Yard to the Post | Royal Randwick
Race Day: Royal Randwick on Saturday, 22 January 2022
The ideal week of weather helped produce a very fair racing surface at Royal Randwick today. Some of the jockeys commented that it felt like 'carpet' and most horses had their chance.
In the feature Listed Carrington Stakes over 1,400 metres, the rejuvenated SPECIAL REWARD pounced on his rivals late to continue his run of strong form. THROUGH THE CRACKS flew home down the outside for 2nd with promising stayer NO COMPROMISE charging up the inside late for 3rd.
One race later LACKEEN broke through for his first win in Sydney at his tenth attempt and the very game BRING THE RANSOM charged late to win the final race of the day.
The biggest surprise came in Race 4 when the $61 outsider ROOM NUMBER produced a clear new personal best to win in the city for the first time at start number 27.
A full review is provided below.
Track Info
| Rail | +8 metres |
| Conditions | SOFT 5 to GOOD 4 |
| Weather | OVERCAST |
| Bias | FAIR, slight advantage running on a few horses off rails |
Race 1 PETALUMA HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silent Impact | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 3 | 58.0 | |
| 2 | Capital Reign | Gary Portelli | Tyler Schiller | 5 | 61.5 | |
| 3 | Spellcatcher | Kris Lees | Reece Jones | 8 | 55.5 |
The Interest
SILENT IMPACT didn't have the early speed most expected over 1100m, but luckily the tempo was on and he got plenty of room in the straight to show his finishing strength. MORIDAN (very green, laid out badly from 300m) and SPELLCATCHER (blocked 125m by wayward MORIDAN) the two unlucky horses in the race.
Race 2 HEINEKEN 3 HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plymstock | James Cummings | Tim Clark | 7 | 55.0 | |
| 2 | Deep Expectation | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Regan Bayliss | 3 | 55.0 | |
| 3 | Emperor | Matthew Dunn | Nash Rawiller | 14 | 58.0 |
The Interest
The top six came away here and all ran well, perhaps EMPEROR the one that had every chance before peaking on his run late. PLYMSTOCK and WILD CALM were strong to the line, while DEEP EXPECTATION seemed the throw the race away late by racing greenly.
Race 3 TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Markwell Dreamer | Joseph Burges | Jason Collett | 1 | 55.5 | |
| 2 | Fangela | Keith Dryden | Nash Rawiller | 2 | 57.5 | |
| 3 | Extravagent Lad | Scott Collings | Kerrin McEvoy | 12 | 56.5 |
Race 4 CITY TATTERSALLS GROUP HANDICAP
fair tempo
: long sprint
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Room Number | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | Quayde Krogh | 1 | 52.0 | |
| 2 | And We Danced | Ben Brisbourne | Kerrin McEvoy | 5 | 54.0 | |
| 3 | Fleetwood Maca | Annabel Neasham | Jason Collett | 2 | 58.0 |
The Interest
They got rolling for home a long way out in this race and it set up some big margins in the finish, stablemate SHE'S ALL IN making sure the surprisingly tough ROOM NUMBER had the set-up she wanted. ROOM NUMBER came through a strong country win off a mark of 57 and was essentially on a city handicap rating of 62 (about 76 in the country) here. Almost impossible to find at $61! AND WE DANCED and FLEETWOOD MACA (held up) are two Kiwi mares that can win a metro race soon.
Race 5 MIDWAY HANDICAP
steady tempo
: long sprint
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White Boots | Kim Waugh | Tyler Schiller | 4 | 55.0 | |
| 2 | Mr Bond | Brad Widdup | Kerrin McEvoy | 8 | 57.0 | |
| 3 | Jungle Book | Clare Cunningham | Jason Collett | 7 | 57.0 |
The Interest
WHITE BOOTS was strong to the line in midweek grade last start over 1600m and he relished the extra distance here. MR BOND ran well after taking off at the 650m mark, both horses enjoying a little bit of cushion in the track too. This wasn't a high quality race though so treat the form with caution.
Race 6 PRECISE AIR HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toomuchtobear | Chris Waller | Jason Collett | 1 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | Desert Icon | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 10 | 59.0 | |
| 3 | Kaapfever | Joseph Pride | Ms Alysha Collett | 7 | 52.0 |
The Interest
SO WICKED led, quickened and peaked as might have been expected over 2000m. The surprises in the race were TOOMUCHTOBEAR (touch disappointing?) , who took forever to get going and only won because the leaders stopped, and DESERT ICON (how did he not win!?), who had the race in his keeping before getting run down late. KAAPFEVER ran well up the inside after a perfect ride.
Race 7 ACY SECURITIES HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Crush | Mark Newnham | Tom Sherry | 8 | 60.0 | |
| 2 | Lancaster Bomber | Richard Litt | Tyler Schiller | 3 | 60.5 | |
| 3 | Broken Arrows | David Pfieffer | Reece Jones | 10 | 59.5 |
The Interest
SHADOW CRUSH was well-supported in betting and he produced a much better run after being a touch flat on the back-up last time out. BROKEN ARROWS a bit unlucky held up behind him at the top of the straight. LANCASTER BOMBER sprinted well fresh before his fitness gave out. NIKOHLI BEAGLE pulled up lame and OSAMU was stuck wide.
Race 8 THE AGENCY CARRINGTON STAKES
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Special Reward | Kris Lees | Glyn Schofield | 2 | 59.0 | |
| 2 | Through the Cracks | Angela Davies | Ms Rachel King | 12 | 53.5 | |
| 3 | No Compromise | Chris Waller | Ms Alysha Collett | 10 | 53.5 |
The Interest
SPECIAL REWARD is in flying form, he loves Randwick and Glyn Schofield is settling him beautifully in his races. The veteran South African jockey timed his run perfectly too, saving SPECIAL REWARD for a big final 200m surge, which put them away. THROUGH THE CRACKS and NO COMPROMISE impressive from the back. PURPLE SECTOR and INVINCIANO can be followed up in distance next start on dry tracks.
Race 9 RANVET HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lackeen | James Cummings | Tim Clark | 1 | 57.0 | |
| 2 | Canasta | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 12 | 55.0 | |
| 3 | Kingsheir | Kim Waugh | Hugh Bowman | 10 | 56.5 |
The Interest
CANASTA didn't roll as fast as most expected and he almost got the win, LACKEEN pouncing late after getting held up. You could say the winner was dominant in the end based on his finishing speed and how far he got clear of the others past the line. It seems dry ground and cover suit him best.
Race 10 BOWERMANS HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bring the Ransom | Bjorn Baker | Tyler Schiller | 2 | 62.5 | |
| 2 | Waihaha Falls | John O'Shea | Tommy Berry | 10 | 55.5 | |
| 3 | Yukon | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Chad Schofield | 4 | 56.0 |
The Interest
WAIHAHA FALLS pushed on-pace and gave a big kick, but the class of BRING THE RANSOM rose to the top late after Tyler Schiller gave her the perfect ride and got her on the back of the eventual runner-up. She is a stakes quality mare that really chases hard the final 200m in her races. O'MUDGEE a touch unlucky after getting held up and he'll prefer more distance and tempo next start.