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Ray Thomas’ Randwick tips, inside mail: James Cummings’ Tom Kitten, Zardozi primed for Group 1 glory

Godolphin maestro James Cummings has designs on the Epsom Handicap-The Metropolitan Group 1 double at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Plus, get Ray Thomas’s best bets and quaddie selections.

Ray Thomas
5 min read
October 4, 2024 - 2:41PM
Hold All Tickets - Punters (Episode 6) 05-10-24

Godolphin maestro James Cummings has designs on the Epsom Handicap-The MetropolitanGroup 1 double at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Cummings, who prepared the Golden Rose quinella with Broadsiding and Traffic Warden last week, has Tom Kitten lining up in the $1.5 million TAB Epsom (1600m) and Zardozi in the $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m).

The Godolphin duo were both Group 1 classic winners last season with Tom Kitten winning the Spring Champion Stakes and Zardozi claiming the Victoria Oaks.

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Tom Kitten has raced well in two starts this spring, winning the Spring Preview first-up then closing late for fifth in the Bill Ritchie Handicap. He is rated an $11 chance for the Epsom.

“It (Bill Ritchie) might have been the run Tom Kitten needed to have, just to be ready for the Epsom,’’ Cummings said.

“Everything that just about could go wrong did go wrong. We didn’t like the draw, we didn’t like the map and we didn’t like the pace in the race.

“A brush (interference) for Tom Kitten didn’t help and to see him charging early was not ideal, he just about pulled his way out of contention.

“He’s had a good couple of weeks since and should be well prepared for the Epsom.

“His win first-up against Ceolwulf, who is just about favourite for the Epsom, had to be admired.”

• Clinton Payne’s Epsom tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

Zardozi has been unplaced in three runs this spring but she is up to her preferred distance range for The Metropolitan where TAB Fixed Odds price assessors rate the mare at $9.50.

“I feel Zardozi is going to be improved by dropping back to handicap conditions for the first time this preparation,’’ Cummings said.

“We’ve had her on a path towards The Metropolitan, with a chance to target other races.

“The form out of the Kingston Town (Stakes) is strong and she meets most of the runners she did battle against 2-3kg better off at the weights.

“She’s got a bit of class from her three-year-old fillies’ form so she’s got to be considered something of a respectable chance in this Metropolitan.”

• Clinton Payne’s Metropolitan tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

Cummings said Zardozi’s ability to compete with the tough, seasoned stayers in The Metropolitan would determine the rest of her spring program.

“We’ve kept her in the Caulfield Cup, we’ve kept her in the Melbourne Cup, those options are on the table,’’ Cummings said.

“But first and foremost, let’s get through this weekend and then we’ll identify the right thing to do by Zardozi.”

• EXPERT TIPS: James Molony’s tips, race-by-race analysis for Randwick on Saturday

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RANDWICK BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS
Race 1: Hooligan Tommy $15-$6.50
Race 2: King Kirk $5-$4.20, Tempestuous $11-$8, Valedictorian $51-$31
Race 3: Bellazaine $11-$9
Race 4: Swiftfalcon $4.60-$3.20 with a bet of $1085 e/w at $4/$1.65, Depth Of Character $11-$7.50
Race 5: Chica Mojito $4.60-$3.40, Floating $6-$5.50, St Lawrence $15-$9
Race 6: Snow In May $8-$7-$2.70 (after the scratching of Autumn Glow) including a bet of $2000 at $8
Race 7: Giga Kick $2.30-$2.60-$2.40, Bella Nipotina $2.80-$3-$2.90-$2.80, Think About It $4.60-$4
Race 8: Unusual Legacy $8-$6 with a bet of $2200 at $6
Race 9: Ceolwulf $7.50-$6 after some big bets of $5000 at $6 and $2125 e/w at $7/$2.25, Tom Kitten $13-$10, Chrysaor $34-$17 with a bet of $1250 e/w at $34/$9.25
Race 10: Ostraka $3.50-$3.30, Briasa $4.40-$4

• MARKET MOVERS: Randwick black type runner $6 into $3.20

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EARLY QUADDIE SELECTIONS
Race 3: 2,6,8,9
Race 4: 2,3,6,7
Race 5: 4,5,10,12
Race 6: 2,4,9

QUADDIE SELECTIONS
Race 7: 1,2,7
Race 8: 2,10,11,21
Race 9: 2,4,7,18
Race 10: 1,4,5,12

• GROUP 1 TIPS: Racenet, Punters experts’ tips, betting strategies for the Epsom, Flight Stakes, Metropolitan and Turnbull Stakes

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PRICE CHECK
Ceolwulf (race 9), trained by Joe Pride, has been well backed to win the Epsom, firming from $7.50 to $6 after some big bets including $5,000 at $6 and $2,125 each way at $7. The Pride stable also has Think About It (race 7) in the Premiere Stakes and he’s firmed from $4.60 to $4.

• ‘He’s pretty special’: Joe Pride in awe of Ceolwulf

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TRIAL POINTERS
Tuscany (race 2), who cost $1.55 million at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale earlier this year, is a superbly bred colt by Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar out of Group 2 winner Summer Sham, herself the dam of multiple stakeswinner Schwarz. The colt’s damline traces back to the legendary Shantha’s Choice, the dam of the great racehorse and sire, Redoute’s Choice. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Tuscany lines up in the Breeders Plate and indicated he has inherited plenty of ability with his Kensington barrier trial win when he closed strongly to score over 850m in 49.11s, the equal fastest time of the session.

Icarian Dream (race 3) was a $300,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale purchase by emerging sire Blue Point and boasts Group 1 winner Recurring as her grand-dam. There was a lot to like about the Ciaron Maher-trained filly’s Kensington barrier trial win as she sat off the leaders then moved up three wide around the turn and cruised to the front to score comfortably without being tested. She looks to have plenty of natural ability and is drawn to advantage in the Gimcrack Stakes.

• ‘I could barely speak a sentence’: Costin’s amazing comeback could be crowned in Epsom glory

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SECTIONAL STARS
Bella Nipotina (race 7) is one of the nation’s most outstanding sprinters, winning three times at Group 1 level and earning more than $11 million prizemoney. She’s a seven-year-old mare who has had 53 starts but she is going better than ever as evidenced by her fast finishing second in the Concorde Stakes a month ago. The Ciaron Maher-trained Bella Nipotina ripped home her final 600m in a scarcely believable 31.81s to just miss reeling in stablemate I Am Me. Bella Nipotina tunes up for The Everest in the Premiere Stakes.

Briasa (race 10), unbeaten in four starts for Team Hawkes, is fifth emergency for the closer and needs another scratching to gain a start. If Briasa squeezes into the field, then he will be very hard to beat despite his awkward draw. Briasa has loads of ability and his first-up win at Rosehill on August 31 was very impressive as he sprinted his final 600m in a flying 32.8s which was easily the best sectional split of the meeting.

• Ray & Duff’s tips, analysis for Randwick on Saturday

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BEST BET
Chica Mojito (race 5) ran a blinder when resuming at Rosehill three weeks ago when she switched back to the inside and charged home near the rail to just miss behind Firestorm. The form has been franked with Firestorm winning again last week and she is now lining up in the Epsom Handicap. Trainer Chris Waller has found the ideal race for Chica Mojito, a stakes placegetter last season, who will appreciate the Randwick mile course and gets in with only 52kg. She’s the one to beat.

• Portelli eyes Epsom upset with underrated Kintyre

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VALUE
Hooligan Tommy (race 1) showed staying promise last season and did contest the ATC Australian Derby in autumn but was outclassed. The John Sargent-trained Ocean Park gelding has returned a stronger, improving racehorse this spring as he’s demonstrated with impressive wins at Scone and Canberra. This is obviously tougher again but he’s a progressive horse, well-weighted and drawn to get the right run. He opened at $17 but has been well-backed and is into $6.50.

Originally published as Ray Thomas’ Randwick tips, inside mail: James Cummings’ Tom Kitten, Zardozi primed for Group 1 glory

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/tips/ray-thomas-randwick-tips-inside-mail-james-cummings-tom-kitten-zardozi-primed-for-group-1-glory/news-story/ef0a3ea035b26f6eae0df4c9cd362058