The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival action hits a high today, Saturday October 10, with Epsom Handicap Day 2020 and below we take a look at the Randwick race scratchings and track report ahead of the first.

Reigning champion Kolding has been scratched from the 2020 Epsom Handicap in favour of a Group 2 Hill Stakes run. Photo: Steve Hart.

Randwick Track Report – 03/10/2020

• Rail: +3m Entire
• Penetrometer: 5.05
• Weather: Fine
• Dual Track Meeting: N
• Track Type: Turf
• Track Rating: Good (4)
• General Comment: Finalised 3/10 – 7:45am
• Irrigation: Nil last 24hrs, 20mm last 7 days
• Rainfall: Nil last 24hrs, 2.6mm last 7 days

The weather trackside is for a partly cloudy but otherwise fine day in Sydney meaning the current Good (4) Randwick track rating looks set to remain across the afternoon.

Randwick racing gets underway at 12:25pm (AEST) and the quality nine-race program continues through until 5:20pm (AEST).

A bumper seven Group races highlight the Epsom Day card starting with the previously unraced juveniles facing off in races two and three with the running of the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes and Group 3 Breeders’ Plate.

A line-up of potential $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate–bound hopefuls do battle in Race 4 with Kolding ($4 @ Ladbrokes.com.au) – scratched from the Epsom field later in the day – heading the line-up in the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) along with last-start Makybe Diva Stakes winner Fierce Impact ($2.25 @ Ladbrokes.com.au).

There are three scratchings from the Hill Stakes field including Verry Elleegant who is favourite in Melbourne’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes today.

Punters are in for a treat with a triple-shot of Group 1 races in Sydney this afternoon starting with the 2020 Flight Stakes (Race 5).

All seven original acceptors remain in the mix including the airborne Dame Giselle ($2.70 @ Ladbrokes.com.au) out to be just the third filly in history to make it a four-from-four whitewash in the Princess Series.

Next-up we see an early $15 million The Everest preview with Nature Strip ($1.85 @ Ladbrokes.com.au) and Classique Legend ($3 @ Ladbrokes.com.au) doing battle in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes.

The meeting’s marquee race is set to run as Race 7 at 4:05pm (AEST) with 17 remaining in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) following four scratchings including last year’s winner Kolding and his in-foal stablemate Savacool.

Updated Epsom Handicap odds are still in favour of a Waller-trained winner with Star Of The Seas ($5 @ Ladbrokes.com.au) out to break his run of frustrating Group 1 second placings.

The last of the meeting’s features is the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m), markets the Caulfield Cup lead-up by the in-form Kris Lees-trained Mugatoo ($3 @ Ladbrokes.com.au).

See below for the full Randwick Epsom Day scratchings and jump times before heading over to Ladbrokes.com.au for the weekend’s top racing odds and offers.

Randwick Scratchings – 03/10/2020

• Total Scratchings: 16

Race 1 (12:25pm) – $125,000 Cleanaway Handicap (1600m)

• #1 Interlocuter (6)

Race 2 (1:00pm) – Group 3 $160,000 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m)

• No current scratchings

Race 3 (1:35pm) – Group 3 $160,000 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate (1000m)

• #5 Hodgson (10)
• #11 Retrieval (15)

Race 4 (2:10pm) – Group 2 $500,000 Quincy Seltzer Hill Stakes (2000m)

• #4 Finche (11)
• #7 Sir Charles Road (7)
• #11 Verry Elleegant (10)

Race 5 (2:45pm) – Group 1 $500,000 Darley Flight Stakes (1600m)

• No current scratchings

Race 6 (3:25pm) – Group 2 $500,000 Bisley Workwear Premiere Stakes (1200m)

• No current scratchings

Race 7 (4:05pm) – Group 1 $1,000,000 TAB Epsom (1600m)

• #1 Kolding (20)
• #15 Reloaded (7)
• #18 Savacool (16)
• #21e Just Thinkin’ (17)

Race 8 (4:45pm) – Group 1 $750,000 Heineken Metropolitan (2400m)

• #5 Raheen House (12)
• #7 Shared Ambition (19)
• #10 Lord Belvedere (10)
• #22e Grey Lion (14)

Race 9 (5:20pm) – $125,000 Cerrone Handicap (1200m)

• #2 Aim Smart (11)
• #11 Farmer’s Friend (1)

*All times quoted are local Sydney time (AEST) and subject to change