By Brad Gray
Race 1 – 11.50AM MIDWAY HCP (1600m)
1. Elettrica only has to hold her form to be the horse to beat again. The mare hadn’t had much go her way prior to last start and with clear running at the right time, she delivered. That was at Rosehill over 1800m. The drop back to the mile shouldn’t bother her and with that elusive third win now out of the way, and her first in Australia, she’s well placed to go back-to-back. The cherry on top is how well she maps. 14. Miss Couver was wide and working throughout at the midweeks last start. It was a big run given the context of the meeting. The headwind made it near impossible to make ground from that position. Her debut win was impressive too. 3. Go Troppo wasn’t far away from Elettrica three starts ago in Midway company. He tends to take a while to get fit. He too maps to get a soft run in behind the speed.
How to play it: Elettrica to win.
Fangirl (cerise silks) is top pick for the 7 Stakes.Credit: Getty
Race 2 – 12.25PM TAB HIGHWAY CLASS 3 HCP (1000m)
13. Once Again My Girl is exceptionally fast. The four-year-old mare annihilated the Scone 1000m track record on debut, taking a couple of lengths off the previous mark set by Lost And Running. She then backed that up four weeks later with an equally arrogant win out to 1100m, justifying being sent around as a $1.30 pop. That saw her jump a heavily backed favourite in the Denise’s Joy despite going from class 1 company into a listed race as just her third start. 2. Derry Grove blitzed his Highway rivals a month ago, which booked him a spot in the Kosciuszko despite still only having a benchmark rating of 74. Back to 1000m perhaps isn’t ideal. 6. Salire is at his most explosive over 1000m and 1100m. This sets up well for him after a seven-week freshen.
How to play it: Once Again My Girl to win.
Race 3 – 1PM PEACHESTER LODGE SHOOT OUT MILE (1600m)
9. Gan Teorainn was never going to beat Just Fine at Randwick two weeks ago but she should have finished much closer. The import held a prominent spot from a low draw but she didn’t get the runs in the straight. The winner smashed the clock so want to trust that form reference with the flying Tazaral getting home into second. She was a G1 placegetter over the mile in France so her class have never been in question. If there is one little query it’s staying at 1600m for the third run in a row and whether she is looking for 2000m now third up. Otherwise, it’s a perfect race for her. 5. Logan Street Lion comes through that same Just Fine form reference. He had no excuses but stuck on well. The trick is going to be where he gets to from the barrier. We’ll leave that up to Nash Rawiller.
How to play it: Gan Teorainn to win.
Race 4 – 1.35PM NICK MORAITIS TROPHY (1400m)
8. Ausbred Flirt can run a big race at odds first up given the set-up. The lightly raced five-year-old is a dead-set dry tracker so that’s the first tick. The daughter of Maurice resumed last preparation in the Birthday Card, attacking the line late behind Zapateo, finding the 1200m a touch too sharp. Kicking off over 1400m looks more suitable this time back. She’s only had the 11 starts so the best should still be ahead of the Brad Widdup-trained mare. Love the way that she trucked Tyler Schiller through the line in a Rosehill trial. 1. Altivo has won four from five and was beaten in a photo finish to lose his unbeaten tag the last time we saw him at the races. That was back in May when $1.50. He has the runs on the board, the record and strong SP profile coming into a BM78 first up. Just the one trial ahead of his return.
How to play it: Ausbred Flirt E/W
Race 5 – 2.15PM JAMES SQUIRE KINGSTON TOWN STAKES (2000m)
4.. Montefilia was a heavily backed favourite in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes at weight for age four weeks ago on the back of a slashing return in the G1 Winx Stakes. As it turned out, it was an on-speed dominated race and never got the chance to get into the race. Her run also suggested that she is looking for 2000m, which she gets here third up. The six-year-old mare is so well placed under the conditions here given her benchmark rating. Twenty of her 29 starts have been in G1 company. That’s no knock on 16. Just Fine. He made a huge impression in his first Australian start. He ran significantly faster time than the Chelmsford on the same meeting. It was a big win. That was as an $11chance in a BM94 though. Now he is favourite in a G3. 2. Major Beel was excellent in the Chelmsford over the mile and he too will relish 2000m.
How to play it: Montefilia to win.
Race 6 – 2.50PM DARLEY TEA ROSE STAKES (1400m)
8. Tropical Squall has won two from two and she still has so much more to offer. After justifying the short quote to win her maiden on debut back in June she returned at the midweeks, leading all of the way. She did get a breather in the middle stages but under hands and heels the powerfully built filly quickened in the straight to win comfortably, running right through the line. Won’t be easy to get past given she looks the likely leader again. 1. Tiz Invincible has only won by narrow margins first and second up but she has always had the races in her keeping. Like the way she accelerated in the Furious Stakes two weeks ago before holding her finish. Doubt the 1400m will see her out. Maps perfectly again. Not a lot between Tiz Invincible and 3. Kimochi in their clashes. Kimochi’s last 200m in the Furious screams 1400m.
How to play it: Tropical Squall to win.
Race 7 – 3.25PM 7 STAKES (1600m)
9. Fangirl is going to be giving away a head start to her main rivals in the market. That’s the negative – the map. Otherwise, the race is tailor made. The Randwick mile on a firm track with enough speed on paper to ensure she’ll get her chance to rattle home over the top. How the track is playing in the six races prior will have a big say in how this market settles late. The five-year-old stormed home in typical Fangirl style to take out the Winx Stakes first up, despite the tempo not suiting. It wasn’t a fast run race. It wasn’t on a good track either. 2. Zaaki was only beaten half a length by Fangirl in the Winx first up and went into that with just one soft 900m trial under his belt. Now a nine-year-old, however, it’s fair to assume that his peak runs are behind him. 1. Think It Over is working his way back to full fitness after a lengthy spell.
How to play it: Fangirl to win.
Race 8 – 4PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS SHORTS (1100m)
5. In Secret was only warming up through the line at the end of 1000m first up in the Concorde Stakes. Unsurprisingly, her closing splits were the quickest across the entire meeting. The daughter of I Am Invincible still had some cleaning up in the coat to come too. She is dynamic on top of the ground, draws well to settle forward of midfield and with 4.Overpass highballing out in front, she’ll get her chance to showcase her brilliant turn of foot. We could see an Everest statement from her four weeks out. We know exactly where Overpass will be in the run, in front, and that Bjorn Baker will have the speedster screwed down. He needs to put his name in lights to book a spot in the Everest. Two trials have him ready and he ran second to Nature Strip in this race last year. Out of sight out of mind with 3. Lost And Running. Forget last campaign, first up on a heavy track before going way too fast in front in the All Aged Stakes.
How to play it: In Secret E/W.
Race 9 – 4.40PM BILL RITCHIE HCP (1400m)
1. Converge bounced back last preparation, which coincided a run of good tracks. His only failure in five runs was on a heavy surface in the Doncaster Handicap. He was beaten less than half a length by Anamoe and Fangirl in the G1George Ryder Stakes prior to that. He then went to Queensland where he closed off strongly to run second to Think About It before a wide gate proved costly in the G1Stradbroke. The nuggety five-year-old has trialled twice ahead of his return and looked sharp on both occasions. A capacity field awaits the starter but there doesn’t look to be a lot of speed. That suits, as it does for the likely leader 8. Tamerlane. He typically comes to hand quickly, racing well first up and has a great record over 1400m (9:3-3-1). He too has caught the eye in two trials. Be very forgiving of 11. Olentia’s last start fifth in the Tramway as race favourite.
How to play it: Converge to win.
Race 10 – 5.15PM THE AGENCY REAL ESTATE HCP (1200m)
We only got to see 6. Kibou once last campaign and, although narrowly beaten by Iowna Merc, the four-year-old left a big impression. He lumped a big weight, broke the field up and was out-bobbed on the line. The son of Maurice has had two trials, matching motors with Eduardo in the first of those before throttling down late in his most recent trial at Rosehill. The stable have eyes on the Golden Eagle, which is a long way off BM88 company but he has to start somewhere and doubt we’ll get too many chance to back him in this grade on the way through.
20. Garza Blanca need a minor miracle to first make the field being sixth emergency but if he doesn’t happen to squeeze in, he looks the obvious threat to Kibou. The margin was only narrow over this track and trip two weeks ago but he made a looping sustained sprint. 1. Kote has had four trials ahead of his return.
How to play it: Kibou to win.
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
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