Randwick race-by-race preview & best bets | Saturday 12/2/2022
| What | Apollo Stakes Day |
| Where | Royal Randwick – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031 |
| When | Saturday, February 12, 2022 |
| Feature Race | Race 8: Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) |
| First Race | 12:25pm AEDT |
| Watch Live | |
HorseBetting’s New South Wales racing analyst has previewed the 10-race card at Royal Randwick on Saturday, which is headlined by Verry Elleegant’s return in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes. There is plenty more feature racing across the course of the afternoon with the running of the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (Race 6), Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (Race 7) and Group 3 Triscay Stakes (Race 9). The track is currently rated a Soft 5, while the rail is out 5m for the entire course. The first race will be underway at 12:25pm AEDT with the running of the Pierro Plate for two-year-olds. Get all of your best bets and quaddie numbers for free below.
Race 1: Pierro Plate (1100m)
A field of 10 two-year-olds will get Saturday kick-started, with the running of the Pierro Plate over 1100m. There has been a fair spruik around for the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained colt Metallicity, but we are siding with one from the raced brigade. Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott saddle up Rise Of The Masses, who is looking to remain undefeated after winning in dogged fashion on debut at Kembla Grange on December 11. The son of Russian Revolution has been back to the trials where he won his 900m heat stylishly on January 31 at Rosehill. Tim Clark stays in the saddle, Blinkers go on for the first time, and they have drawn favourably in barrier five, which should see him lead. We are keen to be on this colt at the each-way quote.
Selections: 6-1-7-4
Race 2: Class 3 Highway Handicap (1800m)
Country gallopers get their chance in Saturday’s Highway, which will be run over 1800m. These races are often a lottery, so we often like to look a bit wider and hope that we can run into the placings at big odds. One galloper that has caught our eye here is the James Ponsonby-trained four-year-old Socrates. This son of Tavistock won his maiden in September 2020, which saw him start $16 in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at his next start, where he placed ninth behind Montefilia. Socrates has only won the one race and he has seemingly had plenty of chances to win again at tracks like Queanbeyan, Bathurst and the Sapphire Coast. He is currently a $41 chance, but we are hoping that Randwick will play into his favour.
Selections: 13-2-4-3
Race 3: Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m)
The stayers get their chance in race three, with the running of a Benchmark 78 over 2400m. Just nine horses will contest the race, including Casino Kid, who should relish getting to Randwick after being beaten by the Rosehill track last time out. The Muswellbrook-trained four-year-old has built a nice record in just 23 starts and now looks ready to produce his fifth win as he steps out to this staying distance for the first time. The son of Casino Prince does tend to do his best racing on rain-affected going, so a bit of sting out of the track is going to help his chances. The way that Casino Kid finished off his race last time over 2000m suggested he should relish 2400m.
Selections: 6-2-7-1
Race 4:Benchmark 72 Midway Handicap (1000m)
The Midway gallopers step out over 1000m on Saturday in Race 4, where Gary Portelli’s Capital Reign looks very hard to beat. The three-year-old sprinter has never been out of the placings in seven starts, having won four races, with two of those over 1000m and the other two over the shorter 900m journey. First-up, the son of Capitalist had the handlebars down over 1100m, which just told late as Silent Impact reeled him in over the final 100m. Back to 1000m is going to suit this gelding, as will the 1.5kg drop in weight under Tyler Schiller. If Spellcatcher can frank the form on Friday night at Canterbury, this horse looks to be one of the better bets on the entire program.
Selections: 2-1-6-5
Race 5: Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m)
The best bet of the day comes up in race five in our opinion, as James McDonald hops aboard the Chris Waller-trained Yiyi. The four-year-old gelding has been in some serious form over the past six months, having not missed the place in his past nine starts, with four of those races resulting in him finishing first. The son of No Nay Never has been costly for his loyal fans in his two runs this campaign, running second on both occasions as a $5.50 chance and a $2 favourite respectively. He is no fancy price on Saturday, but he looks to get all of the favours, as he steps out to 1600m for the first time this campaign at a track where he is unbeaten at. Barrier five looks ideal for McDonald to slot in behind the leaders and produce the promising miler at the right time. He can go on to bigger and better things this autumn.
Selections: 2-1-6-4
Race 6: Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m)
The first of the features on Saturday at Randwick is the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes over 1200m, where Quantico and Lost And Running top the market for trainer John O’Shea. Quantico was in some serious form in the latter part of the spring, winning three consecutive races including a Listed race on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington over 1200m. The five-year-old has been nominated for the Newmarket Handicap, which is a fair indication of just how well O’Shea thinks his six-time winner is going. From barrier eight, Quantico will be midfield with cover, just waiting to let down with his quick turn of foot under Tommy Berry. The streak can continue.
Selections: 13-9-1-2
Race 7: Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m)
This is arguably the most anticipated race of the day, as boom filly Espiona makes her return to the track. Can she win? Most definitely, but at $1.55, we want to bet around the undefeated galloper given the absurd odds of some of her rivals. James Cummings will saddle up two fillies in this race, including the consistent Heresy, who was $126 when markets first went up. The three-year-old daughter of Street Boss went brilliants in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes against the boys in August when third to Bruckner and Artorius, before having no luck as favourite in her next start. She then nearly fell as a well-backed chance in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas, and then got reeled in late over 1600m at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day. That form is better than what her odds suggest, while a recent trial behind Malkovich and Minhaaj looks very good on paper. From barrier three, Sam Clipperton will give her every chance to at least give Espiona a huge scare.
Selections: 9-8-1-5
Race 8: Group 2 Apollo Stakes Stakes (1400m)
The feature race of the day is the Group 2 Apollo Stakes, which sees some serious horses resume for the autumn campaigns, namely Verry Elleegant, Think It Over, Colette and Maximal. Colette won this race 12 months ago, defeating Kolding and Verry Elleegant, and that’s the way we see it playing out again on Saturday. The five-year-old mare loves it at Randwick and is coming off a terrific spring carnival, which saw her win the Group 1 Empire Rose at Flemington in brilliant style. Tim Clark will be in the saddle from a positive barrier (4), so she can be on the back of Riodini and I Am Superman and be in the finish. We loved her recent trial, which should have her humming along nicely for this.
Selections: 10-6-1-9
Race 9: Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m)
A capacity field of 15 mares will do battle in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes over 1200m, where undefeated galloper It’s Me resumes. Drawn barrier one, Vangelic looks to get an uncontested lead under Tim Clark in what will be her first-up run for the autumn. The Waterhouse & Bott-trained four-year-old was beaten less than two lengths in the Golden Eagle during the spring, which came on the back of running fifth in The Invitation at the start prior over 1400m at this track. She is yet to win over 1200m nor has she done enough to win at Randwick in nine starts, but the juicy each-way quote is enough to get us enthused off a nice trial. She won’t have to do any work to find the front, and the stable is flying at present, so we are backing them to have Vangelic right.
Selections: 1-4-3-14
Race 10: Benchmark 88 (1300m)
A competitive Benchmark 88 field will contest the final race of the day over 1300m. True Detective was too good for Tycoonist and Bring The Ransom before running fifth in the Listed Carrington Stakes behind Special Reward. Drawn in barrier one, Reece Jones will look to use the fence to his advantage and boot through to either lead or box seat in a race which is lacking much pace. He comes down to 59kg, so he is very well weighted in a Benchmark race, which also means he isn’t giving too much weight to the likes of stablemates She’s All Class and Papal Warrior. Chris Waller looks to hold the key in this race.
Selections: 1-9-11-10
Randwick quaddie tips for Apollo Stakes Day
| Randwick quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-8-9 |
| Leg 2: | 1-6-8-9-10 |
| Leg 3: | 1-3-4-7-14 |
| Leg 4: | 1-9-10-11 |
| Investment: | $300 for 100% |