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

There is a plenty of value for punters at Royal Randwick, including an $9 shot who is ready to take out the first leg of the Princess Series, says form analyst Shayne O’Cass.

Kimochi looks a good value bet in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

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

The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!

RANDWICK

Track: Heavy 8. Rail: True

RACE 1

Overview: Cheerful Legend would be, in my opinion, borderline ‘best bet’ on Winx Stakes Day if we were on a Good 4. It was Heavy on Thursday, we will more than likely be in the Soft range come Saturday but even then, this horse’s record gets very questionable. Form and recent trials are just too good to be against him. Backrower, Hugh Bowman’s ride, has placings to Group 1 winners Osipenko, Manzoice and Madame Pommery on his C.V. Won on Soft and Heavy and the last trial win was a beauty. Vindication is up and going and has Mogo Magic/Smashing Eagle form.

Bet: Quinella 2, 3

RACE 2

Overview: Miss Kirribilli has had bone chips removed from her knee and fetlock in the time since her fourth in a Rosehill Highway back on November 26. Tim Donnelly has trialled her twice; easy fifth at the first one, easy winner at the second. Sting out on the weekend is the perfect scenario all around. Former Godolphin gelding Manzoni is win, win, close second in his three runs for Natalie Jarvis. Prospects rise if it is Soft. Ditto for the frequent Highway participant Sungblue.

Bet: Miss Kirribilli to win, Manzoni to place

Awesome Wonder looks well placed over 2400m on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 3

Overview: Awesome Wonder is a Galileo daughter of Nechita which also makes her a sister to Harpo Marx who won the 2021 Premiers Cup which will have a new name added to the honour roll later on Saturday. As for Awesome Wonder, you can put these into the ‘tick column’, stays, handles wet, in-form, light weight. Intuitu has two runs at 2400m; a last start win at Eagle Farm and a fifth of seven in a Listed race in France. Kirkeby has become ‘Mr Reliable’.

Bet: Awesome Wonder each-way

RACE 4

Overview: Foujita San was a street corner tip first-up two weeks ago in a 1200m race at Rosehill and even though he ran fifth of nine, fair to say that he made most punter’s Black Books. He ran in at Mitchell Mackenzie at the start of his three-year-old spring prep and finished it in the VRC Derby which says a bit about the horse and what they (Team Hawkes) think of him. Casino Kid has the numbers to win and the trajectory to peak here.

Bet: Foujita San to win, Casino Kid to place, exacta 10 to beat 1

RACE 5

Overview: Buenos Noches won on debut at the midweeks at Canterbury on August 3 last year and here we are 12 months and two weeks later and he is a Group 1 placed stakes-winner in the intervening six starts. Did I mention, he ran Giga Kick to a nose in the Danehill? Rocketing By copped a fair bit of the backlash in the Missile. He wasn’t going to win but still, he was out of business. I know the camp would be happier to see a Soft track this time. Extremely Lucky is the market and yard watch.

Bet: Buenos Noches to win, Rocketing To Win to place

Classy sprinter Buenos Noches can kick off his campaign with a win in the Show County Quality. Picture: Bradley Photos

RACE 6

Overview: Iene Fortune, the South American Group 1 winner over 2000m and apparent mudlark, has gone off at $51 and $101 in his two starts in Australia for Chris Waller. He got beaten 12-lengths in the Winter Challenge but only two and a half-lengths in the Premier’s Cup Prelude. Had a very easy fitness trial at the start of this week. Cleveland is a horse that could go deep into the spring and into the big handicaps. Bois D’Argent has race fitness and James McDonald going for him.

Bet: Iene Fortune each-way

RACE 7

Overview: Zougotcha beat In Secret in the Silver Shadow, Madame Pommery in the Tea Rose and She’s Extreme in the Flight. Let’s skip forward to the present and send some praise her way for her unhurried third in her July 24 trial at Warwick Farm. She’s not Winx but she is better than these. We could be saying, come the end of the 2023/24 season, that Cinderella Days is better than her dam Ofcourseican and she won a Coolmore. Parisal and Queen Of The Ball are flying at the trials.

Bet: Zougotcha to win, exacta 1 to beat 5

RACE 8

Overview: Montefilia is a four time Group 1 winner. She has raced 27 times, 19 of them at Group 1 level. Amazing to think she started $51 (and won) her debut at Newcastle. Is this short of her best? Yes. Is she ready? Don’t know. Is she trialling well? Better than I have seen. Is she good enough? Absolutely. Speaking of trials, how well did Zaaki go when finishing alongside Shinzo in their Heat? Hinged ticks a lot of boxes. The one I will be watching for the future is Francesco Guardi.

Bet: Montefilia each-way

Montefilia can run a cheeky race at her first start for new connections in the Group 1 Winx Stakes. Picture: Grant Guy

RACE 9

Overview: Kimochi beat one of her Silver Shadow rivals, Kristilli, on debut on March 22 on the Kensington track. They met again on April 8 in the Percy Sykes; this time Kristilli beat Kimochi with Tiz Invincible splitting this patently obvious talented pair. Toss of the coin, I just came down with Kimochi on the strength of her trials. Expecting a lot on Saturday and afterwards from $525,000 yearling Mumbai Muse.

Bet: Kimochi to win, Mumbai Muse to place

RACE 10

Overview: Byron Belle is ‘system horse’ on Saturday. That system being ‘back a horse first-up out of an Oaks or a Derby’. As a rule, it is preferable that the return trip is 1400m, bearing in mind that this is 1200m but Bryon Belle is a Snitzel not a Zamazaan and she has won at 1250m. This is the chance for Capitol Queen to get her spring campaign going, third-up. Dalaalaat is a proven first-up performer and has been trialling unbelievably well.

Bet: Byron Belle each-way, Capitol Queen to place

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