This Saturday’s Sydney meeting will be held at Royal Randwick. The course proper was rated a Heavy 9 on Thursday and with fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick will be racing on a Soft track on raceday.
The Kris Lees-trained Syncline looks a strong winning chance in the opening event at Randwick (Sydney Race 1, 1300m). This lightly raced 4YO gelding has won both starts this preparation. He has shown that he can run the trip and handle the wet conditions when he won over 1300m on a Heavy 9 track last start. Syncline is in form and has pretty much tick all the boxes. From barrier 7, Brenton Avdulla will go straight to the front and control the pace and Syncline could prove hard to catch.
The Godolphin-owned Kordia is a terrific light weight chance in the ATC Thank You Jockeys Handicap (Sydney Race 3, 1300m). This 4YO has won 3 of his 5 career starts and the 1300m would not represent any problem. The drying track will suit and so would the small field. Kathy O’Hara will settle towards the tail of the field from barrier 3. With reasonable pace in the race and together with his light weight (52kg), Kordia is going to finish over the top of this field.
The in-form Bjorn Baker stable can take out the NSWROA Trophy Handicap with Kiss The Bride (Sydney Race 6, 1800m). The Savabeel gelding has slowly worked his way up to a suitable trip. The 5YO finished last over the unsuitable 1400m 1st up this campaign. He then finished less than half a length behind Agassi over the Randwick mile on a Heavy 9 track. And last start, he ran a good 2nd over the 1800m on a Heavy 8 track two weeks ago. Though he can handle the Heavy conditions, the drying track would actually suit Kiss The Bride better. James McDonald is likely to go forward and sit one off one back and Kiss The Bride will be ready to pounce down the Randwick straight.
By Owens Wong, Editor
