Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Happy to take the each-way around 4. All Star who has been racing in great form for some time and his two Midway efforts either side of a Hawkesbury win say he’s in the game. Sat wide when fifth to the Mona Lisa in July, beaten two lengths, and two weeks ago he bumped into Barrengarry who looks pretty smart. If there’s a niggle it’s the 1800m but he’ll be getting a soft run behind a handy pace and get the chance to run into the finish.

Dangers: 2. Doradus will be extremely hard to run down if he gets rolling. He was run down by a promising filly at this trip at Rosehill, too good in front around Canterbury in the latest. It’d be a surprise if he doesn’t lead and he’s hard to beat. 1. Columbus has had some raps on him and he lived up to them with a win at midweek level at Kensington a few weeks ago, tracking into the straight and finishing too well. He’s easy to like and is sure to be competitive. 10. Cabbucio travelled like the winner second-up at Kembla but fell short by just under half a length. She gets in nice and light with the claim, a 7.5kg drop on last time, and now third-up she could measure up to this grade without surprising.

How to play it: All Star EACH-WAY ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

Always tricky assessing the two-year-olds on debut but 8. Nonu was one of the standouts of the official trials with his strong win, putting a margin on the chasers late. Obviously he has to take that to race day now but from a soft draw he’s sure to have every chance to back it up.

Dangers: 1. Capitano caught the eye with his late burst to just miss in a time comparable to Nonu’s heat. Will be keeping him safe. 10. Stasis didn’t win his trial but there was something to like about him as he ran third in one of the faster heats for the colts and geldings. 5. Flying Houdini held on to win in a blanket finish in his heat, with Capitano breathing down his neck. Should race handy from an inside gate.

How to play it: Nonu WIN ($2.30 TAB Fixed Odds).

Similar story for the fillies. Thought 12. Shezablaze was one of the more dominant winners at the trials, she showed good muster to dart through and lead and kept going to score by almost three lengths. Has the wide gate but that may not be a bad thing.

Dangers: 13. Shraddha ran slightly slower time in winning her heat but she did it quite professionally and that’s going to take her a long way. Drawn ideally and she looks a threat. 11. She’s Supreme ran the fastest time of the morning at the trials and she did that after being slightly slow out and rushing through to sit outside the lead, before putting the head in front late. If she gets the start right gate one will be an asset. 8. Provata found the line nicely behind Shraddha in her trial after settling a fair way back.

How to play it: Shezablaze WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

1. Genesis Runner is ready to win after two runs at Group 3 level that say he’s crying out for the mile at least. Don’t think he was meant to be quite as far back in the Ming Dynasty as he wound up from the good gate so to finish a length off the winner, and closing, is a good performance. It’s time for him to get it all right and he’ll have that chance.

Dangers: 5. Hozumi is coming off a maiden win on the Illawarra Grange track but it was expected as he started a warm favourite and rounded them up from the back. This is obviously harder but he has some upside and he should also love the trip. 2. Savagram is a bit of a head scratcher. Looked excellent winning on debut, didn’t find the front second-up and was only fair then did find the lead in the Ming Dynasty and weakened. We’ll give him one more chance. 4. Wonka is another coming out of a maiden and he won at Kensington on the back of a handy third behind Sing Your Song so he has a bit of depth to his form. He could have a say in the finish.

How to play it: Genesis Runner WIN ($1.90 TAB Fixed Odds).

Nobody has missed 16. Unleeshing in her two runs this time in and particularly in the latest where she came from a tricky spot to chase home Night Agent two weeks ago. Runner-up to Decorum first-up and that form has looked pretty good since. Mile is ideal, she has drawn well and with the big weight drop, while up in class, she must be the horse to beat.

Dangers: 9. The Mona Lisa is hard to deny, she just loves the Randwick mile and she keeps taking the rise in class in her stride too. Shoots for four wins on end at the track and trip, form around her last win is strong with the placegetters running one-two in a race at Rosehill last weekend and she remains good value. 10. Knobelas ran a much improved race when runner-up to Declichy Boulevard two weeks ago and stepping to a mile now really suit her. Definite chance. 12. Polymnia finds it hard to win but she’s usually around the mark as was the case when placed in the Tibbie first-up. Hard to have confidence she can win but she can certainly figure somewhere in the finish.

How To Play It: Unleeshing WIN ($1.95 TAB Fixed Odds).

1. Bangkok Hottie has done all the work in her wins in the Furious and Tea Rose and been able to hold off the closers so there’s no reason she can’t do it again in what looks a very tactical Group 1 for the fillies. She has that tactical pace, she’d drawn kinder than she has all campaign and she did look strong at the end of 1400m.

Dangers: 3. Global Goal closed the margin a bit on Bangkok Hottie when running into third in the Tea Rose after settling back. She had some minor traffic issues before getting into the clear and storming home. It’ll be interesting to see where she lands in the small field up in trip but she does look ready to win. 2. Striking Alibi could have a similar case made for her after finishing around three quarters of a length off Bangkok Hottie in both runs back and without having a lot of favours. Should be no excuses for her in the small field. 4. Queen’s Gamble has the outside gate of the seven and if she goes back to last then it makes things tough, but she’s had a couple of runs at 1400m and could improve after not running on as expected.

How To Play It: Bangkok Hottie WIN ($3.20 TAB Fixed Odds).

7. Aethelwulf is arguably the most exciting stayer at present and there’s absolutely no reason why he couldn’t continue on his winning way. Granted this is a tougher contest than what he’s met in his past couple. Form around his Rosehill win has held up and he spanked them in the Newcastle Cup after going to the front a long way out. So far it’s hard to find a weakness in him.

Dangers: 1. The Euphrates is going to be tough at the end of 2400m, he was a winner at 3419m in Ireland a couple of years ago and both his runs in Sydney this spring have been excellent. Ran right up to support in the Kingston Town, he’ll be up on speed if not leading and hard to beat. 5. Juja Kibo was doing the chasing in that race and he’s trending toward another big performance. He has tended to find one or two better quite often at this level, with his last win a BM78 back in September last year, but he can’t be left out. 2. Soul Of Spain was runner-up in the Sydney Cup and he showed with his third in the Kingston Town that he’s on target to run well at the longer trips now. Not sure what to do with 4. Green Spaces, he disappointed in that race but if he finds his best he can show up. He did win the Derby fourth-up in the autumn at 2400m.

How To Play It: Aethelwulf WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds).

8. Attica has an excellent preparation for an Epsom and he may be the one who has beaten the handicapper to get in with 51.5kg. The blinkers go on him now after running into third behind Headley Grange in the Tramway. He’s a Group 1 winner over 2000m and won the Dulcify at this meeting last year. Drawn to get every chance in a race that will likely be run to suit him.

Dangers: 6. Well Written comes to Sydney with seven wins from as many starts in NZ including two Group 1 wins and she did it so easily first-up at 1400m at Ellerslie four weeks ago. You can’t knock an unbeaten horse, she appears the type who can use the barrier and she must be respected. 3. Autumn Boy chased home Sheza Alibi in the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster in the autumn and that’s pretty handy form for this race. She was again too good for him second-up in the Makybe Diva but she’s not here this time and he’s a major threat. 1. Ceolwulf has shown in his past two starts that he’s getting back to his best and even with 59kg and no blinkers he could be a danger if they overdo things up front. He won this race two years ago and his run behind Autumn Glow, when forced to make an early move, was super. Don’t underestimate him. Plenty of other each-way chances with 17. Declichy Boulevard off a booming second-up win potentially the best of them.

How To Play It: Attica EACH-WAY ($5.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

If you look down the market you’d be forgiven for thinking Ka Ying Rising was in the Premiere but it’s 10. Tempted who strangles the market. She hasn’t been beaten since last year’s Everest where she chased home the Hong Kong champion and she showed she’s moving nicely toward a rematch with her easy Concorde win a month ago. Don’t mind her drawn out a little, she loves to sweep down the middle and she gets that chance. Hard to tip against, even considering it’s not her grand final.

Dangers: 2. Caballus is an interesting runner, he’s been trialling sharply and is sure to put himself right on speed from the jump. Won the Newmarket in March and last run at this track and trip he was second to Joliestar. Can run well. 15. Plaintiff was huge first-up in the Sheraco running some slick sectionals to be right on their hammer at the finish in a race she couldn’t possibly win the way it was run. She won the barrier lottery this time, she can sit closer and while this is a test she’s a pretty handy one in her own right. 7. King's Secret has been excellent in his runs in the Concorde and The Shorts, a bit of sting off the track is in his favour and he can run well again.

How To Play It: Tempted WIN ($1.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

7. Navy Pilot appeals a bit each-way after resuming with a pleasing third at Rosehill in a race that was a sprint home, they ran 33.18 for the last 600m and he was back worse than midfield so he’s run pretty well considering. Fitter for it, would love a genuine tempo and while another 100m or so would be ideal he should be thereabouts in a wide open race.

Dangers: 3. Signor Tortoni had no luck at all late in the Concorde when resuming and his run was a heap better than it looks on paper. Despite being cut right out the race he picked up and dashed home to be beaten four lengths by Tempted. Not bad for a Benchmark 94. Will need luck from the outside gate but not underselling him.13. Theblade will find himself in a good spot again after racing handy winning that Rosehill race mentioned from three weeks ago. He was only first-up there and looks to get a good run so a repeat would not surprise. 10. Platinum Pantheon put three seconds together in the Queensland winter between 1200m and 1600m and he's an interesting runner here fresh.

How To Play It: Navy Pilot EACH-WAY ($15 TAB Fixed Odds).

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting