Yard to the Post | Royal Randwick
Race Day: Royal Randwick on Saturday, 31 July 2021
Following a winter of badly-biased tracks the combination of drying ground and a wide rail (+12 metres) at Royal Randwick provided fair racing today.
There were some impressive wins on the firmer surface, SO WICKED sprinting clear to win Race 3 over 1,800 metres, MIRRA VISION dominating the higher grade sprinters in the BM 88 (Race 7) and SIXGUN (picture) looping the field out wide to win over 1,000 metres with the blinkers on first time (Race 8).
A full review is provided below, from the yard to the post.
Track Info
| Rail | +12m 900m-W/Post, +10m Remainder |
| Conditions | GOOD 4 |
| Weather | FINE |
| Bias | FAIR |
Race 1 ATC THANK YOU STABLE STAFF HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tamerlane | James Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 12 | 57.5 | |
| 2 | Selburose | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 7 | 56.5 | |
| 3 | Vreneli | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jean Van Overmeire | 8 | 61.5 |
In The Yard
Most fine. TAMERLANE on his toes as usual. PENSATO 90% fit first-up. SKEDADDLE less powerful than most others, but still a nice type.
The Interest
The tempo was only STEADY and TAMERLANE powered home with a big finishing sprint. There were a few with excuses. VRENILI keen in the lead, SELEQUE blocked making her run and SKEDADDLE just seemed to be out-kicked before surging home well enough late. SELBUROSE is a horse with decent acceleration so she had her chance on-pace.
Race 2 TAB HIGHWAY CLASS 3 HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunrise Ruby | Mitchell Beer | Glen Boss | 12 | 54.5 | |
| 2 | Philipsburg | James Ponsonby | Joshua Parr | 4 | 56.5 | |
| 3 | Mr Hussill | Cameron Crockett | Kerrin McEvoy | 2 | 58.0 |
Race 3 ATC THANKS FRONTLINE WORKERS HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | So Wicked | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 1 | 60.5 | |
| 2 | Margie Bee | Kristen Buchanan | Ms Rachel King | 2 | 58.0 | |
| 3 | My Demetra | Peter & Paul Snowden | Sam Clipperton | 8 | 54.0 |
In The Yard
Most fine in the yard, RULES DON'T APPLY the plainest looking in the yard. SO WICKED a bit neater and more muscular than the other favourites.
The Interest
The tempo was FAIR and SO WICKED simply had too much dash on the firm ground. Nothing was making too much ground late, MY DEMETRA and ZING putting in decent runs after getting revved up wider on the turn.
Race 4 THE AGENCY REAL ESTATE HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silent Agenda | Joseph Pride | Ms Rachel King | 5 | 52.0 | |
| 2 | Bethencourt | Kim Waugh | Tim Clark | 9 | 55.0 | |
| 3 | Badoosh | Matthew Dunn | Hugh Bowman | 4 | 58.5 |
In The Yard
Most fine. SILENT AGENDA a robust type that could get over a distance. NYAMI a touch warm in the yard.
The Interest
SILENT AGENDA got the win with the low weight, but MR GEE was unlucky not to win after getting blocked and BETHENCOURT was stuck wide the trip. BADOOSH and CRIMINAL CODE ran well enough. SAVVY LEGEND just too one-paced and he could be worth forgiving up in distance. A bunched field and slowish time suggests the form should be followed with some caution.
Race 5 MIDWAY HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashman | Blake Fitzpatrick | Brock Ryan | 14 | 61.5 | |
| 2 | Rock My Wand | Matthew Smith | Tommy Berry | 5 | 55.5 | |
| 3 | Zorocat | Damien Lane | Jason Collett | 1 | 57.5 |
In The Yard
Most looking fine in the yard. FOXBOROUGH OK first-up. ZOROCAT just a bit fizzy.
The Interest
ASHMAN is a new recruit for the Kim Waugh stable and he relished the dry ground second-up after rolling along in the lead at a FAIR to STRONG tempo giving most others their chance. FOXBOROUGH held up a bit at the back and SERENA was stuck wide no cover. ROCK MY WAND ran pretty well for 2nd considering she prefers softer ground and had a few weeks off into this run.
Race 6 ATC THANK YOU OWNERS HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wairere Falls | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 5 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | California Longbow | Kane Harris | Sam Clipperton | 6 | 57.5 | |
| 3 | Cognac | Joseph Pride | Jean Van Overmeire | 4 | 58.5 |
In The Yard
CALIFORNIA LONGBOW was about 90% fit first-up. The import DICK WHITTINGTON a nice long balanced type that looked a bit fitter in the yard.
The Interest
Only a STEADY tempo and the form out of this race could be mixed, James McDonald giving WAIRERE FALLS the perfect ride and he dashed clear, seeming to much prefer a dry Randwick to the conditions he has been facing recently. Victoria raider MR TIPLA a touch awkward around the turn before getting tightened / out-sprinted. Nice to see COGNAC finally hitting the line. MONEGAL warmed up late from the back and DICK WHITTINGTON will need further to show his best. Bjorn Baker said there was nothing wrong with CANASTA, but the very late market drift and poor performance suggests otherwise.
Race 7 MOËT & CHANDON HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mirra Vision | Peter & Paul Snowden | Sam Clipperton | 5 | 56.0 | |
| 2 | New Arrangement | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 10 | 59.0 | |
| 3 | Madam Legend | Les Bridge | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 55.0 |
In The Yard
All horses looking well in the yard. NEW ARRANGEMENT shining, strong and beautifully-balanced.
The Interest
Not many of these were strong late in what was a pretty testing race thanks to SURF DANCER in the lead. MIRRA VISION in career best form this prep and she was too strong from NEW ARRANGEMENT making ground from the back. You'd think MADAM LEGEND will improve from the run after stepping straight to 1400m second-up and looming strongly 200m out.
Race 8 PRECISE AIR HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sixgun | Mark Newnham | Tom Sherry | 11 | 56.5 | |
| 2 | Battleground | Matthew Dale | Jason Collett | 8 | 55.5 | |
| 3 | Nikohli Beagle | Jarrod Austin | Tommy Berry | 15 | 58.5 |
In The Yard
THE NEON KNIGHT about 90% fit first-up. DUCHESS just a bit fizzy in the yard.
The Interest
SIXGUN is a sprinter that really fights hard late and he needed all of that determination here after a wide run into the wind. BATTLEGROUND with a nice return. BRAZENPINE and DUCHESS held up most of the straight when looking to be travelling well. DE GRAWIN 2//5 lame.
Race 9 FUJITSU GENERAL HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valaquenta | James Cummings | Kerrin McEvoy | 5 | 54.5 | |
| 2 | Spaceboy | Gary Portelli | Ms Ellen Hennessy | 8 | 59.0 | |
| 3 | Broken Arrows | David Pfieffer | Jason Collett | 7 | 54.0 |
In The Yard
BEST STONE about 90% fit. LIBERTY SUN fit enough, but he's got less muscle bulk than most of these. VALAQUENTA playing with the bit and looking pretty fit first-up.
The Interest
VALAQUENTA was due to head to Adelaide for black-type racing and he was strong first-up to win. BROKEN ARROWS (blocked) had his back though and was travelling strongly when Jason Collett took risky inside runs that didn't work out well (blocked 200m). SPACEBOY very brave up on the pace as always. You can probably follow the top three next start.
Race 10 ATC THANK YOU TRAINERS HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Night Of Power | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 8 | 57.5 | |
| 2 | Ranges | Peter & Paul Snowden | Tommy Berry | 12 | 57.0 | |
| 3 | Cuban Royale | Robert & Luke Price | Brock Ryan | 10 | 58.5 |
In The Yard
KORDIA in good shape and most others fine. RADIPOLE with low muscle and about 90% fit. BALANSA about 80% to 90% fit.
The Interest
CUBAN ROYALE was wide no cover and unlucky not to win this, NIGHT OF POWER the recipient of the perfect trail on the back of the runner-up following a long run of outs. KORDIA was chopped out late when right in the finish. ESCAPED a little tight for room late too. The overall time suggests the form from this race might be weaker.