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Racewatch: Shayne O’Cass’ race-by-race tips and analysis for Royal Randwick on Saturday

Form expert Shayne O’Cass dissects the 10-race card for the Group 1 Randwick Guineas and Canterbury Stakes Day at Royal Randwick on Saturday, presenting his tips and race-by-race analysis.

Shayne O’Cass
Godolphin filly Tempted looks hard to beat in the Reisling Stakes. Picture: Bradley Photos
Godolphin filly Tempted looks hard to beat in the Reisling Stakes. Picture: Bradley Photos
4 min read
7 hours ago.
Updated 3 hours ago

Form expert Shayne O’Cass analyses the 10-race card for Silver Slipper and Hobartville Stakes Stakes Day at Rosehill on Saturday, presenting his tips and race-by-race analysis.

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RACE 1: MIDWAY (BM72) 1600m

Herb is a less than magnificent seven and zero at Royal Randwick. How does that happen? He’s built for the joint. His record at the mile is none too flash either but if he is ever going to run 1600m and win at Randwick, it will be Saturday with Jason Collett sticking solid. John Thompson has won his share of Midways with all manner of horses. Put Hell’s Itch in the lightly-raced and progressive category. Pocketing has the dream alley and the form.

Bet: Herb each-way

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RACE 2: JERICHO GROUP FIREBALL STAKES 1100m

Zeitung has raced 10 times and funny thing, every run was better than last, and that’s keeping in mind that she was knocking around in a host of Group 3’s Group 2’s and finally the Group 1 1000 Guineas where she ran an admirable sixth. Just thinking, but maybe she is more deadly in fast run 1100m and 1400m race. Flying For Fun is a very fast filly. She ran them off their legs to win her only two runs in the summer and in fast time too. Drifting and Perspiration have claims.

Bet: Zeitung to win, exacta 3 to beat 8

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RACE 3: PETALUMA REISLING STAKES 1200m

Tempted, the daughter of a Magic Night winner and great granddaughter of a VRC Oaks winner, is maybe just a shade unlucky not to have won two from three and you could argue that she might have won the Blue Diamond with an even break. Whatever the case, she’s back home for the Reisling and J-Mac goes on. Inkaruna trialled like a bomb up here in Sydney town post her Chairman’s win on debut in razor sharp time. Got to forgive and forget Bel Merci’s Silver Slipper failure.

Bet: Tempted to win

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RACE 4: DARLEY TODMAN STAKES 1200m

The Todman was a good time for Wodeton to draw a good alley. It’s not melodramatic to say that his chances of winning the Golden Slipper come down to 70-odd seconds on Saturday. Me? Well, not just me, but I think he’s the best two-year-old we’ve got and he’ll win the Todman and the Slipper. King Of Pop has the talent to test Wodeton but not the barrier. Beiwacht beat Bellzaine easily in the Silver Slipper; now that form looks good. Buffalo will be charging again (pun definitely intended).

Bet: Wodeton to win

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RACE 5: MOSTYNCOPPER ASPIRATION QLTY 1600m

The Surround winning Hinged, in fact, I would go as far as to say, an 85 per cent Hinged, is the superior horse in the Aspiration Quality on Saturday. Granted she might not be as formidable as she once was, but she rates 105 and the one at the bottom just 59. McDonald, barrier 5, sting out second-up, all good. Her biggest danger comes from within, namely Mare Of Mt Buller who is also second-up. She’s got a brief but compelling Randwick Mile record. Winx’s half-sister Wings Of Desire was fifth in an Edward Manifold at her fifth start.

Bet: Hinged to win

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RACE 6: SCHWEPPES CHALLENGE STAKES 1000m

Kimochi has some fine numbers; four wins and nine placings from 18 overall, nine starts for two wins, three seconds and two third here at Royal Randwick and importantly, so far as Saturday is concerned, she has three wins, a second and a third from her five first-up runs. Not sure a 1000m is her go but she is a Group 1 winner with loads of class. I Am Me is the one best suited on so many levels; 1000m, barrier 2, James McDonald. Talking of numbers, I Am Me is four from six at Randwick. Just needs this track to stay on the dry side.

Bet: Kimochi each-way, quinella 9, 10

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RACE 7: THE AGENCY RANDWICK GUINEAS 1600m

Broadsiding was posed the question first-up and answered in the affirmative. It’s probably all academic now whether you think he was good, bad or indifferent in Melbourne in the Spring, it is the Autumn that counts and he was dominant in the Hobartville. If he was already hard to beat, it got a lot harder for the others when he drew 4. Swiftfalcon was outstanding in the Hobartville, to the eye and on the clock. He’s certainly come back well. Aeliana was third in the Hobartville so could be the same trifecta again.

Bet: Broadsiding to win

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RACE 8: TOYOTA FORKLIFTS CANTERBURY STAKES 1300m

What a great field this is. There are so many possibilities. Put it this way, Encap is $81 and $16. Celestial Legend is $26, Royal Patronage is $16. Any one of those three could win or place here, even Airman, he’s a $51 shot. You can’t back them all, let alone tip them all so for the record, I am with Stefi Magnetica whose three wins are a Wellington Maiden, a Bathurst Benchmark 58 and a Stradbroke.

Bet: Stefi Magnetica each-way, Royal Patronage, Celestial Legend and Encap to place

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RACE 9: TOKYO CITY KEIBA RANDWICK CITY STAKES 2000m

Kinesiology is now the $11 equal second favourite to win the Sydney Cup on April 12. Easy to see why. His first was very good, his next one was better again. As it stands he will carry 50kg in the Sydney Cup, and not a lot more here either. That’s a good deal less than Duke De Sessa who has 61kg but I guess with that 111 Benchmark rating, he’s earned it. Expecting for a much better run from Zechariah second-up.

Bet: Kinesiology to win

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RACE 10: HKJC WORLD POOL WENONA GIRL QLTY 1200m

Clear Thinking will run here chasing black type rather than the Country Championship Qualifier at Tamworth on Sunday. She was only narrowly beaten in the Triscay last start and can go one better. Outback Miss well and truly deserves a crack at some valuable black type thanks to those utterly convincing back-to-back wins albeit essentially in midweek grade. Shezanalister should feel right at home at this level; ditto Lekvarte.

Bet: Outback Miss to place

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/horse-racing/racewatch-shayne-ocass-racebyrace-tips-and-analysis-for-royal-randwick-on-saturday/news-story/2a52a6f205c981129ca6c5d5d1bd570c