The Championships day one guide with form, odds and free tips
THE Championships is Sydney’s premier racing carnival and day one runs this Saturday at Randwick where the $3 million Doncaster Handicap is the feature.
There are four group one races on the card which includes the Sires’ Produce, Australian Derby and the T.J. Smith Stakes.
We have form, odds and free tips for every race during The Championships at Randwick and punters can get enhanced odds for both the Derby and the Doncaster with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Race 1 – Widden 150th Anniversary Stakes (1100m)
Property is a talented gelding for Robert Smerdon which battled on well in the Blue Diamond Stakes. The two-year-old is unknown in the wet, but it’s bred to handle the conditions and the inside draw with Hugh Bowman in the saddle will ensure it gets a good trip in transit.
Alizee has been well-backed into favouritism following a good effort behind Tulip in the Magic Night Stakes. The John O’Shea-trained filly tried hard to finish 1.8 lengths behind Tulip and despite having never won a race, the punters are confident with Joao Moreira in the saddle. It gets in with a nice weight which helps.
Sheikha scored an impressive win at Warwick Farm last start, but faces a big rise in class for this. The Waterhouse/Bott-trained filly will likely head forward and give them something to chase. It drops in weight here and there is some confidence in the market.
Race 1 tip: Alizee to win ($3) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 2 – China Horse Club Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)
Eusebio hasn’t done much wrong in a limited career which has included three wins and two placings. The O’Shea-trained gelding scored an easy two-length win in the Canberra Guineas and it looks to have a solid future. It faces a harder field here, but it’s not out of its reach.
Theanswerismyfriend couldn’t have been more impressive when winning at Flemington last start. The Smerdon-trained gelding scored by 4.75 lengths in a dominant display in front and it has form on rain-affected tracks. It’s the current favourite and deservedly so.
Zenalicious finished closely behind Foxplay in the Phar Lap Stakes and that should be a good form guide for this. The Les Bridge-trained three-year-old hasn’t performed well at Randwick in three attempts, but there’s much to like about its form so include.
Race 2 tip: Theanswerismyfriend to win (+270) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 3 – Schweppes Chairman’s Handicap (2600m)
Aloft was an impressive winner at Flemington and punters should always respect European imports. The son of Galileo had solid form in Europe which included a win in the Queen’s Vase and there’s plenty of confidence with punters. It didn’t have a gut-busting run last start which will help for this.
Big Duke continued its winning form by winning in the protest room last start. The Darren Weir-trained gelding was promoted to first in the Manion Cup at Rosehill, but that run might have taken plenty out of it. It ran in tough conditions, but it looms as a major winning chance.
Rock On is a New Zealand St Leger winner at its last start and it will handle the conditions. The John Sargent-trained gelding is likely to be at a lower level than some of these, but it will handle the distance and Kiwi form has been good form this carnival. We wouldn’t rule out its chances.
Race 3 tip: Aloft to win ($4.20) at Ladbrokes.com.au
Race 4 – Newhaven Park Country Championships (1400m)
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Lautaro is a six-time winner from 21 starts which goes well on all tracks. It has won three times on a rain-affected surface and comes into this having won well at Albury. It will need some luck from the wide barrier draw, but the big odds could be appealing to some.
Perfect Dare is a classy runner which has faced much harder fields than this. The four-year-old for Matthew Dunn won by over five lengths to qualify for this and it ran second in the Magic Millions Cup behind Testashadow its start prior. If it handles the wet track it wins at odds of $3.20.
Pumpkin Pie fought on well behind Foxplay in the Phar Lap Stakes and that form is good for a Country Championship. The Danny Williams-trained filly looked good when winning back-to-back races earlier this preparation and it goes well in the wet. Chance at each way odds.
Race 4 tip: Perfect Dare to win ($3.20) at Bet365.com
Race 5 – The Green Guys P.J. Bell Stakes (1200m)
Raiment couldn’t have been more impressive when winning at Rosehill last start and it’s a natural wet tracker. The O’Shea-trained filly is now unbeaten on a heavy track and conditions will suit again. It put over three lengths on same handy runners and drawing wide here might be a positive. It’s the current favourite and we’re expecting more money to come.
Zumbelina comes into this fresh after winning its last four starts. The Chris Waller-trained filly defeated some handy types and it looked to have plenty to offer. This isn’t an easy first-up task, but respect its ability and the light weight.
Prompt Response has placed at its only start on this track and at two starts on a rain-affected track. The three-year-old showed good ability when winning the Twilight Glow at Sandown and the form out of that has been strong. The inside draw might allow it to find the lead and kick strongly.
Race 5 tip: Raiment to win (+230) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 6 – Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m)
Chauffeur will be better suited to running over 1400m than the sprinting distances it has faced this campaign. The Gerald Ryan-trained colt didn’t handle the conditions in the Golden Slipper, which is a concern, but the wide draw might allow it to get a drag into the race down the outside rail. $17 could be worth the risk.
Frolic is the best-performed runner in the field after a slashing run for second in the Golden Slipper. The Michael Freedman-trained two-year-old is unbeaten in two starts on this track and it can easily handle the wet conditions. This distance won’t pose any problems and Tommy Berry is the right jockey to have in the saddle.
Tulip has to be considered based on its third in the Golden Slipper. It didn’t have much luck in the straight and was subsequently promoted to third when Menari caused interference. Lindsay Park are going great guns with their juveniles and Tulip looks a good chance.
Race 6 tip: Frolic to win ($4.40) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 7 – BMW Australian Derby (2400m)
Anaheim wasn’t far away last start in the Rosehill Guineas and it should have improved with that effort. The Busuttin/Young-trained colt finished 4.3 lengths behind Gingernuts, but it got too far back in the running and it should settle closer from the inside barrier. Not the worst chance at each way odds of $8.50.
Inference has shown punters that it can handle the wet conditions by winning the Randwick Guineas. The Hawkes-trained colt finished off strongly behind Gingernuts in the Rosehill Guineas, but the increase in distance is likely to suit and it should run very close in this. It has been specked into $4.70 with most bookmakers.
Gingernuts now has a cult following. The New Zealand Derby winner has now won four consecutive races after winning the Rosehill Guineas with ease last start. The conditions will suit the three-year-old again and it appears as though only bad luck would stop it from winning again. There’s plenty of action in the market for the current $3.20 favourite.
Race 7 tip: Gingernuts to win (+220) at Ladbrokes.com.au
Race 8 – Darley T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m)
Chautauqua is the drifting favourite following five starts without crossing the line first. The former champion sprinter reverts back to the shorter distances following a third behind Winx last start in the George Ryder Stakes. This is an easier target, but it has lost some trust that we used to have. $4.80 is a solid price.
Astern is unbeaten in three fresh up starts and that makes it a dangerous proposition here. The O’Shea-trained star has won two from three starts at Randwick and it looked classy when winning the Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill last preparation. The extremely heavy track could be a concern for punters, but it’s an adaptable type and the $6.50 on offer is rather generous from bookmakers.
Russian Revolution has been heavily backed following its win in the Galaxy. The three-year-old colt is set for a stallion career, but it still has winning to do in the meantime and punters are confident it can take this out. The Snowden-trained colt is unbeaten on this track and if its last run didn’t take too much out of it, it should be tough to beat.
Race 8 tip: Astern to win ($6.50) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 9 – The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m)
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Le Romain is the form runner of the field having finished a game second behind Winx last start. The Kris Lees-trained gelding won the Cantala Stakes in October before winning the Southern Cross Stakes and the Canterbury Stakes on this track. It handles the heavy track and punters are getting good odds on offer from a horse which has beaten some impressive types in the past.
Spectroscope has adjusted to racing in Australia with ease. The European import has scored two easy victories to date and it glided through the conditions last time out. That bodes well for this and although it’s facing a much harder field, punters had to be impressed with that they witnessed. $13 on offer from the bookmakers which is silly money.
Redkirk Warrior is untested in these conditions, but it scored an impressive win in the Newmarket Handicap which has to be respected. The Lindsay Park-trained gelding competed at a high level in Hong Kong before coming to Australia where it has now won back-to-back races. It’s being respected in the betting and should be considered a winning chance.
Race 9 tip: Spectroscope to win (+1200) at Ladbrokes.com.au
Race 10 – Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m)
Perfect Rhyme was a solid winner at Hawkesbury two starts back and it wasn’t far away behind a nice type at Kembla Grange last start. The Ron Leemon-trained filly ran five lengths behind Dawn Wall which is highly considered and it has placed on this track in the past.
La Chatte is knocking on the door after consecutive placings and it’s from the powerful O’Shea stables. The three-year-old filly wasn’t far behind them last start and it only needs luck from a wide draw to figure in the finish. Chance at $7.
Mull Over was a three-length winner last start and it looks to have plenty of improvement in store. The James Cummings-trained filly will continue to improve with the extra distance and it should have no problems handling the ground.
Race 10 tip: Mull Over to win ($5) at Bet365.com