Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from Royal Randwick Saturday

Daily Telegraph racing expert Mitch Cohen has run the rule over all the action on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick.

Belle Detelle ran with plenty of merit in the Australian Oaks. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Daily Telegraph racing expert Mitch Cohen has analysed all the chances at Royal Randwick and found a few worth following from Day 2 of The Championships.

FIVE TO FOLLOW

INTERJECTION (3rd, race 2)

Rattled home from last to finish half-a-length off the winner in third in the Listed South Pacific Classic. He looks like an ideal Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas next month.

Sergeant Major grips on to capture the Bisley Workwear South Pacific Classic 🏇@cmaherracing and Ethan Brown combine in the Listed feature on #thestarchampionships Day 2 pic.twitter.com/b7OZdodELy

— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) April 12, 2025

KIND WORDS (6th, race 3)

This mare found a few of them a bit too sharp over 1400m in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final but there was a lot to like about her effort through the line. Follow over more ground next start.

BIG SWINGER (5th, race 5)

In a race dominated by the leaders, this Victorian raider was doing his best work through the line to finish on the heels of the placegetters. Third up over 1400m should be perfect for him.

BELLE DETELLE (5th, race 6)

A crawling tempo made it difficult for anything back in the field to make up ground in the Australian Oaks but there was merit to her run. Let’s hope Chris Waller takes her to Queensland or South Australia for another Oaks crack.

An epic win by Treasurethe Moment in the G1 Australian Oaks! She nabs the Victorian-Australian Oaks double in the final strides! 🙌@mattlaurierace | @LaneDamian | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/0TP9YjxkuE

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025

COCO JAMBOO (5th, race 10)

It was another solid performance from this Peter Snowden-trained mare in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes, finishing a touch over a length off the winner down on the fence. She looks primed to defend her Hawkesbury Crown win from last year.

CRUNCH TIME

Enriched (race 5): Position in running was key for this colt as he raced away with the Arrowfield, finishing his last 600m in 32.77 seconds, the fifth fastest of the race. Fourth placegetter Private Life ran the fastest final 600m of the meeting in 32.46.

Sun ‘N’ Sand (race 6): Stacked them up with a sluggish tempo mid-race that featured furlong splits of 13.45, 13.80, 13.52 and 13.46 seconds between 1800m and 1000m. She came home with a last 600m of 34.02, narrowly going down to Treasurethe Moment (33.63).

Fangirl (race 9): Didn’t have a runner behind her at the top of the straight before rattling off a typical slick last 600m of 33.33 seconds to win. Her final three splits of 11.00, 10.80 and 11.53 were all race-best furlongs.

Infancy (race 10): Let rip with a powerful burst from the back to win the Sapphire Stakes, clocking a tidy race-best 33.08 seconds for her last 600m. Runner up Commemorative (33.40) was only run over last.

Infancy wins the G2 Sapphire Stakes first up! 💃@Leesracing | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/SrQ277ZbHj

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025

STEWARDS SAY

Polish Playgirl (race 1): Jockey Tyler Schiller said the filly was one-paced when placed under pressure and was disappointing. She was found to be slow to recover post-race.

Imperial Force (race 5): Brushed approaching the 150m by Enriched, which shifted in. A post-race vets examination found the colt to be suffering thumps.

Treasurethe Moment (race 6): Jockey Damian Lane was fined $10,000 and suspended for two weeks for excessive whip use on the Australian Oaks winner.

Alalcance (race 7): Jockey Tim Clark reported the mare raced flat and appeared as though she had come to the end of her preparation. No abnormalities were found and the favourite will now be spelled.

Warmonger (race 7): Become badly unbalanced and caused severe hampering to Mostly Cloudy and Cleveland after copping interference from Athabascan. Athabascan’s jockey Tommy Berry was suspended for careless riding.

Geoglyph (race 8): Bumped on jumping when Buckaroo shifted in. Tailed off and was revealed to be 2/5 lame in the off-foreleg post-race.

The champ Via Sistina claims the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with ease, equalling Winx's record of 7 Group 1's in a season! 🤩 What a mare!@cwallerracing | @mcacajamez | @YulongInvest | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/oMBNGpAyv8

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025

TRACK TALK

“You have a plan, but you don’t expect things to go the way you dream. To have it work out the way it has for us is just unbelievable.” Treasurethe Moment’s trainer Matt Laurie.

“She’s a big, big horse and she’s quite scary really, we don’t ask her too much at home, we just hold it together and know that it’s their raceday.” Chris Waller on Via Sistina.

“I actually went out there with the mindset, she was a 10 to 1 chance, and rode her like that.” James McDonald on Fangirl.

“I haven’t got my good friends in this horse, I’ve got my family, so it’s very special.” Arapaho’s trainer Bjorn Baker.

“I was bolting, I had to count to 10 and just wait until I got to the top of the rise. He’s got an awesome turn of foot for a stayer.” Rachel King on Arapaho.

“He’s broken my heart more times than once. But we love him, I’ve always known his ability, and for him to go and do that, it’s just fantastic.” Sara Ryan on Matcha Latte.

MATCHA LATTE wins the Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships!@AshMorgan6 and @sara_r_racing combine to claim the $1 million Final at Randwick staving off the challenge of Lord Of Biscay with Imposant in third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/h2pChsEZsn

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 12, 2025

YOU CAN BET ON IT

Sydney Cup

Arapaho held less than three per cent of TAB investments and only crept back into $21 from $23 in the minutes prior to leaving the gates. There were bets of $250 e-w at $23 and $6 and $21 and $6.

Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Via Sistina held close to 65 per cent of TAB’s total outlays in a big return for punters. Those who showed patience were able to take the favourite at $2.10 and then again at even-money after being pushed out from $1.95 in the final 15 minutes before the jump.

One TAB customer had $11500 @ $2, another $10700 at $2.10, while there was $9000 @ $2 and several $5000 bets at even-money.

Queen Of The Turf Stakes

Fangirl also held around 65 per cent of the money with TAB and was a big return for punters with the favourite backed from $1.95 into $1.60 on race day, having opened at $2.25. Highlight takes were $11400 and $7000 @ $1.85 and $3690 @ $1.95.

THE SCHEDULE 

Monday: Scone

Tuesday: Armidale, Kembla Grange

Wednesday: Warwick Farm, Coffs Harbour

Thursday: Wyong, Albury

Friday: Canberra

Saturday: Royal Randwick, Kembla Grange, Moruya, Port Macquarie

Sunday: Bourke, Mudgee, Nowra

RON DUFFICY’S ROYAL RANDWICK SNAPSHOT

RUN OF THE DAY

The wonder mare Via Sistina has had an unforgettable season winning another grand final with her head on her chest.

You just have to sit back and admire the way she goes about her work.

FORGET THEY RAN

Although not saying they would have won Dubai Honour was valiant covering ground and sticking it out well behind the great mare while both Waltham and Stefi Magnetica were held up at vital stages in the straight and should have got a lot closer to the winners.

THE BLACK BOOK

Interjection found the 1400m a touch short and might be something to bet on if he finds a suitable mile in the near future while the inexperienced 2yo filly Sequista showed enough 1st up to say that she has a very bright future.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Rachel King rode the absolute perfect two mile race on the tough Arapaho in the Sydney Cup making it look easy. You won’t see a better ride.