■ ■ ■ ■ ■ DUFF’S BEST BET Race 9 No.11 COMMEMORATIVE DUFF’S BEST VALUE Race 10 No.10 WORLD ALLIANCE • EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony analyses the 10-race card at Randwick on Saturday ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 1: Midway Benchmark 72 (1200m) Ron Dufficy : A very tough race to start the day.
CES SOIREES LA (14) may have been in the best part of the track and flattered a little the other day but I still loved the way she hit the line and I am sure the extra 100m will suit her. There is a bit of value in her. SMASHING EAGLE (4) did his thing the other day giving a mile start and charging late.
Maybe James McDonald can make things happen for him here. BUNDEENA (2) has found winning form of late and he was dominant last start. He does have that wide draw again and is sneaking up in the weights now.
HERB (3) will be a much better horse from a better draw. He’s a big improver. Ray Thomas : I didn’t mind HEADSTOCK (6) each way.
He made a wide run from back in the field and stormed home to win at Kembla Grange last start. Headstock is in career-best form with two wins from his last three starts, Tommy Berry takes the ride, he drops 3kg, will appreciate the big Randwick track and is at generous odds of $13. BUNDEENA (2) is another in great form but the wide draw is a big leveller.
WELL TIMED (5) was run down by Bundeena when resuming but meets that horse 2kg better at the weights. Well Timed also needs luck early from his draw. SMASHING EAGLE (4) is always finishing hard and is close to a win.
• MARKET MOVERS: Punters single out three in Randwick feature ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 2: Benchmark 78 (2400m) Dufficy : I am left with STRATHTAY (2) here. He was set a big task going right back from the wide draw last time but he savaged the line late. I think he is right in the mix here.
JABBAWOCKEEZ (2) brings different form. He is a tough, honest Victorian who rarely runs a bad race and he does find a winnable race here. AWESOME WONDER (6) appreciated the light weight and a very good ride winning last start but can obviously win again.
KUREDER (5) did more than enough in the lead-up and obviously has plenty of admirers again. Thomas : I’m going for value again with FUTTAIM (9) . He had to do a bit of work early to settle outside the leader and then stuck on well when fourth to AWESOME WONDER (6) over the Randwick 2400m course.
They are clashing again here but Futtaim meets that mare 5.5kg better at that weights. STRATHTAY (2) was left with too much to do in the Awesome Wonder race but he hit the line powerfully to run fifth and stays under notice.
KUREDER (5) hasn’t been far away in recent starts and is right in the mix. No knock on Awesome Wonder although she is up sharply in the weights. • Trainer Joe Pride ‘wants to start Warwick Farm conversation’ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 3: Highway Handicap (Class 2, 1100m) Dufficy : Impossible race again.
I’m thinking COOL STORM (10) might come out of the strongest lead-up here. He stuck on really well when having his first attempt at this level and I think he is right at his peak now and gets a lot of favours from that inside draw. PALAZZO PRINCE (8) is a huge query as he is first-up without a barrier trial so a yard and market watch on him.
He is a talented horse. DON’T CALL ME HONEY (7) will be better for the first-up run where he stuck on pretty well. I thought Danceenuff was another that might do something here.
She caught the eye in a recent trial when not fully extended. Thomas : KREON (16) looks very promising. His debut win at Gunnedah last November was exceptional, when he ran fast time and won by more than four lengths.
He hasn’t raced since but was given an easy trial at Moruya earlier this month finishing a close second. The booking of James McDonald is significant. PALAZZO PRINCE (8) is another emerging talent who scored successive wins to start his career before a close fourth in a Rosehill Highway.
He’s resuming without an official trial but is one to watch. DON’T CALL ME HONEY (7) wasn’t beaten far in a Randwick Highway when resuming and he did win second-up when last in work. The in-form BRIAL ROSE (8) is a fast mare who will take catching.
• ‘He’s come back better than ever’: Maher backs Jack in Winx Stakes ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 4: Benchmark 78 (1600m) Dufficy : I thought there was huge improvement from the import UNLIMITED (13) second-up here. He had no luck at all when resuming and if he reproduces plus improves a little bit here, he is right in this race. AWASH (3) has been specked in the market.
It’s a month since pulling up lame last start but his previous form was very progressive in Victoria. WEST OF AFRICA (1) is flying at the moment, has a nice draw but is paying the price with a big weight now. MEDATSU (12) returned with a big win making a long sustained run and could be on the up.
Thomas : Why can’t MEDATSU (12) win again? He was really good when resuming at Rosehill earlier this month running down his rivals near the line to score convincingly. Lightly-raced young stayer who missed the autumn but has obviously returned in top form. Hard to beat again.
UNUSUAL LEGACY (2) is another promising type with four wins from six starts. He hasn’t raced since winning well at Scone back in May but he has had two recent barrier trials to prepare for his return. WEST OF AFRICA (1) has struck a rich vein of form and rates highly again despite his big weight.
With the scratching of Nails Murphy, I’ve included UNLIMITED (13) in my numbers, too. • Randwick Turf Talk: Best bet has ‘got a big race in him this Spring’ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 5: Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m) Dufficy : I don’t know if I want to take the short price but I can’t tip against ELIYASS (3) , Ray. He created a huge impression winning his only start in Australia which was on a Heavy track so he just has to tick off that drier track box for me.
But he does look the one to beat. His stablemate SIR LUCAN (4) resumes off a Winter Cup win and can get on-pace favours here. TOURISTIC (6) has been kept fresh since the Grafton Cup placing and has residual fitness on his side here.
REDSTONE WELL (7) had specking and did run a much better race last start so should at least hold that form now. Thomas : It was impossible not to be impressed by the former French stayer ELIYASS (3) when he romped home in the Lord Mayor’s Cup at his Australian debut earlier this winter. He was first-up at 2000m that day and showed an exciting burst of acceleration to win easily.
Eliyass has had two recent barrier trials, he’s got a lot of talent and is clearly the one to beat. REDSTONE WELL (7) showed marked improvement third-up when he was a close third in the Prelude and gets in on the limit weight. TOURISTIC (6) is racing well and will be competitive.
SIR LUCAN (4) will race on speed and will be in this for a long way. • Randwick Racewatch: Shayne O’Cass’ tips and analysis for Randwick on Saturday ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 6: Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (3yo Fillies, 1200m) Dufficy : MANAAL (1) is a good filly. She has looked up to her best in a couple of trials.
She’s got the extra weight here but she has earned it – hard to beat. AMEENA (4) is a big query. She looks to have wintered in Queensland and a couple of trials has her ready.
She has looked pretty sharp. ZEITUNG (9) has a recent win under her belt. Got all the favours there but put them away pretty well and that form has stacked up well with the second horse bolting in on Wednesday.
ERNO’S CUBE (2) is just a genuine filly, very tough going right through the two-year-old season and should resume well. Thomas : I’ve also got to go with the class of MANAAL (1) , Ronnie. She won the Sires at Group 1 level back in autumn and was an unlucky fifth in the Golden Slipper.
Manaal looked very sharp winning a barrier trial at Warwick Farm earlier this month and is drawn to get the right run. ZEITUNG (9) is the danger. She resumed with an impressive win over Bonita Queen who has since franked the form by winning easily at Warwick Farm earlier this week.
ZEITUNG (9) has a race fitness edge but has drawn awkwardly. I’m also wary of AMEENA (4) . She showed promise last season winning twice from four starts and trialled nicely at Randwick.
HALLETT (6) is also trialling very well and is not without a chance. • How Asfoora’s Royal Ascot triumph stopped a village in Lebanon ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 7: Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) Dufficy : She’s a very good filly, now mare, JOLIESTAR (8) . She still looks untapped.
She looks in outstanding order after her gallop between races last week, and has to be hard to hold out. OUR KOBISON (14) won’t be any pushover. He is very sharp.
He’s on the rise and was brilliant winning first-up. He is a track record holder at 1200m at Rosehill so there’s a lot to like about him except he runs into a very smart horse here. AIRMAN (6) is a really good fresh performer.
His trial was good and from the nice draw maybe he maps closer. The Queenslander YELLOW BRICK (4) is a talented horse. He has got a great winning strike-rate and won’t be far away at the finish for sure.
Thomas : JOLIESTAR (8) hasn’t missed a top two finish in six starts winning three including the Group 1 Thousand Guineas last spring and the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint over the Randwick 1200m at her only run in autumn. She’s a gifted mare resuming off two good trials and there is talk she could be an Everest contender. The one to beat.
OUR KOBISON (14) has a race fitness edge and is coming off a brilliant first-up win at Rosehill. This is his big test but he’s a real sprinting talent. I’m glad you have included AIRMAN (6) as he is something of a forgotten sprinter who invariably sprints well fresh.
SOUTHPORT TYCOON (1) and ENCAP (10) are more than capable of being in the finish. • ‘Absolute machine’: Portelli bullish on stable stars Encap, Kimochi, Kintyre ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 8: Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) Dufficy : I am pretty keen each-way with ZOUGOTCHA (9) here. She’s just got the racing style on her side.
She has a tremendous will to win, is very adaptable and could probably tag Tropical Squall here, be the first one on the scene and hard to run down. FANGIRL (6) ’s credentials are undeniable, She just needs things to fall into place as she will probably go back from a wide draw here. VIA SISTINA (7) is a boom import.
Her main targets are later on but don’t doubt her talent and she could easily charge over them. TROPICAL SQUALL (11) is going to give a big sight up front and looks trained right up to run well. Thomas : What a race.
I’ve landed on SEMANA (10) at the odds. She’s a very good mare in her own right who won the Triscay Stakes first-up over the Randwick 1200m last preparation and then was placed three times at Group 1 level including last start when second to Bella Nipotina in the Tatt’s Tiara in June. Semana raced away with a Warwick Farm barrier trial last week, takes residual fitness into this race and is over the odds at $13.
FANGIRL (6) is an absolute star and it would not surprise if she blew this field away. TROPICAL SQUALL (11) and ZOUGOTCHA (9) will be up on speed making their own luck and are good enough to be in the finish. • ‘Will be a great clash’: J-Mac a big Fan of Winx Stakes favourite ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 9: Group 3 Toy Show Quality (Fillies and Mares, 1100m) Dufficy : I’m very keen on COMMEMORATIVE (11) .
I thought her trial was an absolute beauty. She’ll sit off them here and I think she will be very, very hard to hold out. THE BLACK CLOUD (10) is probably her danger getting the nice run from that inside draw.
MUMBAI MUSE (8) is going better than what that price suggests and I like her at 1100m fresh here. KIMOCHI (4) is very tough. This is probably short of her best distance but she just doesn’t know how to run a bad race and is very competitive.
Thomas : Another very deep race but I’m also with the favourite COMMEMORATIVE (11) . This race will be run at a solid tempo and that will suit Commemorative, the giant Godolphin mare with the barnstorming finish. THE BLACK CLOUD (10) steps up to stakes grade for the first time but she is very promising and will be in the mix.
KIMOCHI (4) is such a genuine mare and her recent trial behind Manaal was eyecatching. OPAL RIDGE (2) invariably races well fresh and LADY LAGUNA (1) is all class. • Pride sees silver lining in The Black Cloud ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Race 10: Benchmark 78 (1200m) Dufficy : I like WORLD ALLIANCE (10) each-way at the odds.
I thought he was set an impossible task last start, he had a lot to do from way back in the field in a moderately run race. I think he can bounce back if he can hold that barrier a little bit better this week. The dangers I think are obviously SPRING LEE (7) who had no luck at all first-up when she got held up at a vital stage there.
PANIC (3) has trialled really well and is set to go here with the James McDonald booking being significant. FLYING SULTAN (6) is a big trial winner and finished last campaign with a real bang. Thomas : SPRING LEE (7) was in an awkward position back on the rails coming to the turn then had trouble securing a clear run before finishing an unlucky second when resuming at Rosehill.
Promising mare with a very consistent record, she will strip fitter and is the one to beat. INVADER ZIM (9) did a good job to edge out Kerguelen and Yorkshire in a strong form race last start. He’s a big improver and will be in the finish again.
PANIC (3) showed ability in some good races during autumn and he’s trialling well ahead of his return. WORLD ALLIANCE (10) should get the right run from his good draw..
