The Villiers Stakes meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with fine weather in Sydney over the next couple of days, Randwick will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
Jenny Graham can take out the Highway Handicap with the resuming Victorem (Sydney Race 2, 1000m). This I Am Invincible gelding won back to back races before his spell. Graham has given the 3YO two trials in preparation for his return to the track where the gelding won the first trial (1000m) and a well documented 2nd to Group 1 winner Music Magnate in a 900m trial last Friday. Victorem can handle any track conditions and regular rider Ben Looker will be on board on Saturday. From barrier 6, Victorem will settle just behind the leaders with plenty of cover and he will finish the race strongly.
Last start winner Broadside is the class horse in the Christmas Cup and he should win accordingly as his rating suggests (Sydney Race 3, 2400m). The Team Waterhouse-trained gelding has come back in top form by winning the ATC Cup (2000m) brilliantly when 1st up from a spell. Stepping up to 2400m 2nd up is a natural progression for this lightly raced 6YO. Josh Parr will take over the rein from Tim Clark on Saturday. And from barrier 7 Parr will take Broadside forward to sit out Hundred, and Broadside will be hard to catch in the run home.
Queensland visitor Crack Me Up will have conditions to suit in the Villiers Stakes (Sydney Race 7, 1600m). The Liam Birchley-trained 4YO won the Recognition Stakes (1350m) impressively when 2nd up on 25th November. The gelding was beaten for only half a length last start in the Brisbane Handicap after pulling hard when the pace slowed down mid-race and was forced to restrained off heels at the 800m mark. Drawn beautifully in barrier 2, Jason Collett can settle the gelding just behind the leading bunch on the fence and receive a cushy run in transit. With his great turn-of-foot, Crack Me Up will over-power this field in the straight. Currently Crack Me Up is at pretty good odds at $7.50 in the fixed odds market.
By Owens Wong, Editor
