TAB MARKET MOVERS: Winx $1.20-$1.15 ($5,000 @ $1.20 FOUR TIMES)

RACE 8: TRAMWAY STAKES (1400m)

CHRIS Waller insists Sadler’s Lake hasn’t taken a backward step following his eye-catching second first-up at Rosehill on August 13. “He is going terrific and pulled up well,” the champion trainer said.

Waller tipped Cosmic Cube to improve second up, while John O’Shea told punters not to expect too much from Hauraki and It’s Somewhat first-up in the Tramway.

TAB MARKET MOVERS: Happy Clapper $4.60 unchanged ($1,800 @ $4.60, $1,000 @ $4.60), Le Romain $8-$6 ($400 @ $8, $300 @ $7)

RACE 9: CONCORDE STAKES (1000m)

BARRY Lockwood was hoping Hidden Pearl would win a maiden when she first came to his stables last year with just one minor placing from four starts.

She has since won seven of 10 starts and is a genuine chance to give the Queenslanders a Group 3 win at Randwick. “She is race fit and it’s just a matter of whether she is up to the class,” he said.

Take it from a former Queenslander myself, Hidden Pearl is a speed machine and is a must for quaddie players.

TAB MARKET MOVERS: Hidden Pearl $10-$6, Japonisme $3.60-$3.20 ($2,000 @ $3.40, $1,000 @ $3.60)

TURF TALK

RAY THOMAS and BRAD DAVIDSON discuss the big races this weekend.

RT: It’s all about Winx — and the weather. Let’s hope this deluge of biblical proportions as forecast doesn’t eventuate as the mighty mare deserves a big audience on track as she goes for 11 straight.

BD: She certainly does mate but rain, hail or shine, I can’t see them beating the mighty mare. It’s good to see James Cummings having a crack with Prized Icon but surely he can’t pull off the biggest upset of the year?

Winx will be the star attraction at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Jenny Evans

RT: I guess there is no such thing as a certainty in racing but Winx comes pretty close. I think Hartnell can run a race again and I will be interested to see Preferment’s comeback run. The Tramway is always an important Epsom lead up and I’m very keen on Le Romain. I thought his first-up run was a beauty and he will be fitter on Saturday.

BD: I’ve gone a bit left field in the Tramway and I thought Heavens Above could be the big improver. She was solid under her big weight fresh and drops to just 54kg on Saturday. There’s no Omei Sword in the Furious Stakes but it’s still an intriguing race. Which way are you leaning?

RT: I like Bacarella each-way. She was game behind Omei Sword first-up and with that run under her belt and the likelihood of a testing track her race fitness will prove advantageous.

BD: I was pretty keen on Honesty Prevails but I spoke to Rick Worthington on Thursday and he said she might need the run, which is understandable given she is resuming after a long spell. I’ve gone cold on that race but I think I have found one in the Concorde Stakes and don’t underestimate the Queenslander in Hidden Pearl. She is a speed machine and just might be too nippy for her rivals.

RT: You have a better handle on her form than I have so I will definitely throw her in my quaddie. I like Felines who drops a stack of weight, is over her favourite course and distance and handles all track surfaces.

BD: My best bet on the card is Galaxy Warrior in race 4, and I would also recommend readers have a dollar on Sacred Master in the Wyong Gold Cup on Friday.

RT: I’m with you — and against you. I’m all over Galaxy Warrior, he is one of the most promising bush sprinters in training. He was simply outstanding first-up at Narromine. I concede Sacred Master is getting up to his right trip but how will he handle Wyong? I think Orbec second-up is ready to fire and he will get up on speed and make his own luck. I’ve got a tip in the third at Wyong — Ghostly!

Originally published as Stable watch: Brad Davidson gets the inside mail for Randwick on Saturday