Randwick races: Shayne O’Cass’s tips and extended preview for Boxing Day meeting
Form analyst Shayne O’Cass is hoping to provide punters with a belated Christmas bonus at Royal Randwick. Check out his top picks for the holiday meeting.
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Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over every race for the bumper Boxing Day card at Royal Randwick, with latest TAB Fixed Odds and suggested bets.
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ROYAL RANDWICK
Track: Soft 5. Rail: 2m out.
R1 (1.05pm): BOXING DAY PLATE (1100m)
The scratching of Shaquero has thrown the opener wide open. Vianello ran a slick time when she won over 900m at Newcastle. No reason at all to suggest she won’t run 1100m. Vandoula Lass is a Sandown winner and looked the part when runner-up to Mura Mura in a trial.
BET: VIANELLO win.
LATEST BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS
R2 (1.40pm): TAB HIGHWAY (1100m)
I was pretty keen on Toro Toro when he resumed in a TAB Highway here two weeks ago and counted us both unlucky given that the horse didn’t really get any clear air to really show what he is made of. Doubt that will be the issue on Boxing Day given he has drawn way out. That seems to be the tale of this race with so many of the fancies drawn wide, including Pinnacle Prince. Even though all these horses will come in a few spots, it’s not perfect. The best roughie is Tickler — fitter this time!
BET: TORO TORO win, quinella 5, 10.
R3 (2.15pm): SCHWEPPES HCP (1600m)
Black Bolt has been scratched and will race at Eagle Farm, so I’m going with The Guru. He has a big, big finish and is a bit underrated. Zing did enough first-up and can only be fitter for this one.
BET: THE GURU win.
R4 (2.50pm): RANVET HCP (1800m)
Amica was given the perfect ride by Brenton Avdulla when she won on the Kensington track 22 days ago but you have to save some praise for the mare herself because she really responded and was strong through the line. She might be by Rubick but the dam could stay 2000m and that’s where Amica may be headed. La Grisa was always a chance to run a cheeky race first-up but I suspect she ran above what even her most ardent admirers would have thought. Makes huge appeal with the light weight.
BET: AMICA win.
R5 (3.30pm): DRINKWISE MILE (1600m)
Word For Word, the mare part-owned by former NZ Prime Minister Sir John Key and NZ Test batsman Terry Jarvis, ran much better than it appears on paper when she resumed here two weeks ago. She was doing her best work very late and it wasn’t like she had much room to move either. Bear in mind, Word For Word’s only two runs at this track/distance were both close seconds. Matowi is Matowi, he looms up more than he wins but that is not to say he hasn’t found another suitable race. The Queen’s (old) horse Humbolt Current was really good behind Edison first-up.
BET: WORD FOR WORD win.
R6 (4.10pm): SUMMER CUP (2000m)
From a racing purist’s point of view, I would like to see Greysful Glamour win this because that would make it the ATC Cup, Villiers and Summer Cup in three consecutive starts. Might happen but I am wary of what was pointed out by our boss Ray Thomas about no mare carrying this much weight and winning and the race goes back to 1890! She might be the one, she is flying. That said, I think Boxing Day is going to be Christmas Day for Laure Me In. His best run was last start when he arguably should have beaten Greysful Glamour in the ATC Cup. The other one that ‘peaks’ here is Mr Marathon Man.
BET: LAURE ME IN win, MR MARATHON MAN place.
R7 (4.50pm): RACING ACTIVE HCP (1200m)
What an incredibly strong and interesting race owing mostly to the presence of two already well-credentialed but even more promising types in Amish Boy and Quantico. On top of that, one third of the field are last-start winners. One of them is Quantico, who is trained by John O’Shea, who won stakes races with Quantico’s dam Hoss Amor. There is a bit of X-factor in Quantico, who has the blinkers on for the first time. Amish Boy has run well in all the right races in Victoria. Hugh Bowman rode him in his trial here; it was certainly good enough.
BET: QUANTICO win.
R8 (5.30pm): PRECISE AIR HCP (1400m)
With Smart Image not here, the two horses that have the most upside from a mid-to-long term point of view are Travest and the three-year-old Ellsberg, who is on his way to the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, which would be some effort to win given that this is his first prep. Travest is second-up at a more suitable trip. With all that said, I am with Juventus. Hugh Bowman is sticking with him, having ridden the horse here a fortnight ago. Big weight and a wide draw but he is honest and shouldn’t be double figures (which he is).
BET: JUVENTUS each-way.
R9 (6.10pm): THE AGENCY REAL ESTATE HCP (1200m)
Dunbrody Power likes these fast run races where she can ambush late and should be in the mix here. Outback Diva and Madam Legend are both resuming and must be respected.
BET: DUNBRODY POWER each way.
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