Randwick races: Shayne O’Cass’ tips and extended preview

Following two handy trials, a Chris Waller-trained three-year-old is ready to start his campaign on a winning note at Randwick on Saturday.

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race, including suggested bets, for the Winter Stakes meeting at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

RANDWICK

Track: Heavy 8. Rail: Out 3m

RACE 1

Overview:Winning Proposal is in the big league now but she is such a professional racehorse who will take some beating from barrier 1 unless the fence is off. Not saying it will be, it is only race one and who better than Nash Rawiller to work out the way home for us. Will through anything they serve up. Wrap Around descendant Brave One is a smashing type who trialled to match his good looks and huge pedigree. He’s got barrier 2 so I guess he can follow Nash? Got a future. Mayfair and Carnegie Hill the best of the rest maybe.

Bet: Winning Proposal to win, quinella 1, 3

RACE 2

Overview:Invader Zim was bought (for $150,000) out of the New Zealand Ready 2 Run Sale. He has been very impressive to varying degrees in all three starts so far. Resumes on the weekend off two fairly typical ‘Waller trials’. Until Valhalla thrashed Emmadella and Nanshe on the Kensington track last start; both those horses are subsequent winners. Ciaron Maher stablemate Lady Boss keeps taking steps and pretty big ones too. Big watch on the gelded Manwe.

Bet: Invader Zim to win

If you followed @BradJGray you would have got it!

Invader Zim gets through the line from the second at Rosehill! @[e-mail]/HEwdFrp8Xe

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 28, 2024

RACE 3

Overview:The Extreme Cat gets a pass mark for that first-up sixth of 13 in an 1100m Benchmark 64 at Warwick Farm. She got through the Heavy with no worries. What is also significant is that her second-up record reads as a win and a second from two runs. Nosey Parker was last seen on March 2 running a distant second to Tavi Time in the Prov/Midway Heat at Newcastle. The Paul Perry-trained son of his former star Choisir has trialled twice and looks a little bit ‘set’ for this.

Bet: The Extreme Cat, Nosey Parker each-way, quinella 6, 9

RACE 4

Overview:Clear Thinking wins my vote for ‘most interesting horse’ racing all day at Randwick. She has a boom on her like an atomic bomb before her eight length win on debut at Scone which she backed up with a two and quarter length win there on June 21. She is away from gone this time and it’s Heavy but I wouldn’t want to tip or bet against her. That said, it’s not over, she does have competition from some genuine Highway hardheads like Scopics, Syrian Star and Fuld’s Doubt.

Bet: Scopics to place

RACE 5

Overview:Age Of Sail is so well-bred, we have to make mention. Not only is he by Frankel, his dam is a half-sister to Lammtarra who was unbeaten in four starts, the English Derby and Arc de Triomphe included. Interestingly, Age Of Sail has never raced on anything other than Good tracks. A worry? If so, for him it certainly isn’t for Kapakiri who has three placings from four runs on Heavy and he’s a good Randwick horse like his dad, Kermadec. Loco was runner-up in the SAJC Chairman’s and fourth in the SAJC Derby. Peaking now.

Bet: Age Of Sail to win or, if scratched, Kapakiri to win

Tristate was a bit wobbly up the straight but still secured the win with a big margin. @ACummingsracingpic.twitter.com/U4YGok0Wdq

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 8, 2021

RACE 6

Overview:Tristate resumes under some highly favourable circumstances on Saturday. At home, 1100m, one for one on Heavy, Zac Lloyd, trials much better than they look and in a race that could fall away just a tad. Even if it doesn’t Tristate has a record equal to or better than any of the rivals. Zaragoza was to make his Price stable debut at Kembla on Thursday but that meeting was washed out. Barrier 10 of 11 is maybe not as bad it looks at first glance. Time will tell. Jedibeel and Mogo Magic have both won five races from 12 and eight starts respectively.

Bet: Tristate to win

RACE 7

Overview: Trivia time. It was July 3 in 2021 when Sydney hosted its first ever Midway. And who won it? Our Bellagio Miss for her then trainer Greg Hickman. Fast forward to the present and the now Price-trained mare who is on 48 starts (not out) and very catered for on the weekend on the wet track and with an extra 100m tacked on to barnstorm over the top of them. Molly Nails has won five from 20 (tick), one from one on Heavy (tick) and is third-up now. Wild Botanica and Alicia Roma has claims.

Bet: Our Bellagio Miss to win

RACE 8

Overview: Hats off to Joe Pride for his management of King Of The Castle. We know he can place a horse probably better than anyone and ‘The King’ is a case in point given he has won over $560,000 with more to come. Oh, and he ran fourth in The Big Dance. You just know he is going to give you a run for your money every time. You could say all that we just said about Joe Pride and King of The Castle about Kris Lees and the defending Winter Stakes champion Ucalledit. One of them wins in my opinion.

Bet: King Of The Castle to win, exacta 7 to beat 2

King Of The Castle gets the job done under @nashhot for @prideracing in the sixth event at Warwick Farm 👑 pic.twitter.com/c8ZlU0RR02

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 12, 2023

RACE 9

Overview:Contemporary, the grandson of the Ron Quinton-bred Mnemosyne, has finished on the podium at 13 of his 18 starts. His numbers get even more compelling when you zero in on his record at the track, the trip and while he is not a muddie, he can get through it, but under sufferance perhaps. Cuban Royal reached marvel status long ago. He turns 10 at the end of this month and if he wins on Saturday. That will be win number 11. If they are charging late down the middle all day, look out for Cuban Royale and another one, Disneck.

Bet: Cuban Royale to place

RACE 10

Overview:Lord Of Biscay is an Irish-bred son of Lope de Vega (what a stallion) whose record on arrival in Australia is five starts for two wins in England and a fourth in a Listed mile race at Chantilly in France. trialled twice, went well, 1400m gives him his chance but a total unknown on Heavy. If he’s out, then Rhapsody Chic is on for some pretty obvious reasons, one of them being her three length debut win at Matamata on a Heavy 10! Now that’s a muddie.

Bet: Lord Of Biscay to win or, if scratched, Rhapsody Chic to win

Best Bet: Invader Zim

Next Best: Tristate

Value Bet: Our Bellagio Miss

Originally published as Randwick races: Shayne O’Cass’ tips and extended preview