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

Race 1 – 12.20PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1600 METRES)

7. Pocketing lines up for his sixth run of the campaign, but he continues to show up. The Richard and Will Freedman-trained three-year-old was friendless in betting last start at Rosehill in midweek company, yet defied that to run Flying Thinker to less than a length. He bounced back quickly from his failure the start prior where he pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia. On that occasion, he was sent around an even-money favourite in a Rosehill Midway over 1350m. Put a pen through that run. The reason he was so short there was having run a luckless second to Oh Diamond Lil at Canterbury. The mile suits now and the blinkers go on for the first time, which can hopefully coax him through the flat spot he hit a week and a half ago. If it’s not Pocketing, we are left to pick through the 1500m Midway at Rosehill two weeks ago. 1. Promitto wasn’t beaten far and was only second up. Third up out to the mile he should improve again. Like him drawn wide and there should not be too much pressure kicking up underneath him. 4. Rush Attack sat three deep the trip before winning that Midway. That’s now three wins and three seconds in his six runs for Nathan Doyle. Fit, honest and makes his own luck. 8. Hell’s Itch was jumping 1200m to 1500m there and made good late ground. Don’t love barrier one for him, but do like the prospect of him getting back onto rain-affected ground. 6. Herb was luckless in that same Midway.

How to play it: Pocketing to win.

I Am Me wins the Concorde Stakes in September.Credit: Getty Images

Race 2 – 12.55PM JERICHO GROUP FIREBALL STAKES (1100 METRES)

4. Yoshinobu has tactical speed, but the map looks tricky for James McDonald to navigate. He’s the right man for the job, however. The Neasham and Archibald-trained colt rose quickly through the grades last campaign winning a Wyong maiden before two starts later running third to Switzerland in the Roman Consul. Looks ready to go given how he won his second trial at Randwick recently. 3. Zeitung won out to 1400m in Melbourne in November, but she was sharp enough to chase down Bonita Queen first up last time in over 1100m. 5. Enriched has a fitness edge over the aforementioned duo and should improve off his narrow defeat in BM78 company two weeks ago.

How to play it: Yoshinobu to win.

Race 3 – 1.30PM PETALUMA REISLING STAKES (1200 METRES)

9. Savvy Hallie went down fighting on debut at Warwick Farm. Don’t be too quick to dismiss the race as simply a midweek maiden. It looked a deep race on paper where plenty of big pedigree and reputations went on the line. King Of Pop got her late, but she had travelled three wide the trip outside the lead so was entitled to be found out late. The daughter of Hellbent showed brilliant gate speed, too. She shouldn’t have too much trouble offsetting the wide draw. Not sure what to make of the two-year-old picture, particularly with the fillies, so wouldn’t be surprised to see a left-field winner. Enter Savvy Hallie. 3. Tempted did not get a lot of luck in the Blue Diamond last start as a $7.50 chance. She was unsuited by a lack of pressure and had traffic problems in the straight. Just missed in the Widden Stakes first up, making up a stack of late ground. Again, the barrier does her no favours. No knock on her as race favourite. 2. Inkaruna jumps from 1000m to 1200m and is a month between runs, but there’s depth to the race she won.
How to play it: Savvy Hallie each way.

Race 4 – 2.05PM DARLEY TODMAN STAKES (1200 METRES)

5. Wodeton had excuses in the Silver Slipper last start having been posted three wide the trip. Not an easy position to be in over the Rosehill 1100m on a dry track. Yet he still found the line to run third. He shouldn’t have any excuses now. Drawn to get the right run, James McDonald rides and he won on a soft track on debut, so the rain around won’t hurt his chances. The Chris Waller-trained colt is a firm favourite for the Golden Slipper and needs to be in the finish to make the field. A win and he’s exempt. Second and he should squeeze in on prizemoney. He still lays claim to the standout two-year-old performance of the season. The timing is right for him to reproduce that now. 10. Buffalo is still very green, very new. However, there’s a motor in there. Tipping Jason Collett will have learnt plenty after sitting aboard him for the first time in the Silver Slipper. No horse
was hitting the line harder than him late.
How to play it: Wodeton to win.

Race 5 – 2.40PM MOSTYNCOPPER ASPIRATION QUALITY (1600 METRES)

1. Hinged beat one runner home first up and has to lump 61kg, giving away 8kg to the early favourite. Now that’s out of the way, let’s have a look at some positives. The six-year-old simply isn’t a 1300m horse any more. It’s too sharp for her. She wasn’t helped with it being a dry track and a sprint home either. Saturday’s set up looks very different. She steps straight out to the mile and should get a soft track. Second up over the spring she was beaten in a photo finish in the group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at weight for age by Buckaroo. None of her rivals here would be capable of that. Second up last autumn she was beaten narrowly in the group 1 Coolmore Classic. She has her convictions, but this race has fallen into her lap. 7. It’s A Knockout was great first up at Randwick, chasing home Dark Glitter, which subsequently gapped Hinged in the Millie Fox. That does tie the form in, but It’s A Knockout is coming through BM78 form. She is an improving mare, however.
How to play it: Hinged to win.

Race 6 – 3.15PM SCHWEPPES CHALLENGE STAKES (1000 METRES)

9. I Am Me just won’t want the track too wet. That’s the only niggle. A dry track and she’s the bet of the day. She is a slick mare and a genuine 1000m horse. The six-year-old can stretch to 1200m, but she is just as dynamic over the shorter journey. That’s appealing given the make up of this race. Forget her first up run in the Oakleigh Plate: she was tasked with 57kg and was buried on the fence, never seeing daylight. She went to the line under a hold. Over the 1000m trip at Randwick in spring she cleared out with Bella Nipotina to win the Concorde in fast time. James McDonald has ridden her four times for three wins and a group 1 second to Imperatriz. 1. Mazu is the opposite to It’s Me: the wetter the track, the bigger the player he becomes. He isn’t a 1000m horse, so a test would offset that fact. Finished midfield in the group 1 Lightning Stakes first up. 5. Way To The Stars didn’t fire in that same Lightning up the straight. He’ll take up the running and give a sight.
How to play it: I Am Me to win.

Race 7 – 3.50PM THE AGENCY RANDWICK GUINEAS (1600 METRES)

1. Broadsiding won the Hobartville Stakes seemingly still with a gear up his sleeve. The Godolphin colt was easy in betting late, but once Zac Lloyd put the son of Too Darn Hot into the box seat, it was an easy watch. If he was going to be vulnerable this autumn, it was going to be first up over 1400m on a dry track. It went pear shaped for Broadsiding in spring, beaten second up in the Caulfield Guineas as an odds-on favourite, but he had genuine excuses. There isn’t a lot of speed so expect James McDonald to use the gate to again stalk the leaders. The prospect of rain around only enhances his claims. 2. Swiftfalcon’s fresh run will ensure it is no walk in the park for Broadsiding. He clocked the fastest last 600m split of the meeting when rattling home into second behind Broadsiding. The knock is that he doesn’t look as tractable, but he’ll only be giving away a couple of lengths head start instead of four here.
How to play it: Broadsiding to win.

Race 8 – 4.30PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS CANTERBURY STAKES (1300 METRES)

11. Stefi Magnetica went to another level in spring. After winning the Stradbroke, beating Bella Nipotina, she resumed in The Shorts, motoring to the line and running a very fast last 600m split, by far the quickest of the meeting, when second to I Am Me. That booked her a ticket for The Everest where she raced like she needed further. She got that in the Golden Eagle and should have won. The four-year-old returns over a more suitable 1300m this time back. Her trials suggest she has come back just as well and Zac Lloyd maintains his association with the mare. 10. Magic Time overcame obstacles to win the Expressway Stakes first up. Better suited second up out to 1300m and she maps to get the run of the race. Such a genuine mare that should be in the finish again. 2. Here To Shock might not be the best horse in the race, but he could prove to be the best suited. He’s fit on the back of a dominant group 1 win in New Zealand. He’ll own this race from in front. Has won four of his past five starts.
How to play it: Stefi Magnetica to win.

Race 9 – 5.10PM TOKYO CITY KEIBA RANDWICK CITY STAKES (2000 METRES)

9. Our Anchorage chases five straight. The weight and fitness advantage he had two weeks ago is gone now. 4. Asterix is trending the right way, too, but might want 2400m now.

How to play it: Our Anchorage to win.

Race 10 – 5.50PM HKJC WORLD POOL WENONA GIRL QUALITY (1200 METRES)

8. Shezanalister ran fast closing splits in a fast race last start. Double tick. She looked to get her chance, but she couldn’t have done much more in defeat. Her last 200m split was the quickest of the meeting when chasing home all-the-way winner Time To Boogie. The Bjorn Baker-trained mare has an exceptional Randwick record (5:3-0-1) and third up last campaign over the Randwick 1200m she was only beaten half a length by Schwarz in the group 2 Missile Stakes. Draws a middle gate, perfect come the last race and she will handle any track condition. 2. Arctic Glamour ran second to Schwarz in that Missile and was unlucky to not win. She tackled that first up. Sheezanalister was third up. What Arctic Glamour won’t want is a wet track; it will chop out the inside drawn barrier two, and she is more dynamic on top of the ground. Respect how good he was in some big races in spring, including fifth in an Epsom. 13. Outback Miss has to stretch her speed to 1200m, but a 7.5kg weight drop will help there.
How to play it: Shezanalister each way.

Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au