An excellent card of racing has been assembled for Randwick on Saturday, headed up by the $250,000 Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), where all eyes will be on Boban, who some said was disappointing in the Expressway Stakes. We will learn alot more about how he has come back after this weekend.
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Race One (13:20) : The Ritz Cinema Handicap 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: Good race for the babies to kick off the program. Going for Chris Waller here with Double Happy, who raced twice during the Spring and ran quite well, placing twice. Bolted in a recent barrier trial without going into second gear, suggesting he has come on big time and is ready to win first up.
Big Danger: Chengdu worked home very well on debut at Kembla to Ygritte a few weeks back after being tardy away from the gates. That form has been franked with Ygritte running a beauty last week in the Widden Stakes behind Mossfun. Extra furlong looks perfect and is on his home track.
Roughie: Passaparole had the easy kill on debut at Orange, camping outside the speed before letting go in the straight and bolting in. I think she is a filly who can measure up to Saturday company, and if the rain comes, the breeding suggest she’ll handle it comfortably. Wouldn’t leave her out of calculations.
$250 Double Happy Free Bet
Race Two (13:57) : Cyrean Restaurant & Bar Handicap (95) 1600m Form Guide
Back Me: Sticking solid with Our Desert Warrior. The race simply wasn’t run to suit him the other day here. Yes, on face value, he was disappointing, but he was first up and a stop/start tempo is not his go at all. He should roll forward, dominate the race and take a power of beating.
Big Danger: Monton is loving the drop back from blacktype company at the moment, winning two of his last three, and should have won the other when checked at the top of the straight and getting badly held up. Has to carry the grandstand, but class will take him a long way towards victory.
Roughie: The long Randwick straight should suit Magnolia Lane, who has been very good at her past couple albeit in easier company than this. I can see her put to sleep on the fence and working home well late, perhaps for a first four spot.
$250 Our Desert Warrior Free Bet
Race Three (14:32) : Scruffy Murphy’s Handicap (81) 2000m Form Guide
Back Me: Forever Crazy has found a new lease of life in recent times, really attacking the line at her past two starts, both wins, at Kensington. Never looked like getting the job done last time out, but she stuck her neck out and mowed them down out wide. This race isn’t overly strong and she is an in form mare, and we know the old saying- mares that are in form, stay in form.
Big Danger: Divertire finished fourth in that race Forever Crazy won, beaten a half length, and was luckless, getting held up in the straight before going to the worst part of the track, near the fence and made up significant ground late. Back to Randwick, stepping up in trip and a senior rider on board will see her be right in the mix.
Roughie: Boogie Shoes pulled quite hard when attempting to lead all the over 2400m here a couple of weeks back, and was the first horse beat. He was later found to have been galloped on, so there were excuses. The drop back in distance and a more cold ride could spark improvement.
$250 Forever Crazy Free Bet
Race Four (15:07) : Southern Cross Stakes 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: Albrecht was a real tease during the Spring in three runs. First two runs he got back and charged home late, then looked to have enough when down the track in the Yellowglen on Derby Day. Looked quite forward in a barrier trial win at Randwick last week and he does seem to perform at his best when kept fresh.
Big Danger: Terravista was the real find of the latter part of the Spring, winning three on the trot before bumping into White Sage in the Festival Stakes. Another that has won a barrier trial and looks ready to rumble first up.
Roughie: Toydini is too good of a horse to ignore here. Showed his true colours during the Spring, with some excellent runs, highlighted by a tough win in the Cameron Handicap at Newcastle and a narrow loss in the Epsom behind Boban. Trialled well enough leading up to this to suggest he can run a cheeky race fresh.
$250 Albrecht Free Bet
Race Five (15:42) : Light Fingers Stakes 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: Guelph…need we say anymore? She is a star, the best three year old filly in Australia, one of the best in the world…trialled brilliantly…she won’t get beat against her own age and sex this prep.
Big Danger: Sweet Idea put together two awesome victories in the Magic Millions Stakes at Wyong and the Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast respectively. The latter was a beauty, where she looked in trouble several times, but under hard riding, she found, like the very good horses do. She is high class, and should run well again.
Roughie: The interesting runner here is Real Surreal, the 2013 Magic Millions Classic winner, who hasn’t been seen since that great win. Now with Team Hawkes, and has trialled twice, both of which she has won. I’m keen to have a look at her and see how she does here, because I rated her quite highly as a two year old.
$250 Guelph Free Bet
Race Six (16:17) : Ezymart Handicap (79) 1400m Form Guide
Back Me: Plenty to like about the win of Seaside at Rosehill last time out. Looked in a bit of trouble when the leaders sprinted hard at the top of the straight, she balanced up and really attacked the line like a horse to follow. Steps up a fair bit in depth, but she has promise.
Big Danger: Specific Choice goes in as the Big Danger, simply because he has all the talent in the world, but just doesn’t finish it off when let off the bit. Looked as if he was going to space his rivals at Rosehill, then Rowie went past as if he was nailed to the paint. He can win, but he won’t be getting my money.
Roughie: Cheeky placement here by Leon Corstens with General Groove from Melbourne. The big weight beat him last start at Geelong, so I’m prepared to forgive him for that. Drops 7.5kg from that run, drawn well and can handle a bit of sting out of the track.
$250 Seaside Free Bet
Race Seven (16:52) : Apollo Stakes 1400m Form Guide
Back Me: No reason why Appearance can’t repeat the dose here. Her win in the Expressway was outstanding, top class and just pure dominant. She will only improve off that run, and don’t worry about her poor second up record because Guy Walter has got this mare in the best form of her career. Very keen on her.
Big Danger: If the Boban from the Spring turns up, he beats these. Most thought he was disappointing first up, but you have to remember, he is being aimed at the Queen Elizabeth, run over 2000m, and will probably be the toughest 2000m run we will see for a long time. In saying that, Waller has stated that the horse didn’t spell well at all, so that worries me heading forward this horse. But his class will carry him a long way.
Roughie: Rain Drum has looked the goods in a couple of barrier trials here, winning his first one before placing behind Role Model and Spurtonic in the next. Looks as if he’ll get a cheap lead, and is definitely wound up enough to win fresh.
$250 Appearance Free Bet
Race Eight (17:27) : Triscay Stakes 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: Any Day Will Do put up a remarkable performance in the Expressway. First up at WFA against a host of Group 1 winners, and her last 200m was as good as any other runner in the race. No doubt she has a Stakes race in her, and although her form is better over further, I reckon she is going well enough to win this.
Big Danger: She’s Clean is the obvious class runner engaged here. Was last seen making up a stack of ground from the back in a slowly run race when fourth to White Sage in the Festival Stakes. Wasn’t knocked about late when trialling behind Snitzerland, who came out and won the Lightning last week. She is an absolute bomb fresh, and given her record, she gets in so well at the weights.
Roughie: More Than Brave was exactly that at Rosehill last start, carrying 59kg on the speed. Looked the winner 200m out, but couldn’t hold off the fast finish of Seaside. She has the clear fitness edge, and gets on the minimum on her home track. Knockout chance.
$250 Any Day Will Do Free Bet
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Best Bet: Race Five Number 1 Guelph
Next Best: Race Seven Number 10 Appearance
Best Roughie: Race Eight Number 4 Any Day Will Do
Quaddie Tips (Races Five Through To Eight):
Leg One: 1
Leg Two: 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14
Leg Three: 1, 4, 7, 10
Leg Four: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12
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Darley stalwart Pinwheel is raced by one of the world’s richest racehorse owners but he promises to be a sentimental favourite for the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
At least in the eyes of his trainer Peter Snowden.
Snowden has trained far better horses for his boss Sheikh Mohammed but few have been as willing to deliver on the racetrack than Pinwheel.
On a day when the next generation of Darley thoroughbred stars can confirm their arrival via the Blue Diamond and an Oakleigh Plate win would be good for business, Snowden is hoping Pinwheel can provide a romantic result in the Futurity.
Pinwheel returns to Group One competition for the first time in more than 12 months after Snowden also had the eight-year-old entered for the Group Two Apollo Stakes in Sydney.
“I thought both fields were fairly even and there’s chances in both races but he fits in in both races,” Snowden said.
“The Futurity is a Group One and he’s not getting any younger but it might be his best chance to win one.”
Pinwheel was introduced to the racetrack almost six years ago and he was beaten at Canterbury.
His conqueror was Northern Meteor, a subsequent Group One winner and champion first season sire before his premature death last year.
As much as it’s an example of how suddenly the racing landscape can change, it’s also a testament to Pinwheel’s longevity and blue-collar service to a racing stable that has up to 250 horses in work in Sydney and Melbourne.
Pinwheel has won at seven racetracks during his career with Caulfield being one of them and that experience also helped Snowden lean towards the Futurity.
“He maps well to me from a good draw so it’s worth a shot at the stumps,” he said.
