Race-by-race preview and tips for Randwick on Saturday

Race 1 – 12.30PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

1. Bundeena was a Midway winner fourth up last campaign over the Randwick 1100m in Midway company. There is a sense of deja vu ahead of Saturday. Note that John Thompson has also accepted with the five-year-old for Canterbury on Friday night. In that Randwick win, Bundeena covered ground settling three deep outside the leaders, yet still held off Well Timed. It was a brave win, and he looks to be trending towards another peak. He was forced to cover ground last start over 1200m but boxed on to be beaten two lengths in slightly tougher grade than this. The trade-off is lumping 60.5kg in this company. 3. Mogul Monarch used his speed to burn around Wyong first up, giving his eight rivals a touch up. Jumped a near even-money favourite. Was tried in Midway company last campaign before spelling where he was beaten less than a length by Mad Darcey. Prefer him over 1100m. Interested to see how 5. Mabel reacts to the blinkers going on for the first time.
How to play it: Bundeena to win.

Chad Schofield and Ceolwulf win the King Charles Stakes at Randwick in October.Credit: Getty Images

Race 2 – 1.05PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1000 METRES)

This looks a target race for 1. Massira. The bump in the road is drawing barrier 23 of 23. He’ll come in five once the emergencies come out. It will still be no easy task for Tim Clark to navigate, particularly with 61.5kg on his back, but his benchmark rating says that he deserves every kilo. Highway runners need to have three starts for their country-based trainer before being eligible. Here Massira is at start four. The former Godolphin-trained sprinter has hit the ground running for Dale. He beat Idle Flyer first up at Kembla over 1000m, with the runner-up winning twice in town since. He then ran a narrow second in BM72 grade at Warwick Farm. There’s depth to that race as a form reference, too. He then ran second to Weeping Woman at Canterbury in another BM72. Comes back to a class 3. 12. Fuld’s Doubt was too good for her rivals at Scone second up despite travelling three wide throughout. Has always teased talent. Even her run in the listed Denise’s Joy at Scone was eye-catching.
How to play it: Massira to win.

Race 3 – 1.40PM ASAHI SUPER DRY HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

5. Les Vampires resumes from a 47-week break, but the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable have an outstanding record with horses first up returning from lengthy breaks. This time last year the son of Pierro was running in the Randwick Guineas. He won first up at Canterbury leading from start to finish before giving a sight in the Hobartville as a $9 chance, finishing third behind Celestial Legend and Encap. He ended up just 1.5 lengths way in the Randwick Guineas. In fifth and sixth were Tom Kitten and Ceolwulf. Les Vampires returns a gelding and looked to take good benefit from his first trial into his second. He has bounced out to lead both of his trials. That tactical speed should see him run well here given the lack of pressure on paper. 4. Yiska is versatile in terms of his settling position. He wasn’t the best into stride last start at Randwick before working home fairly. He chased down the leader to win well at this track over this trip the start prior. Hard fit now fifth up. Produced his career-best last campaign sixth up.
How to play it: Les Vampires to win.

Race 4 – 2.15PM CATANACH’S JEWELLERS SKYLINE STAKES (1200 METRES)

2. Shaggy was a hard two-year-old to get a line on before the Pierro Plate, having gapped his rivals at Coffs Harbour and then the Sunshine Coast. There is no longer a question mark. The Allan Kehoe-trained youngster produced one of the standout two-year-old performances of the season when leading from start to finish at Randwick two weeks ago. He still has to tick the 1200m box, but he wasn’t slowing down at the end of 1100m. He asserted control from the start having jumped a length in front, before absorbing pressure in the middle stages, but forged clear to hold a decisive margin. Looking at the make-up of this field, there doesn’t look to be another noted leader. Had there been more pressure on paper, could have mounted a case for 4. Comedy to turn the tables on Shaggy. Looks suited out to 1200m given his late strength. 3. Quietly Arrogant was just about the run of the race in the Magic Millions 2YO and has since trialled well. The market looks to have underestimated him.
How to play it: Shaggy to win.

Race 5 – 2.50PM TAB SWEET EMBRACE STAKES (1200 METRES)

2. Memo would have to be the unluckiest two-year-old in training at the moment. Not sure how she still finds herself a maiden. That run of rotten luck continued in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. She was buried away on the fence from the inside gate and held up, with winner O’Ole pinching a winning break. The race was over once she angled into the clear. It was a similar story at Wyong at her second start. Peter Snowden will have left something up the sleeve ahead of the Golden Slipper fitness-wise, but imagine he’d be keen to get this filly on the board. Liked the way she trialled to bridge the six weeks between runs. 7. Bellazaine had a soft time outside the leader first up in the Lonhro Plate yet delivered when it counted. Showed good fight to fend off Beiwacht, a subsequent winner. Has to jump 1000m to 1200m, but the Waterhouse and Bott yard will have her ready to cope with that. 15. Wootton Lass is the only filly on debut here, but she has impressed in two trials, holding off West of Swindon in the latest.
How to play it: Memo to win.

Race 6 – 3.25PM PROVEN THOROUGHBREDS GUY WALTER STAKES (1400 METRES)

1. Amelia’s Jewel looks well placed to win first up over 1400m against the mares. Tipping her with some trepidation, however. Her class, as evidenced by her superior benchmark rating, says that she has found the right race to resume in and that she is the horse to beat. First up last campaign she chased home Royal Patronage in the Tramway with Kovalica in third. As the spring went on she just missed in a narrow finish in the Empire Rose to Atishu before finishing two lengths off Mr Brightside in the Cantala. To flip that on it’s head, for a mare that’s won nine from 21, she hasn’t won for 73 weeks now. She also maps to be near last in what looks a slowly run race. Perhaps the booking of James McDonald offsets that. 6. Tashi has to run out 1400m, but she could benefit greatly from a positive ride. 2. Olentia will be peaking third up, presumably into the Coolmore Classic, and her form can dip slightly second up, but she too looks well graded.
How to play it: Amelia’s Jewel to win.

Race 7 – 4PM THE CHASE SURROUND STAKES (1400 METRES)

1. Lady Shenandoah announced herself as a star three-year-old filly in the group 1 Flight Stakes in spring, putting three lengths on her rivals. She didn’t disappoint in her keenly awaited return in the Light Fingers Stakes over 1200m first up. The late market support forecasted that she’d be too good regardless of the sprint trip query, and she was. The daughter of Snitzel only improves off that. How do those that finished behind her turn the tables? They can’t, all being equal. Looks every bit a $1.60 chance. James McDonald jumps back aboard and maps to get a soft run. 2. Lady Of Camelot is the only other runner in single-figure odds, such is the dominance of Lady Shenandoah in early betting. Lady Of Camelot has to answer the 1400m question, but she beat the rest by almost a length and a half. Gai Waterhouse has won this race five times, including with Tropical Squall last year. 8. More Territories brings a different form line. She took advantage of a fast-run 1400m at Randwick to mow down flying filly Perfumist. May have improved from the spring where she was a length or two off the better fillies.
How to play it: Lady Shenandoah to win.

Race 8 – 4.35PM TAB VERRY ELLEEGANT STAKES (1600 METRES)

1. Ceolwulf was beaten on his merits by Fangirl and Via Sistina in the Apollo Stakes first up, but banking on him having the most improvement to come from that run. Once there is a pattern with a Joe Pride-trained galloper they typically run true to form. The four-year-old looked more of a Metropolitan runner after his fresh run in spring before he improved lengths to win second up, showing a brilliant turn of acceleration. His campaign ended in big wins in the Epsom and King Charles, both over the Randwick mile. Just don’t think there should be as much between the trio in early betting. That’s no knock on 8. Via Sistina. More so the odds being served up. She was trucking through the line in a sub-11-second final 200m in the Apollo. She couldn’t have done much more given the shape of the race. Out to the mile suits now. Maps to be last from the wide gate. The Apollo worked out perfectly for 9. Fangirl, snookering Via Sistina and settling in front of Ceolwulf. Her change up of gears proved too sharp for that pair. Her record at Randwick is exceptional.
How to play it: Ceolwulf to win.

Race 9 – 5.15PM LIVERPOOL CITY CUP (1300 METRES)

Going with the class of 1. Gringotts. The five-year-old went to another level again last campaign in a spring in which he won the Big Dance and The Gong. His skyrocketing rating leaves him carrying 61kg first up, but he is a proven weight carrier. He won The Gong with 60kg. There will be improvement as he gets out over further, but he is a proven fresh horse and his record of 4:1-2-1 should read even better as he was a good thing beaten in the Bill Ritchie first up last preparation. Looked sharp winning a recent Scone trial, and he maps to do no work from an inside gate. 7. Willaidow has an equally impressive record. His fighting qualities were on display first up, holding off 3. Iowna Merc. Looks to charge across and own this race from in front again. The 1300m second up looks a perfect progression. Iowna Merc has since franked that form line by fighting out the finish in the group 2 Expressway. He was flattered by a slow tempo, but is up and running and in career-best form.
How to play it: Gringotts to win.

Race 10 – 5.55PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS HANDICAP (2000 METRES)

2. Birdman was met with confident late support at Randwick first up yet found the mile too sharp. The trifecta were all genuine 1600m horses, and were fit. He was the first home of the resuming stayers. The form through the race stood up last Saturday. The lightly raced import gets out to 2000m second up and finds James McDonald. He didn’t fire in his first run for Chris Waller over the spring so was tipped straight out and allowed time to adjust. He has only had six starts and boasts a group 1 placing in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot out to 2800m. Imagine the Sydney Cup will be his autumn target, but he has the talent, and upside, to pick up a race or two on the way through. Chris Waller has eight of the 14 runners. His pair, 8. Medatsu and 9. Matusalem, have been overlooked in early markets. Medatsu was set an impossible task from a wide gate first up. Tommy Berry won two races on him last campaign. Matusalem can improveme out to 2000m third up. Kerrin McEvoy has ridden him in four of his five career wins.
How to play it: Birdman to win.

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Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au