Today, Saturday October 3, the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival comes to a peak for Epsom Handicap Day 2015 featuring a triple shot of Group 1 action.
Winx is the firm favourite for Sydney’s best Chris Waller to win the 2015 Epsom Handicap at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
It is a mostly sunny day trackside at Randwick Racecourse with zero chance of rain meaning the current Good (3) track rating is set to remain favouring the gallopers with nice form on firm going.
Randwick Track Report – 03/10/2015
- Rail: +3 Entire Circuit
- Weather: Fine
- Track Type: Turf
- Irrigation: Nil
- Rainfall: Nil last 24hrs, 8.4mm last 7 days
- Track Information: Good (4) from the 500m – 300m
- Penetrometer: 4.91
- Track Rating: Good (3)
Racing in Sydney today kicks off at 12:45pm (AEST) and the bumper nine-race card comes to a close with the last of the elite levels – the 2015 The Metropolitan Handicap due to jump at 5:20pm (AEST).
Along with The Metropolitan, worth a boosted $750,000 in prize money this season, the day’s other Group 1s are the Epsom Handicap for the milers and the Flight Stakes for three-year-old fillies running as races seven and eight respectively.
Today at Ladbrokes.com.au you can take advantage of an exclusive Epsom Handicap Cash Back offer up to $100 if your selection in the $1 million feature runs second or third plus enjoy Best Tote or SP + 20% on selected races on the card!
Randwick Scratchings – 03/10/2015
Total Scratchings: 12
Race 1 (12:15pm) – $150,000 Listed Newgate Breeders’ Plate (1000m)
#10 Thar (11)
The all-black type meeting kicks off with a field of 10 unraced two-year-old colts and geldings facing off and the odds-on favourite and market mover is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Capitalist ($1.70 or $2.68 with Best Tote or SP + 20%) who blitzed a Randwick trial on September 21 by two lengths. He’s drawn to bring that trial form to the track, but for value Capera ($34) was a speedy second over 900m in a Rosehill trial last week.
Race 2 (12:55pm) – $150,000 Listed Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m)
#1 Albert’s Lass (7)
#9 Milbo (16)
#17e Mum’s The Word (6)
#18e Conchita (15)
In the second the first two emergencies get a run leaving a full field of 14 unraced two-year-old fillies and like in the meeting’s opener there’s a red hot favourite in the mix with Calliope ($2.10). The John O’Shea-trained daughter of Exceed And Excel posted the fastest time of the morning at her recent Randwick trial with a four length effort, jockey James McDonald staying on for her debut.
Race 3 (1:30pm) – $100,000 Listed TAB Dulcify Quality (1600m)
#2 Ocean Tempest (1)
#7 Colosseum King (6)
The Dulcify this year is down to a field of just eight three-year-olds with a betting battle for top spot occurring between the consistent Chris Waller-trained top weight Wudang Mountain ($3.30) and stablemate Laucala. Wudang Mountain has to carry 58kg on the back of a Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) fourth at Newcastle when beaten only a length, while More Than Ready filly Laucala gets in on 55kg. The market mover and big danger is Ambience ($4) up in grade here but looking on the improve on the back of a maiden win at Kembla Grange.
Race 4 (2:10pm) – $300,000 Group 2 Canterbury BMW Roman Consul Stakes (1200m)
#10 Sooboog (1)
First of the Group status showdowns, this sprint for the three-year-olds has 10 left in the mix following the withdrawal of the rails-drawn Sooboog who came off back-to-back wins. The markets are firmly led by Godolphin’s Golden Rose winner Exosphere ($1.50) who is odds on but deservingly so as he drops back in class off the Group 1 and distance (from 1400m). McDonald has the mount and from barrier three he looks hard to beat.
Race 5 (2:45pm) – $300,000 Group 2 G1X.Com.Au Premiere Stakes (1200m)
#9 Bring Me The Maid (2)
Another Group 2 support act and another very firm favourite with Joe Pride’s Group 1 Darley Classic winner from Melbourne last spring Terravista ($2.10) first-up here and looking to add to his imposing first-up record (5-4-0-1) at his pet track / distance (4-3-0-1). If the class horse in the mix gets beaten it could be by last start The Shorts winner Rebel Dane ($4.50) on the rails today or Team Snowden’s Group 1 BTC Cup winning veteran Hot Snitzel ($10) as the value runner.
Race 6 (3:20pm) – $125,000 Group 3 APN Outdoor Craven Plate (2000m)
No current scratchings
The full original line-up of 10 weight-for-age hopes are still in the mix and nearing an odds-on spot in the markets after being backed in from $2.30 to $2, but still available at $2.56 through Ladbrokes.com.au when paid Best Tote or SP + 20%, is O’Shea’s Group 1 winner Complacent having just his fourth run since his three-year-old season in 2013. He won the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at the track over a mile two back ahead of subsequent George Main winner Kermadec and was third last start in the Group 2 Hill Stakes at this track and distance beaten only a length from a wide draw (gets 4 of 10 today).
Race 7 (4:00pm) – $1,000,000 Group 1 The Star 150th Epsom (1600m)
#7 Silverball (5)
One withdrawal from the day’s marquee race with Waller taking out livewire hope Silverball from the Epsom field. The markets have readjusted and Sydney’s best trainer still has the one to beat with his brilliant last start Theo Marks Stakes winning mare Winx ($3) winner of the Queensland Oaks during the winter. She’s got a wide draw but the class to overcome with the mile looking right up her alley. Stablemate Sadler’s Lake ($7) looks the value from gate three after his smart Group 3 Bill Ritchie win here last time out.
Race 8 (4:40pm) – $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Flight Stakes (1600m)
No current scratchings
The Flight Stakes for the fillies still has all 11 final acceptors including four for the race’s most prominent trainer Gai Waterhouse who has this year’s clear top fancy Speak Fondly ($2.70 into $2.40). The favourite jumps from barrier five, is a three-time Group 2 winner including two feature wins this time in and was far from disgraced running second in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) last time out.
Race 9 (5:20pm) – $750,000 Group 1 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan (2400m)
#6 Hawkspur (14)
#11 Kapour (9)
The card closer is the stayers’ showdown, this year’s The Metropolitan field down to 13 with two early scratchings. Magic Hurricane ($3.70) on the rails is tipped by the bookies as the one to beat, the import boasting winning form at this distance overseas and coming off good Australian form including the Hill Stakes second from a fortnight ago. Money also coming for Havana Cooler ($16 into $11) who hasn’t won in Australia yet but can improve on his Kingston Town Stakes sixth getting over more distance.
