The Championships Day 2 will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday and with overcast weather forecast for the next couple of days, Randwick will be racing on a Soft track on raceday.
Gai can combine with the ‘magic man’ Joao Moreira to take out the opening event on Saturday with Clash Of Clans (Sydney Race 1, 1600m). The Exceed And Excel colt won well at Newcastle last start leading from start to finish. Moreira will employ the same tactic from barrier 7 and Clash Of Clans will be the one they all have to catch.
Harmonic is a class horse and a deserved top weight (59kg) in the inaugural Provincial Championship FInal (Sydney Race 3, 1400). Last preparation, the Tony McEvoy-trained 6YO was competitive racing against the likes of Boban & Lilliburlero. And he won well 1st up in the Hawkesbury Provincial Championship Qualifier also carrying 59kg. Harmonic has a great record over 1400m winning 4 times from 7 attempts and he also enjoys racing on Soft track with 3 wins & 2 placings from 7 starts in the condition. Harmonic looks the horse to beat despite the wide draw.
Half of the field in this year’s Sydney Cup are genuine two milers (Sydney Race 8, 3200m). Protectionist (58kg) possesses a strong sprint at the end of a staying trip and he is ready to show his best over two miles in the Sydney Cup. However he has to give the very much in-form Hartnell (52kg) a whopping 6kg and that could be a gap too far for the Melbourne Cup winner to bridge. Hartnell ran a blinder in his first Australian start in the Chipping Norton Stakes before taking out the Sky High Stakes & The BMW in brilliant fashion. Hartnell had a gallop on Wednesday and John O’Shea reckons the Authorized gelding is really primed for the race. Hartnell is in form, versatile, has stamina & has a good turn of foot and at the limit weight, he is going to be hard to beat in the Sydney Cup.
Top Japanese runner To The World could be too good in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sydney Race 9, 2000m). In The BMW last start, To The World & Hartnell were running away from the field with Hartnell, being prepared for a two mile race, outstayed the Japanese runner in the last 50m. Champion Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton will take over the rein on Saturday. Significantly last year’s winner It’s A Dundeel also used The BMW as his final tune-up for the Queen Elizabeth. Coincidentally, It’s A Dundeel also finished 2nd in The BMW before he took out the Group One 2000m race. I believe history will repeat itself on Saturday with To The World prevailing in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
By Owens Wong, Editor
