Punters once again rejoice with a whopping ten-race card for feature New South Wales racing at Royal Randwick Racecourse with the first getting underway at 11:00am. The meeting is featured by the Listed Winter Stakes in race eight which has drawn a handy field with Rubisaki the favourite for the race.
The track is currently rated as a Soft 7, with no signs of improvement with showers forecasted throughout the meeting and could result in a track downgrade. The running rail out 6m from the 1600m to the winning post and out 4m for the remainder. Tough meeting but let’s get stuck in and find some winners!
Race 1 Two-year-old Handicap (1100m) @ 11:00am
Darceandermill
The Victorian comes in with strong claims here. The son of Lonhro ran into a smart one last start when finishing third behind Jigsaw. Prior to that, he was a winner at Mornington and Bendigo on Heavy 8 and Soft 6 tracks, respectively. He comes into this rock-hard fit and looks to get the perfect run in the race either up on pace or just in behind the speed from barrier four. Closes the gap in weights on his rivals with apprentice Jean Van Overmeire’s 1.5-kilogram claim. Looks to get plenty of favours in this and should be right in the finish.
Sky Command was a very impressive winner on debut last start at Warwick Farm when leading all-of-the-way. Will find it tougher to cross from barrier ten but he could go close again if he does.
Dragonstone is a progressive type and was a handy winner last start while Forzanini won well last start and is well over the odds here. Sir Crackle has had some good support after three impressive trial wins leading into this first-up run.
Selections: 1-4-10-9
Suggested Bet: Back Darceandermill each-way ($8 win, $2.50 place).
Race 2 Three-year-old Benchmark-72 Handicap (1500m) @ 11:35am
Kobe Rocks
Gets his chance to bounce back to winning ways here. He just got held up last start in behind the speed and wanted to lay in when jockey Heavelon Van Der Hoven tried to angle him off the leader’s heels. Josh Parr jumps aboard for the ride today and once again, the former New Zealander looks to get a gun run in behind the speed from barrier two. Should appreciate the rain being forecasted and the possibility of a Heavy track with his Heavy track record of two wins and a placing from three starts on the surface. Rock-hard fit now and gets his chance here.
Allinthistogether was a dominant winner last start to break her maiden at Gosford and comes into this with just 52kg on her back. Can sit just off the solid tempo and swoop into the race.
Canadian Spice should get a gun run from barrier one and is well over the odds while Alvin The Bold will get a nice run up on speed. Major Artie was disappointing last start but can bounce back also.
Selections: 1-9-8-2
Suggested Bet: Back Kobe Rocks with a smaller win, large place bet ($4.60 win, $1.80 place).
Race 3 Class 3 Highway Handicap (1400m) @ 12:10pm
Birdonawinningpost
Has strong claims to be going remarkably close in this one first-up. She showed good ability last preparation including a nice win in this class in a Highway race over 1800m beating If You Think So. Comes up with a terrific barrier here of barrier two and should get a cosy run just in behind the speed, which there is not a lot of. Gets conditions to suit, with her only missing a placing once in four runs across Soft and Heavy tracks and with the right run, should be right in the finish here.
Casino Kid is in terrific form and was a handy winner last time out in this class in a Highway race at this track. Will not get as strong a tempo this time around but should be charging home again late.
Cavalier Charles and Dream Runner have strong claims in this with the conditions to suit while Underground Music beating Patino Ruby two starts back is strong enough form to suggest he can run well.
Selections: 6-18-1-19
Suggested Bet: Back Birdonawinningpost each-way ($9.50 win, $3.10 place).
Race 4 Fillies & Mares Benchmark-78 Handicap (1100m) @ 12:45pm
Misteed
Gets a big drop in grade here after running a bold race at big odds last start when finishing fourth behind Outback Barbie at Doomben. Comes into this rock-hard fit third-up, where she won third-up last preparation in the same grade as this and draws to get a similar run just off the speed from barrier one here. She gets conditions to suit here, with all her career wins to date coming on wet tracks and has had a solid trial since her last run leading into this one. Massively over the odds here and has a terrific winning chance.
Van Giz is in some good form and has been unlucky not to win one of her last two runs, where she finished second in both. She will appreciate the conditions, but a severe lack of tempo is a slight concern.
De Grawin looks to get a soft run up on-pace with Brazen Gem and should prove to take some catching while Zoumist could be in for a good fresh run.
Selections: 3-4-9-7
Suggested Bet: Backing Misteed to win ($10).
Race 5 Benchmark-78 Handicap (2000m) @ 1:20pm
Harpo Marx
Drawing closer to a victory and looks to be a terrific chance to do so here. He ran on powerfully once again last start from well back to finish fourth behind Steely last week at Rosehill over the 1800m. Finds himself on the quick seven-day back-up here and gets out to the 2000m third-up, where he is two wins from three third-up runs. There looks to be a reasonably strong tempo in the race, which should suit, and the extra 200m, as mentioned previously, will be of great benefit to him and his winning chances. Will be awfully hard to hold out in this.
Our Intrigue was terrific in his debut run here in Australia when finishing fourth behind Zing. Will be greatly improved off that run and will appreciate the step up in distance. Savvy Legend and Mr Gee both come out of the same race last start and look to have claims of running well here while Criminal Code also has claims.
Selections: 3-8-13-11
Suggested Bet: Back Harpo Marx to win with confidence ($2.70).
Race 6 Benchmark-78 Sprint (1100m) @ 1:55pm
Hulk
Has been finishing off powerfully in his last few runs and a win is not too far away. His second two starts back to Malkovich reads well with Malkovich coming out and winning impressively at Caulfield and is the favourite to win the Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield this afternoon. The lack of tempo is the slight query on his winning chances, he will have to make up a stack of ground but looks a great chance here once again.
Destination maps to be able to get a nice run from barrier one and can bounce back to form second-up while Perigord and Lancaster Bomber also should be much improved second-up.
Selections: 9-3-1-4
Suggested Bet: Hulk is just a fraction too short. No Bet.
Race 7 Benchmark-72 Handicap (1300m) @ 2:35pm
Not Feint Hearted
Comes back to a track in Randwick that he has a terrific record at, with two wins from three starts and both of those wins at this distance range. He will come right into things the more the rain tumbles throughout the day and if the track moves into that Heavy range with his Heavy track record of three wins from six starts on the surface. The lack of tempo is a slight query for him but if they can go quick enough up front, he will be swooping into the race late.
Stablemate Lord Zoulander also has claims after a nice win last start in weaker grade on a Heavy track when leading all-of-the-way at Hawkesbury. Will relish the wet track here and can be right in the finish.
Royal Banquet is getting closer to a win and looks to get the perfect chance to do so here third-up while Monegal and Bazooka both have solid claims also.
Selections: 1-4-11-13
Suggested Bet: Tough to be too confident in this. No Bet.
Race 8 Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) @ 3:15pm
Riodini
Looks quite well placed here to indicate he is a terrific chance first-up here. Was quite sound in his first racing preparation here in Australia last preparation with some terrific performances including a second at Group 2 level to I Am Superman and a third in the Group 1 Epsom behind Probabeel. That shapes up as terrific form for a race like this and he rarely runs a bad race. He has had two sharp trials leading in, winning his most recent comfortably in a two-horse trial, and he maps to get a gun run either up on speed or just in behind. Does not look to be a lot of pressure up front and with a soft run, he will be right in the finish.
Rubisaki also looks well placed here and is getting closer to a win. She returns to a track that she has a perfect two wins from two starts record on and looks to get conditions to suit no matter if the track is in the Soft or Heavy range. The potential lack of tempo could give her a lot to do and is the slight query on her winning chances.
Bandersnatch returned to winning ways last start with a solid all-the-way win over Tricky Gal, who gets a two-kilogram weight swing on him in this. Order Again has claims and Ziegfeld is a horse with plenty of scope resuming for his second preparation here in Australia and also has claims.
Selections: 4-6-9-7
Suggested Bet: Backing Riodini each-way ($9.50 win, $3.10 place) and having something on the Quinella (4,6).
Race 9 Benchmark-88 Handicap (1200m) @ 3:55pm
Madam Legend
No reason this four-year-old mare by I Am Invincible cannot go back-to-back. She was a brilliant winner last start over Hulk, who we will get a form read on out of race 6, and should only go better second-up, where she has a record of a win and a placing from three first-up runs. She comes in very well at the weights with apprentice jockey Brock Ryan’s two-kilogram claim bringing her down to carry just 53kg. Gets conditions to suit here with her excellent record on wet tracks and can see her getting a nice run around midfield off a solid enough tempo. Should be going close once again.
Frosty Rocks will be bowling along up on-pace and will take some running down. Has a terrific first-up record and will take luck out of the equation. Zakat and Barbaric both looks terrific chances first-up in this also and look to have both come back well. while I Am Power also has solid claims.
Selections: 12-10-11-2
Suggested Bet: Backing Madam Legend to win ($3.70) and having something small each-way on Barbaric ($11 win, $3.30 place).
Race 10 Benchmark-78 Handicap (1400m) @ 4:30pm
Blondeau continues to threaten in his races and looks to get a terrific chance here once again. Will strongly appreciate the rain falling and the potential track downgrade to a Heavy surface.
Off Shaw gets conditions to suit while Ulysses also has claims as he looks to get a gun run from barrier one. Matowatakpe will appreciate the likely Heavy track by the end of the day.
Selections: 4-2-9-5
Suggested Bet: No Bet.
Quaddie
Leg 1 (Race 7): 1,4,6,10,11,13
Leg 2 (Race 8): 1,4,6,7,9
Leg 3 (Race 9): 2,5,10,11,12
Leg 4 (Race 10): 2,4,5,9
$300 = 50%
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