Shayne O’Cass casts his expert eye over the 10-race card at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Race 1: TAB Highway Handicap (Class 3, 1200m)
FULD’S DOUBT (17) is a fifth generation descendant of that mighty little filly Diamond Shower who won an AJC Sires’, the 2500m VRC Oaks and later on a 1200m Expressway! Fuld’s Doubt has a huge finish, she was so unlucky in the Denise’s Joy and Wyong just didn’t suit her last start. Stablemate SYRIAN STAR (7) has an equally big late burst in her armoury and plenty of Highway experience. TICKLEBELLY (12) has a great draw (again), TANGLEWOOD (1) has a bad one (again).
Bet: Fuld’s Doubt each-way.
Race 2: 3yo, 4yo Benchmark 72 (1600m)
SUPER CHILLED (11) is 0 and 4 at Randwick but they haven’t been bad runs and more to the point, her pattern makes her the victim rather than the victor so many times. The good news is this: Both wins are circa 1600m and she is as fit as she is going to be. Stablemate KAPAKIRI (2) has a great little record here at HQ and he put the writing on the wall at home first-up. ASSOCIATE (9) was huge in the Highway on June 1 on the Heavy and reckon the drier track is favourable
Bet: Super Chilled each-way.
Race 3: Midway Benchmark 72 (1600m)
KISS SUM (2) is a Four Pillars winner and Provincial Championship placegetter behind Kinloch. Wouldn’t be unfair to say that his best is behind him but for a horse whose two runs this prep are 13th and 8th, you’d have to say he’s going well again. The more the track dries out, the more ALWAYS SURE (4)’s prospects increase. Ditto that for PURE HYDROGEN (14) who was eye-catcher in the June 8 Randwick Mile Midway. DR EVIL (1) has a win and three placings from 6 t/d runs.
Bet: Kiss Sum each-way.
Race 4: Fillies and Mares Benchmark 78 (1800m)
IT’S A WONDER (13) – the Dundeel daughter of Toorak Handicap winner Allez Wonder – gets way, way back in her races but virtually nothing has finished faster than her in any of them. That includes last start here 14 days ago behind a few of her June 22 rivals. Just needs the stars to align and a good ride! MASCARET (4) was hard to miss in the same race. Her only Australian win was at Randwick over this trip with James McDonald on and she drew that outside barrier that day too! BLACKCOMB (1) was better in the Gunnedah Cup than it looks.
Bet: It’s A Wonder to win, exacta 13 to beat 4.
Race 5: 3yo Benchmark 72 (1300m)
NEED SOME LUCK (4) is the 12th and last foal of Lovely Jubly whose 6th foal was none other than Chautauqua. This colt could be 4 from 5 with any luck (no pun intended) but whatever the case, he was fantastic at Scone behind Elson Boy and brilliant at Canterbury after that. KERGUELEN (8) won by nine and a half on debut at Kembla. It was a combination of him being good and the others, er, not so good. Still, that’s a big margin! LIFE COACH (5) is quite the under-rated horse. Setombe is ready for a try in Saturday grade now.
Bet: Need Some Luck to win.
Race 6: Benchmark 88 (1800m)
FORTUNE (8) is, IMHO, the most interesting horse on the card. The French-bred gelding won his first two starts at Longchamp and Chantilly over 1800m and 1900m respectively. The now OTI/Neasham-owned galloper turned in two of the best trials you’d see. He was $10 into $7.50 last time we looked. GOLDEN PATH (3) was a wee-bit unlucky in The Coast. He franked his own form with that win here 14-days later. AKASAWA (4) was deadset heroic in the Gunnedah Cup, running third (from 11th at the 400m) with 65.5kgs!
Bet: Fortune each-way.
Race 7: Benchmark 78 (1000m)
ALICIA ROMA (6)’s numbers speak for themselves; 13 starts 5 wins, 4 seconds and a third. First-up she is 4 starts for 2 wins and 2 seconds. She was with Angela Davies all that time, Saturday is her first run for the Snowdens who found her the perfect race off an even more perfect trial. DIPSY DOODLE (10), the Lonhro grand-daughter of Portillo, is as classy and she is consistent. Trialled twice for this, both absolute rippers, and James McDonald is a key booking. Four of DOLLAR MAGIC (2)’s 10 career seconds are at Randwick from 5 runs there.
Bet: Alicia Roma to win, quinella 6,10.
Race 8: Listed Civic Stakes (1400m)
STRAIT ACER (1) is another horse with some very, very compelling stats. I won’t bore you with them all but one that is worth highlighting is that he has a win and a second from his two Randwick 1400m runs. One of them was a big win in a Midway, the other was his second in the Provincial Championships Final. Blinkers first time on Saturday. ESTADIO MESTALLA (14) has always been a good horse but he has gone to a new level since he walked into Joe Pride’s stable. Loving him with 53kgs! TAMERLANE (1) is a Randwick horse and a 1400m horse.
Bet: Strait Acer each-way, exacta 4 to beat 14, quinella 4,14, DD 1st Leg (4), 2nd Leg (13).
Race 9: Benchmark 88 (1200m)
FLEETWOOD (19) needs luck to make the cut but is an almighty chance if he gets to the post. He has won 4 from 9 already and the more you watch that win here over The Black Cloud et al, the more it becomes evident how dominant he was. Stablemate CONTEMPORARY (11) has a wide draw but we see them sit wide here and win from the 1000m start. In Nash we trust. The aptly-named QUICK TEMPO (4) will be rattling home – as usual. Same for KEY LARGO (9).
Bet: Fleetwood to win or if scratched, Contemporary each-way.
Race 10: Benchmark 78 (1400m)
WEST OF AFRICA (13) beat his Neasham stablemate Defining at Warwick Farm when they met on June 5. There wasn’t a lot between them, inches in fact. So little that you couldn’t blow up if the order was reversed. Now given it does look a toss of the coin job, how about saving a few coins for MARNIX (8) each-way? I am sure as anything that the Randwick winner is going way better than his 16 of 16 in the Wagga Town Plate and 11 of 14 in the West Africa race.
Bet: Marnix (small) each-way.