Yard to the Post | Royal Randwick
Race Day: Royal Randwick on Saturday, 19 December 2020
A decent off season meeting with some horses to follow in the future. None more so than BIG PARADE (picture), who looked impressive winning by 3.3 lengths in Race 9, turning the tables on MO'S CROWN following a first-up flop.
EDISON produced another brave win in an Open Handicap that didn't provide much competiton for him and Waller's mare SAIGON swept home late to win first-up, a horse that seems to be getting better every prep.
One of the biggest betting plunges of the day went amiss when FULMINA ($1.95) was out-sprinted in Race 5, Waller's pair of NEW ARRANGEMENT and BETCHA FLYING dominating from the front.
A review of the day is provided below.
Track Info
| Rail | +5m |
| Conditions | GOOD 4 to SOFT 5, last race raced like a SOFT 6 |
| Weather | SHOWERS |
| Bias | FAIR, lanes three to seven nearer inside playing well |
Race 1 PRECISE AIR HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paulele | James Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 1 | 58.5 | |
| 2 | Zarastro | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 56.0 | |
| 3 | Forzanini | Peter & Paul Snowden | Robbie Dolan | 4 | 54.0 |
The Interest
PAULELE led all the way and was too good, running 1:10.16 at a FAIR tempo over the 1200m, a run that rated 60 to 65ish against the older horses. The gap back to the pack (1.8L, dominant win on fair track) suggests the horses chasing were safely held and they all had their chance apart from COASTWATCH (wide, vet issues).
Race 2 TAB HIGHWAY CLASS 2 HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rich And Shameless | Scott Singleton | Ms Louise Day | 2 | 55.5 | |
| 2 | Designer Dance | Emma & Lucy Longmire | Robbie Dolan | 10 | 54.0 | |
| 3 | Nuremburg Castle | Matthew Dale | Tommy Berry | 3 | 55.5 |
The Interest
RICH AND SHAMELESS got the nice drag into the race and won, running 1:16.25 off a STRONG tempo. That rated about 55 for RICH AND SHAMELESS at metro level down on the 53.5kg, who now jumps up to 63 at country level. It was a fairly bunched finish behind.
Race 3 TAB HIGHWAY CLASS 2 HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Another One | Gary Colvin | Tom Sherry | 17 | 58.0 | |
| 2 | Kattegat | Natalie Jarvis | Ms Rachel King | 1 | 56.5 | |
| 3 | Clay Pan Boogie | James Ponsonby | Ms Winona Costin | 5 | 54.0 |
The Interest
ANOTHER ONE was simply too strong out in the lead, running 1:16.19 off a FAIR tempo. The time was 0.06 seconds faster than the other Highway (STRONG tempo) and importantly the pack was bunched chasing 3L behind so we can be pretty sure those horses ran to their mark, leaving ANOTHER ONE with a rating of about 63 to 65 at metro level. He now jumps to 72 at country level following the win.
Race 4 SCHEMBRAE'S @ BLUEBERRY HILLS HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gone Bye | Mark Newnham | Tom Sherry | 2 | 57.0 | |
| 2 | Parry Sound | Sara Ryan | Tommy Berry | 6 | 56.0 | |
| 3 | Trevelyan | Stephen O'Halloran | Ms Cejay Graham | 3 | 57.0 |
The Interest
GONE BYE very tough to win here, holding off PARRY SOUND and TREVELYAN. A fairly bunched finish with 3.2L between the top ten, but the time was OK and there is some depth in the form, so it looks like a pretty standard BM 88.
Race 5 SKY RACING ACTIVE HANDICAP
slow tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Arrangement | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 3 | 58.5 | |
| 2 | Betcha Flying | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 6 | 58.0 | |
| 3 | Cisco Bay | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Robbie Dolan | 12 | 57.0 |
The Interest
A SLOW tempo so those at the back had no chance. There is a case for splitting the race in two mid-race for ratings purposes given how slow the tempo was (two groups of five). NEW ARRANGEMENT a dominant winner from the front group, but CISCO BAY (3rd, wide), FULMINA (6th, out-sprinted) and OAKFIELD MISSILE (8th, out-sprinted, off heels) all ran well from the back group too. Both groups given a Standard form rating (with a + for NEW ARRANGEMENT's dominant win).
Race 6 RANVET HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saigon | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 10 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | Sausedge | Matthew Dale | Ms Rachel King | 12 | 59.0 | |
| 3 | Maui Girl | Annabel Neasham | Robbie Dolan | 4 | 55.5 |
The Interest
After controlling a steady tempo last time, James Mac rolled on VITESSE at a STRONG tempo, suiting the strong finishers SAIGON and SAUSEDGE from the back. SAIGON a progressive type that should improve into the prep, but she did get the tempo to suit here. A Standard rated race initially (time good, form-lines a touch weak). BRING THE RANSOM pulled up with significant vet issues.
Race 7 CITY TATTERSALLS CLUB HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our Bellagio Miss | Robert & Luke Price | Ms Rachel King | 7 | 52.0 | |
| 2 | Sally's Day | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Kerrin McEvoy | 2 | 53.5 | |
| 3 | Lashes | Matthew Smith | James McDonald | 12 | 58.5 |
The Interest
OUR BELLAGIO MISS and SALLY'S DAY too strong for these, but some mixed form-lines coming into the race and a fair time puts some doubts on the form. Starting the race off as a Below Standard (-1L) race for ratings. The tempo was STRONG as it often is over this distance.
Race 8 BISLEY WORKWEAR HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edison | Nick Ryan | Tim Clark | 11 | 54.0 | |
| 2 | Hilo | James Cummings | Ms Rachel King | 2 | 53.0 | |
| 3 | Irithea | Clarry Conners | Joshua Parr | 9 | 59.0 |
The Interest
EDISON always in a controlling spot, kicking on early off a STEADY tempo with a bit of a longish sprint home. The time was only plain so the race looks Below Standard (-1L), but it was a dominant win to EDISON. Excuses for IRISH SONGS (11th, keen, off heels) and CRADLE MOUNTAIN (13th) knocked up with respiratory noises reported.
Race 9 HEINEKEN HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Parade | Joseph Pride | Joshua Parr | 12 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | Mo's Crown | Lindsey Smith | James McDonald | 1 | 56.5 | |
| 3 | Poetic Charmer | Peter & Paul Snowden | Hugh Bowman | 13 | 58.0 |
The Interest
BIG PARADE was dominant here, beating honest performer MO'S CROWN by 3.3L off a FAIR tempo. It's hard to get a good line on the time (1:09.08) given the track was deteriorating. A case to be made that this was an Above Standard race (+2L/+3L) and the chasing pack ran well too, the form already stamped with THREEOOD coming out and winning at Gosford. The runs of YAMAZAKI (5th, weaved through pack) and MCCORMACK (7th, out widest) were of note too, but they did have enough tempo to run home off in the smallish field.
Race 10 SCHWEPPES HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bluff 'N' Bluster | Jason Coyle | Ms Rachel King | 8 | 55.5 | |
| 2 | St Covet's Spirit | Jason Coyle | Tim Clark | 4 | 58.0 | |
| 3 | More Prophets | John Thompson | Hugh Bowman | 3 | 56.5 |
The Interest
A few of these went through a new pain barrier over a testing 1400m (rain coming, STRONG tempo). The track definitely played worse than a SOFT 5 for this race. BLUFF'N'BUSTER very strong late and probably should have won by more after he was blocked for a run. A Standard level of Form given depth in form-lines, it is hard to assess the time.