2021 The Championships Day 2: Randwick Scratchings & Track Report

Day 2 of Sydney’s coveted ‘The Championships’ race days takes place at Royal Randwick today, Saturday April 17, and below we take a look at the latest track report and scratchings ahead of the first.

Verry Elleegant (Photo: Steve Hart) | Races.com.au

Verry Elleegant is favourite in today’s $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes field. Photo: Steve Hart.

Randwick Track Report – 17/04/2021

Rail: +3m Entire

Penetrometer: 5.13

Weather: Overcast

Dual Track Meeting: N

Track Type: Turf

Track Rating: Good (4)

General Comment: Finalised 17/4 – 7:45am

Irrigation: 2mm last 24hrs, 2mm last 7 days

Rainfall: Nil last 24hrs, 0.6mm last 7 days

The weather in Sydney today is partly cloudy but otherwise fine, and with only a slight chance of showers later in the afternoon, the current Good (4) Randwick track rating is likely to remain across the day.

Randwick racing gets underway with the Group 1 Champagne Stakes types facing off in the Listed $150,000 The Agency Real Estate Mile (1600m) – also known as the Fernhill Handicap – at 11:30am (AEST).

It’s a bumper 10-race card and the action continues right through until the fillies and mares do battle in the Group 2 $300,000 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at 5:10pm (AEST).

The first of the Group races on the program is the Group 2 $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) for two-year-old fillies where nine remain after the scratchings of Robodira (8) and the Godolphin-raced Arcaded (7) who instead runs in Melbourne’s $1 million The Showdown.

Elite level racing is underway from 1:50pm (AEST) today in Sydney with the $1 million Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) running as Race 5.

The 2021 ATC Oaks field features ten fillies including last Saturday’s ATC Derby fourth placed Montefilia, the NZ Oaks champion Amarelinha, the Mark Newnham-trained favouite Harmony Rose and her last-start conqueror in the Vinery Stud Stakes Hungry Heart.

Race 6 is the $1 million Group 1 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) where Waller’s Coolmore Stud Stakes winning filly September Run and the Tony Gollan-trained Darby Munro winner Isotope are tipped to beat home the boys.

The stayers are next-up at 3:05pm (AEST) in Race 6 with the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup contested over the two-miles.

There are two withdrawals from the Sydney Cup 2021 field with Shraaoh (11) and Quick Thinker (14) out, the latter having pulled up sore after his Group 2 Chairman’s Quality win last weekend and being kept for the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival features instead.

Following the Sydney Cup where the William Haggas-trained NE Manion Cup winning raider Favorite Moon is tipped to salute, it is the meeting’s marquee event.

The 2021 Queen Elizabeth Stakes is shaping-up as one of the most exciting races of the year with the $4 million classic featuring last year’s winning quinella of Addeybb who also represents Haggas and champion mare Verry Elleegant.

The duo fought it out stride-for-stride last start wither Verry Elleegant turning the tables on Addeybb, but this time on firmer ground it is anyone’s game.

The final Group 1 race is the $1 million Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) where Probabeel heads betting on the mile showdown for fillies and mares.

See below for the complete Randwick race card, The Championships Day 2 scratchings and jump times before visiting Ladbrokes.com.au for the top odds across the afternoon.