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By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Randwick on Saturday.

The rail is out 16m from the 1600m to the winning post and 8m the remainder. The form has been done for a heavy track.

3. All Saints’ Eve is the mare here with the most upside. The challenge will be tackling 1400m first up on a heavy track with 58.5kg, and against a field of fit horses, but she looks certain to be running around in much better races than this come the spring carnival. The daughter of Sacred Falls has raced exclusively on good tracks in her six start career to date but if she’s half the wet tracker her old man was, she’ll relish it. It’s early days in Sacred Falls’ career as a stallion but the early stats do suggest that he’ll throw plenty of mudlarks. All Saints Eve ended last preparation with a G3 third in the Kembla Grange Classic, beating home the likes of Shout The Bar, Subpoenaed and Icebath, and that was jumping from a Newcastle Class 1 win prior. Has trialled very nicely this time back and James McDonald goes on.

Dangers: 6. Vitesse was well beaten at Canterbury last start but the five-year-old maps to get complete control from in front here and we saw what she is capable of three back at Randwick on a heavy track when she’s left alone in the lead. Would be surpsied if the winner doesn't come from those two runners.

How to play it: All Saints’ Eve WIN ($2 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

All Saints Eve trialling in open company – July 31

It’s hard to ignore the fact that 3. Niccirose won a Highway by six lengths last start. Admittedly, the race played out perfectly for the five-year-old, being gifted the front before Billy Cray slipped his rivals turning for home. It was the win the five-year-old had been promising to repeat for some time, since making a mess of Embracer at Wyong back in 2019. It was a slow last 600m but that was the story of the entire meeting. Scott Singleton revealed post race that the Nicconi gelding has had a few soundness issues in the past so wet tracks now suit the horse. That was certainly evident. Three starts ago Niccirose ran a very brave second to Royal Banquet so the win wasn’t a fluke. There’ll be more pressure here but Cray would be well served to punch up from barrier 1 to hold the front again.

Dangers: 4. Girls Are Ready finished alongside subsequent winner Badoosh last start, in a high rating race won by Not Feint Hearted. She thrives in heavy ground (5:2-0-2) but won’t want to be giving away a big start from the wide draw with the grinding finish she possesses and how hard it has been to make ground at Randwick. 5. The Snooperstar beat Niccirose at Scone three back but it was the ride that proved the difference there. Still, he warrants respect and comes here a last start winner. 8. Northern Wilderose look to have the chance to cross Niccirose last start but was restrained. She’ll be better off let stride here with no weight on her back. 6. Liberty Head split Niccirose and Northern Wilderose last start.

How to play it: Niccirose WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Niccirose winning at Highway last start

The last time we saw 7. Masked Crusader at the races he recorded one of the most effortless wins you’ll ever see on a Sydney metropolitan race track. On that occasion Tommy Berry went straight to the front before stacking his rivals up and cruising home still in first gear. He did beat Segalas and Misteed with a luckless Spencer back in sixth which does put the win into perspective given the spring targets being floated for this four-year-old. However, we still don’t know where he’ll max out ability-wise. He’s better than a benchmark horse though and that’s the grade he finds himself in first up. A BM88 with 55kg given he is still only rated 78. Did enough in his trial to suggest he’s returned in good order. Just has to handle the track to be winning again, as the market suggests.

Dangers: 5. Varda won’t be an easy beat. The Godolphin-trained mare has her own picket fence to protect winning three on the bounce this campaign. The latest of those was in a BM78 so she has to step up again but she is hard fit and flying so presents as the logical danger. If there are any chinks, she’ll pounce. 6. Spiritual Pursuit is a handy wet tracker winning two from three on heavy tracks, and the best run of her last preparation was when she parked on speed on a Soft 7 in the G3 Triscay when second to Sweet Deal. Her form last preparation looks patchy on paper but mixed tactics and slow getaways contributed to that. Liked the way she trialled alongside Nature Strip recently.

How to play it: Masked Crusader WIN ($1.65 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

The last time we saw Masked Crusader at the races

9. Torun only won a Hawkesbury maiden on debut but he made a huge first impression. The Medaglia D’Oro colt parked in behind the speed before unleashing a brilliant turn of foot to put a gap on his rivals late. His strength through the line in the heavy conditions was the most impressive part of the win. The second horse Nishikori failed at Warwick Farm on Wednesday but not going to hold that against him given the ease of the victory. The three-year-old clocked a time 4.5 lengths quicker than the BM70 on the same meeting. Joe Pride’s team is flying at the moment and he holds this horse in very high regard. It’s easy to see why given what he produced a fortnight ago having impressed at the trials prior. Don’t be surprised to see him jump into Group company after this.

Dangers: 6. Destination did a good job first up at Kembla Grange shouldering 59.5kg, dashing home in a sharp 33.07s for his last 600m (Punters Intelligence). 5. Quatum ticked the heavy track box with a comfortable win at Warwick Farm on debut. It was a four horse field and the runner up was an eight start maiden but he’s a sharp horses that has been patiently handled. 8. Twice As Special the knockout.

How to play it: Torun WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Torun winning at Hawkesbury on debut

2. Taikomochi looks well placed here third up out to 1800m. The seven-year-old has run placings both runs back this time in, behind Noble Boy in the Listed Winter Stakes before running third in the Listed Winter Challenge behind Mugatoo. The son of Snitzel was under a lot of pressure turning for home at his last start but kept finding. Adam Hyeronimus has ridden Taikomochi in 12 of his 26 starts, including last time out, so knows him better than anyone. He’s the type of horse that won’t quicken from in front but he’s able to sustain a gallop right through the line. With no Toryjoy here he'll get his chance to control this race from the front.

Dangers: 3. Grey Lion was only beaten 1.3L by Taikomochi last start but is yet to win on a heavy track. 6. Attention Run is here off a five week freshen, similar to how she presented to win at Rosehill back in June. She flopped after that, when hard in the market at Listed level, but her two wins for Kris Lees have been fresh. She can bounce back. 4. Big Duke could be the improver onto a heavy track and in this company.

How to play it: Taikomochi WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Taikomochi placing in the Winter Challenge

4. Fanciful Dream is in career best form at the moment and it’s easy to see why. She is relishing the heavy tracks this winter keeps throwing up. Her last three runs have all been on heavy decks and she’s won one of them and run second in the other two. The latest of those was a very narrow second to De Grawin, with a gap back to third. Rachel King sticks, having ridden the four-year-old in her last two starts. The first of those was when second to Spaceboy on a heavy track at Randwick, again where there was a sizeable gap back to the rest of the field. This race really has fallen into her lap.

Dangers: Godolphin have taken the low road with 3. Athiri first up, tackling a BM78, and there is a chance that she simply proves too classy for this grade. James McDonald does the steering and she was only a length off Dawn Passage first up last preparation in a Listed race. Has been a long time on the sidelines so her fitness on such a testing track is a query but her recent trial suggests she has returned in good order and she ran third to Kiamichi on a Heavy 10 in the two-year-old season.

How to play it: Fanciful Dream WIN ($3.30 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Can Fanciful Dream turn the tables on De Grawin?

📹The Punters Intelligence Spotlight goes on the last start run of the Paul Perry-trained mare @royalrandwick @tabcomau @BradJGray pic.twitter.com/OehQ0OSdSB

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 14, 2020

2. North Pacific was impressive first up at Rosehill on a heavy track and as long he handles a more testing Randwick surface, he should win this too and further cement his Golden Rose credentials. Last time out the Team Hawkes-trained three-year-old clocked the fastest closing splits across the entire meeting including a 34.53 last 600m and 11.67 last 200m. The overall time was also 1.5L quicker than the BM78 won by Varda later on the card, that was despite the youngsters running a much slower first 700m. Admittedly, he did get first crack at the track being Race 1 but it was a win that was equally impressive on the clock as it was to the eye. James McDonald jumps on second up. Using Shaik as a measuring stick, North Pacific beat her by 3.8L while the second favourite here in 3. Smart Image beat her 0.4L.

Dangers: 8. Bravado and Smart Image are much closer together ability-wise than the early market suggests. Bravado was forced back to last from a wide draw last start. Probably wants 1400m+ though. 6. Yardstick cornered awkwardly at Canterbury on debut but still won comfortably. Beyliks was posted wide throughout but was well beaten in fifth and he’d run Smart Image to a narrow margin prior. Hard fit 7. Marsannay isn’t hopeless either after two dominant Canberra wins.

How to play it: North Pacific WIN ($2 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

"As long as he handles the testing Randwick surface he should win this too."

📹BEST BET: @BradJGray expects this talented three-year-old to further cement his Golden Rose credentials @tabcomau @royalrandwick @HawkesRacing pic.twitter.com/lNkcOjcCA0

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 13, 2020

There’ll be no fitter horse at Randwick than 8. Man Of Peace, and he is racing as well as ever. Winning is a habit for the evergreen eight-year-old at the moment saluting in his past two starts and three of his past five. Louise Day has ridden him in all three of those wins, and is yet to taste defeat on the back of the Zariz gelding. Two back he was aided by the Kensington bias but last start he was simply too strong. Day zipped straight to the front, got a slight breather in the midsection before dashing clear of odds on favourite Kordia. That was 1400m back to 1300m too. He faces rivals here with much bigger reputations, and loftier spring goals, but he has the big advantage of being up and running already coupled with his bombproof racing pattern.

Dangers: One time Derby winner 7. Angel Of Truth lost his way a little in his four-year-old season but curious to see how he goes now with Team Hawkes. Looked to trial much better than he did prior to last preparation. Imagine he rolls across with Man Of Peace. 2. Danzdanzdance draws off the track which might seal her feat in this, giving away an impossible start to the leader. She ran exceptionally well first up last preparation in the G2 Apollo behind Alizee and is one of the best wet trackers in the country. Will need a gem of a ride but James McDonald is on top. 1. Shared Ambition will be flooding home at the end of the race too, with Tom Sherry’s claim easing the 61kg impost.

How to play it: Man Of Peace WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Man Of Peace winning at Randwick last start

Not sure where the big spike from 7. Not Feint Hearted came from last start but if he can reproduce anything like that here, he’s likely to win again. The four-year-old ran a forgivable eighth first up on the rail-friendly Kensington track before winning by 5.5 lengths at Randwick a fortnight ago, running faster time than Man Of Peace later at the meeting and beating Badoosh. It’s not like it was the first time the gelding had struck a heavy track, however, it was the first time he’d run on a Randwick heavy track, and a very testing one at that. With rain forecast on Friday and Saturday there’s every chance the Gary Portelli-trained galloper gets similar conditions. The query with any horse coming off such a huge career peak is regression next time out but even allowing for that, he’s the horse to beat.

Dangers: 2. The Fire Trap was unwanted in betting first up at Warwick Farm on a Heavy 10 but motored over the top of subsequent winner Wander. This is harder but it’s winnable for the Matt Dunn-trained five-year-old. 5. Off Shaw is a tough on pacer that loves wet ground. He raised a second effort to fight off 9. Charretera, who he meets 2kg worse off for a 0.4L margin. Thinking that a testing 1400m sees out Charretera. 3. Julian Rock is a ‘peaky’ horse and hard to catch but his best is good enough for this. Was heavily supported first up but he ran out of condition late. The 11-year-old 4. Got Unders savaged the line over 1200m off a five week freshen and demands respect if not for his consistency alone.

How to play it: Not Feint Hearted WIN ($4.20 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Not Feint Hearted romping home last start

All the fields, form and replays for Randwick on Saturday