Shayne O’Cass’s extended preview and tips for Royal Randwick

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass examines every race at Royal Randwick on Saturday to point you in the right direction to finding a winner.

The Chris Waller-trained Waterford can end the day at Randwick on a high note. Picture: Grant Guy

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race, including suggested bets, for Saturday’s Apollo Stakes and Inglis Millennium meeting at Randwick 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: Soft 5. Rail: True

RACE 1

Overview: Don Corleone ran some pretty impressive sectionals when he won here on Jan 21. He was the fastest from the 600m to the finish in fact and he did it all from barrier 10 on debut. Nice. High King is the big improver with the benefit from the debut fifth here to Don Corleone. Razors has finished down the order in races won by his stablemate Barber. Razors in no Barber but they have wildly underestimated him here at those odds.

The Bet: Razors each-way

RACE 2

Overview: The Paul Shailer-trained Tribute King is a son of the 2015 Apollo Stakes winner Contributer. His third dam is Beach Gown who was handy too. As for Tribute King himself, he ran a really good race for a horse who is no first-up specialist. Right race, right time for his horse. Danielle Seib has won four Highways and could be in line for number five (plus the quinella) on Saturday with the ever reliable King Of Spades partnered by the well-bred Amarantz who wants 1800m big time.

The Bet: Tribute King each-way, Mr Severino to place

Trainer Matthew Smith prepares Headwall who is looking to maintain his unbeaten record in Saturday’s Midway at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 3

Overview: Hard To Say ran fourth in Sejardan’s Breeders’ Plate and was beaten inches in the Phelan Ready as a two-year-old. He has won twice now as a three-year-old including at the Sunshine Coast last start and it was some win too; last to first in pretty much 57 secs flat. Speaking of time, Our Kobison ran 50.59 secs in winning over 900m on debut at Newcastle. The Matthew Smith-trained Headwall is better than Midway class. In fact, I think we will see him in black-type races more often than not once he gets up and going. Huge talent.

The Bet: Headwall to win, exacta 12 to beat 7

RACE 4

Overview: Athabascan came to Australia with three stakes-placings from his eight starts in France. The son of the French Derby winner Almazour ran a huge race in the $750,000 Rosehill Cup at his one and only Australian start back on Oct 29. Race day market is the guide. Major Artie has the perfect barrier with the perfect jockey. He also has the perfect record (3 from 3 circa the mile) but they were no Randwick Miles; try Gosford, Canterbury 1550m and The Valley. King Ratel is the Randwick Miler out of this lot.

The Bet: Athabascan each-way

RACE 5

Overview: Espiona has burnt a lot of bridges her time, one of them in the Light Fingers on this day last year when a close runner-up at $1.55 to stablemate and Apollo Stakes contender, Fangirl. Trialling well and way too dangerous to take her on. Mr Mozart has some fabulous numbers right across the board. Gravina has raced on Soft/Heavy 10 times for five wins and two placings. Just for the record, he has placed seven times on Good tracks without winning. That’s the long way round to saying that it looks like the son of Sebring gets conditions to suit in more ways than one.

The Bet: Gravina to win

RACE 6

Overview: Blanc De Blanc was more or less beaten by the draw in the Inglis Nursery. Hasn’t fared a whole lot better here in the Millennium but it matters less with James McDonald on. Pattern watch essential. Facile trialled like a bomb before his brave second to Saltaire and Blanc De Blanc in the Nursery. Is barrier 1 the blessing or the curse on the day? I know she has drawn wide but Saltaire is just not a ‘double figure’ prospect here. Double ditto for Arkansaw Kid. Gee whiz he trialled well up here the other morning.

The Bet: Blanc De Blanc to win, Saltaire and Arkansaw Kid to place

RACE 7

Overview: I was all over Revolutionary Miss when it was a Good 4. Much less confident now but too late to change. What hasn’t changed is that she has been trialling so darn well. How is Cinderella Days $71? Okay, this is tough but $11 the place is just way too generous to not to take some advantage of. Joe Pride’s daughter of Ofcourseican could be the value runner for the Trifecta and the First 4. Aft Cabin one week, In Secret the next? Could easily be so.

The Bet: Revolutionary Miss each-way, Cinderella Days to place

Cox Plate winner Anamoe (right) and placegetter El Bodegon (left) can quinella the Apollo Stakes on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 8

Overview: Is El Bodegon the next Reliable Man? Here’s hoping that El Bodegon can stay around after any Queen Elizabeth Stakes win should it happen, where the TAB says he is an $8 chance. No worries in the wet about this horse. Have to respect Fangirl and Hinged; the latter is a muddie. Anamoe has raced at the Randwick 1400m twice, the Sires’ Produce and the Wins Stakes and he won them both. If ‘numbers’ are your go, Anamoe is your horse this weekend.

The Bet: Quinella 1,9

RACE 9

Overview: Speaking of numbers; Norwegian Bliss has a decent set. Eight starts for seven wins (in a row) and a Group 3 second away from home when running in the opposite direction to what she is used to. The trial was a ripper as per usual. One of the most interesting horses on an interesting day is Bellatrix Black for a few reasons, none more titillating than the fact she is the ‘system horse’ namely, first-up out of an Oaks. If the best Swats That shows up at Randwick, nothing will beat her. Is her best behind her or has she just been unlucky for a stretch? I think more of the latter than the former.

The Bet: Swats That each-way, Bellatrix Black each-way

RACE 10

Overview: Think About It added ‘ticker’ to his armoury when he carved out that hard fought fourth career win at Rosehill on Jan 28. Not that it was a bad field but this (if they all come) is a good field. He just keeps on meeting and beating every challenge though. We will all find out about 5.50pm whether Waterford is ‘ready’ or not. I am convinced that he is the best horse in the race and unless the market says ‘no’, I have to say ‘yes’ myself. Then again, I wish I had said no to Osipenko Lindermann and Soulcombe last Saturday. Ouch times three.

The Bet: Waterford to win

Originally published as Shayne O’Cass’s extended preview and tips for Royal Randwick