Yard to the Post | Boxing Day
Race Day: Royal Randwick on Sunday, 26 December 2021
A breezy day in Sydney and the Royal Randwick track played well for Boxing Day racing. The fresh southerly made it a real test for some gallopers travelling wider with no cover down the back and one-paced types found it hard as they quickened down wind into the straight, but there wasn't any obvious bias.
KIRWAN'S LANE bounced back to form in the BM 88 over 1600 metres (Race 3) and PARRY SOUND surprised the market by winning the feature Group 3 Summer Cup over 2,000 metres (Race 7) at the big odds of $26. The day finished with lucky leader NOTHINSWEETABOUTME holding them off as CASINO KID (held up badly) and REMUS (held up badly) charged late.
A full review is provided below.
Track Info
| Rail | +6m 900m-W/Post, +4m Remainder |
| Conditions | GOOD 4 |
| Weather | OVERCAST / SOUTHERY wind |
| Bias | FAIR |
Race 1 DRINKWISE PLATE
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian Conquest | Peter & Paul Snowden | Regan Bayliss | 5 | 55.0 | |
| 2 | Snitcat | Gary Portelli | Tyler Schiller | 12 | 55.0 | |
| 3 | Shalailed | Bjorn Baker | Hugh Bowman | 18 | 57.0 |
The Interest
RUSSIAN CONQUEST is proving to be a really tough young sprinter that can soak up pressure near pace and keep lifting. The run of SNITCAT almost as good back in grade after covering lots of extra ground in the run (4W NC). COMMAND APPROVED pulled up with a poor recovery after going hard in the lead and tiring. Watch out for MONASTERY when he gets over more ground, a nice staying prospect by So You Think.
Race 2 TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anethole | Cody Morgan | Tom Sherry | 3 | 58.0 | |
| 2 | Midsummer Rain | Cameron Crockett | Campbell Rawiller | 6 | 60.5 | |
| 3 | Casino Lord | Cody Morgan | Hugh Bowman | 8 | 57.0 |
Race 3 BOWERMANS HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirwan's Lane | John O'Shea | Tom Sherry | 2 | 59.5 | |
| 2 | Wheelhouse | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 7 | 59.0 | |
| 3 | Five Kingdom | Matthew Dale | Ms Jenny Duggan | 6 | 54.0 |
The Interest
Three good performances from KIRWAN'S LANE, WHEELHOUSE and FIVE KINGDOM with a gap back to the rest. Firmer ground, a steady tempo and the box seat run all played into the hands of KIRWAN'S LANE, who didn't seem to enjoy the softer track last start. SOUTH PACIFIC warmed up very late at the back and could be a stayer to watch.
Race 4 MIDWAY HANDICAP
strong tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pecuniary Interest | John Sargent | Hugh Bowman | 9 | 58.5 | |
| 2 | Apache Belle | Wayne Seelin | Brock Ryan | 8 | 54.5 | |
| 3 | Legend Has It | Les Bridge | Jay Ford | 5 | 55.5 |
The Interest
Regan Bayliss got the pace wrong on MADE BY KHAN accelerating 800m or 900m from home (ran an 11.56 from the 800m to 600m) before tiring badly late. PECUNIARY INTEREST too good again after Bowman found gaps through the field to swoop late. APACHE BELLE so honest as always and LEGEND HAS IT is warming up to a win over further. REBEL RAMA just doesn't seem to be hitting the line over this distance now, she may need to step back a touch.
Race 5 BISLEY WORKWEAR HANDICAP
slow tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dhakuri | Nathan Doyle | Glyn Schofield | 13 | 55.0 | |
| 2 | Niffler | Chris Waller | Chad Schofield | 4 | 54.0 | |
| 3 | Zegalo | Mike Cattell | Tyler Schiller | 2 | 59.5 |
The Interest
This time Tyler Schiller put in a poor ride on ZEGALO, his negativity early and bad luck at the top of the straight (held up) costing him the race. DHAKURI a quirky horse that keeps improving and seems to enjoy being ridden quietly midfield on dry ground. NIFFLER had her chance, but perhaps she needed more tempo in this grade to show her stamina. A few other decent runs in a bunched finish.
Race 6 FUJITSU GENERAL HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lady Of Luxury | Bjorn Baker | Brock Ryan | 1 | 55.0 | |
| 2 | I Say Hello | Kris Lees | Chad Schofield | 7 | 57.5 | |
| 3 | Steel Diamond | Chris Waller | Tyler Schiller | 6 | 58.0 |
The Interest
MISS BALTIMORE was a touch keen in the lead, but Regan Bayliss managed to stop her from bolting mid-race. A perfect ride from Brock Ryan got LADY OF LUXURY home with I SAY HELLO a touch unlucky after using up some energy mid-race (touch keen, on heels). A nice return from STEEL DIAMOND and CENTIMENTAL (tightened) too. Even LEAVE ME SOME (wide) and LADY BANFF (on heels) had some excuses.
Race 7 SCHWEPPES SUMMER CUP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parry Sound | Sara Ryan | Brock Ryan | 2 | 53.0 | |
| 2 | Criaderas | Cody Morgan | Regan Bayliss | 9 | 55.0 | |
| 3 | Polly Grey | Chris Waller | Jason Collett | 1 | 59.0 |
The Interest
PARRY SOUND was suited here on his best ratings back to dry ground, but you had to show some faith after a last start failure. CRIADERAS, ATTORNEY and ORDER AGAIN (blocked) all ran on well. STOCKMAN and POLLY GREY would have been very hard to beat if the track stayed wet.
Race 8 HYLAND RACE COLOURS HANDICAP
fair tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Animate | Kris Lees | Tyler Schiller | 8 | 61.0 | |
| 2 | Ranges | Peter & Paul Snowden | Regan Bayliss | 4 | 59.5 | |
| 3 | Super Effort | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Jay Ford | 6 | 57.5 |
The Interest
ANIMATE landed in the right spot and outclassed an honest RANGES. The step back to 1200m made a big difference for the winner and he was never going to get beaten once they all landed in their spots. TAMERLANE an unlucky favourite wide at the back (3W NC).
Race 9 CHANDON GARDEN SPRITZ HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holyfield | Annabel Neasham | Brodie Loy | 3 | 61.0 | |
| 2 | Two Big Fari | Todd Howlett | Ms Jenny Duggan | 7 | 61.5 | |
| 3 | Blesk | Reece Goodwin | Hugh Bowman | 14 | 58.5 |
The Interest
HOLYFIELD has been improving every run this prep and a perfect ride from Brodie Loy got him home today. TWO BIG FARI chased well and is now up-and-running again. BLESK unlucky from the back and SNIPPY FOX poorly ridden (keen, outsprinted). NITRIDE ($81) a horse that can win stepping back in grade too after covering lots of extra ground here.
Race 10 HEINEKEN 3 HANDICAP
steady tempo
Bias:
Fair
| Place | Silk | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Gate | Kgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nothinsweetaboutme | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jean Van Overmeire | 9 | 55.5 | |
| 2 | Caesars Palace | Anthony Cummings | Glyn Schofield | 11 | 57.5 | |
| 3 | One Aye | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | Quayde Krogh | 8 | 55.0 |
The Interest
Just a steady tempo and there were plenty with excuses behind the lucky leaders NOTHINSWEETABOUTME and CAESARS PALACE. CASINO KID (held up badly), WAIHAHA FALLS (stuck wide) and REMIUS (held up badly) all very unlucky along with REAL PEACE (stuck very wide). ONE AYE and DEFICIT found the line well. JUST A JEDI did enough to follow up in distance next start.