The Randwick Guineas meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with mainly fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick is likely to be racing on a Good track on raceday.
The very promising Anaheed can show that she is firmly on the Golden Slipper trail by taking out the Reisling Stakes (Sydney Race 3, 1200m). The Team Snowden-trained filly took out the Sweet Embrace Stakes last start in a dominate fashion over this track & trip. Anaheed will be even fitter when 3rd up in the Reisling and jockey of the moment Blake Shinn will take over the rein on Saturday. From barrier 6, Shinn is likely to stalk the pace settling one off one back and Anaheed will be powering home in the last furlong.
The Greg Hickman-trained Pierata could well be the horse to beat in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (Sydney Race 6, 1300m). The 4YO had a terrific Spring carnival taking out the Missile Stakes (1200m) and the Sydney Stakes (1200m) on The Everest day where he actually ran faster time than The Everest winner Redzel in the big race. Pierata has a good 1st up record with 2 wins from 3 starts and he loves Randwick having 3 wins and 2 placings from 6 attempts at the venue. Race favourite Trapeze Artist was a bit disappointing when 1st up in the Expressway Stakes and the Artist has a poor 2nd up record with no placings from 4 second-up starts. From barrier 8, Tommy Berry will park somewhere mid-field and Pierata will run over the top of this field in the straight.
It is almost impossible to tip against The Autumn Sun in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (Sydney Race 7, 1600m). The Redoute’s Choice colt is by far the best horse in the race. He has already won Group 1 races over this distance in each of his previous two preparations. First up in the Expressway Stakes (1400m), it took The Autumn Sun the length of the straight to run down Vegadaze so 1600m will really suit. And he is unbeaten at Randwick winning 2 from 2. With reasonable pace in the race, Kerrin McEvoy will bide his time in mid-field and The Autumn Sun will be too strong at the finish.
By Owens Wong, Editor
