Randwick races: Shayne O’Cass’ tips and extended preview

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass examines every race for Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes Day at Royal Randwick to point you in the right direction to finding a winner.

Progressive filly Arctic Glamour can bring up the hat-trick in the Callander-Presnell at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Grant Guy

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race, including suggested bets, for the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes meeting at Randwick on Saturday.

RANDWICK

Track: Good 4. Rail: True

RACE 1

Overview: Vindication was three-wide in a fast run, quality race at Canterbury on September 24 hence the fade. He was readied for the return to the races with a fantastic third in a 1000m trial at Hawkesbury, close up behind Phearson and Bacchanalia. Good draw and has ability. Eye Pea Oh looks very well treated on a kilo to talent ratio down there on 54.5kg. Barrier 3, Jason Collett and second-up, tick. Fire And Ice has some compelling first-up form and the trials have been exactly what you would want to see.

Bet: Vindication to win

RACE 2

Overview: Trivia time. Marnix started favourite in the 2020 Inglis Millennium when he was a Godolphin team member. For the record, he ran down the order, but that’s history now. What we do know is that the Richard Litt-trained chestnut is quite capable on his day and has some real depth in his form. Should have won first-up last preparation. Speaking of Godolphin, Capo Strada ran a lot better on the Kensington track than it reads. Atmosphere, the runner-up to Hawaii Five Oh in the Hawkesbury Guineas, has trialled (well) since the September 16 loss.

Bet: Marnix each-way

Marnix looks an each-way chance at odds at Randwick. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 3

Overview: Imatruestar trialled like a bomb before she resumed at home in a Taree Class 2 hence why she was $4.20 into $3.20. She ran sixth of 12 but to cut a long story short, barrier 1 was the significant factor in all that. Shouldn’t have that worry on Saturday. Bandi’s Boy was good to the eye and the clock first-up off that long absence. Can only improve and need to always remember that he beat Zougotcha here at Randwick as a two-year-old. The Dramatist could be the one to charge home right over the top. His trials have been excellent.

Bet: Imatruestar each-way, box trifecta 3, 6, 10, 11

RACE 4

Overview: Sequestered was a dual acceptor on the day, the brains trust, electing to start here which is a lead in itself. More trivia, Sequestered is by Pierro who was born, bred and raised at Darley who sold him as a weanling. Now as for what really counts, Sequestered is flying. She was good first-up but nothing short of great second-up. Super Chilled may have been $51 but she was second only to the winner (in my opinion) in likability even though she was ninth of 12 behind Sequestered. If not this time, then the one after. Pervade has never been closer to a Down Under win.

Bet: Sequestered to win, Super Chilled to place

RACE 5

Overview: No more interesting horse racing all day than Midnight Opal. Why? Well, we get to find out everything we don’t yet know and the word is ‘level’. Every horse has got one, so far Midnight Opal has proved himself way above country level and I doubt we will see him at the provincials again unless it is a stand-alone meeting. There wasn’t a bean for Le Parrain on debut at Gosford yet he went out there and won like a 4/6-on shot. Granted, it helped the favourite didn’t get the best of luck but still. General Salute ran a huge race in the Run To The Rose.

Bet: Midnight Opal to win

Group 1 The Metropolitan winners No Compromise and Tommy Berry reunite in race 6 on Saturday. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 6

Overview: No Compromise lines up for his 40th start in the time-honoured Craven Plate aiming for would be his eighth career win or 15th placing. The 2022 Metropolitan Handicap winner ran fourth in the Cameron and boy is that good form this year. No Compromise followed up with a two length fifth of 14 in the Hill Stakes - from 14th on the turn. Two-time Doomben Cup winner Huetor was good (very) late first-up in the King Charles even though it says he ran ‘last’. Numerian and impressive Angst winner Renaissance Women have claims.

Bet: No Compromise to win, Huetor each-way, quinella 1, 3

RACE 7

Overview: Ravello is a rolled gold replica of his sire Savabeel who won a Spring Champion Stakes himself and the Cox Plate after that - not on the same day of course. Ravello is trained by John O’Shea who knows the breed better than just about anyone. Just for context, I was all over him in the Gloaming and was happy until he got crunched at the 200m. Medatsu won his Australian debut in a Kembla Class 1 over 2000m on September 23. Total unknown at this level but he’s got something. Tom Kitten is so unlucky.

Bet: Ravello to win, Medatsu each-way, exacta 7 to beat 10, quinella 7, 10

RACE 8

Overview: Espiona beat five home in the Everest; I guess that’s probably about what most punters - and the market - forecast so she has to get a pass-mark. They did run 1.07.64 seconds remember. Espiona has won six races in total and four of them were at 1400m. On top of that, her record at the track and distance is a win and third from three goes. Half of Ruthless Dame’s 10 starts have been in Group 1’s, she won the Sangster and was unlucky in the Stradbroke. She is beautifully set up for the 1400m on Saturday. Opal Ridge did well to get that close in the Kosciuszko given the time they ran.

Bet: Espiona to win

High-class mare Espiona looks hard to beat in The Invitation. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 9

Overview: Arctic Glamour has been utterly dominant in her two wins this preparation and given that one was a midweeker and the other a Listed race, that is a huge and fast motioned upward trajectory. Let’s just hope barrier 1 isn’t her undoing. Heman was bred by Greg and Donna Kolivos of Pierro fame. They bred Think About It too. Heman, a son of their crack filly Nayeli, was as good as anything and better than most in the Tapp-Craig. Ostraka is on the up. Eager to see how Yes Yes Yes’ ‘nephew’ Zondee goes here.

Bet: Arctic Glamour to win

RACE 10

Overview: Gringotts has been the ultimate model of consistency with three wins and four placings from eight starts on either side of the Murray River. There is no reason at all why he won’t run to his ratings here. I imagine if he can, he could maybe box seat at 1400m, barrier 1. Russian Conquest hasn’t always enjoyed the best of luck which kind of skews her strike-rate in a way that doesn’t reflect her talent much less her chances of winning on Saturday.

Bet: Gringotts to win, Russian Conquest each-way

Originally published as Randwick races: Shayne O’Cass’ tips and extended preview