From Matthew Smith
Horse: Festival Dancer
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Racing For Good On 29 July Hcp) Hopefully it’s just another run to get her up fit and these mares can take a few runs to get them rock hard. I think her run the other day was a step in the right direction but she‘s probably still a run away and I would love to see her find her old form.
Horse: First In Line
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Robrick Lodge Eremein Hcp) First In Line is a former UK galloper that returned from a freshen up with an excellent 3rd behind Super Strike and Mach Schnell in a thrilling 1800m event at Randwick last month. He was good first-up. He has always been a bit better with a bit of give in the ground but he went good first-up on a track that had a bit of juice out of it. I really can’t fault him. His work has been good. It’s a bit of a query on the firmer ground but he’s going good. We will keep him fresh and go another 1800m then step him up in trip but he certainly hasn’t taken a backward step. He’s a 2400m-plus horse.
Horse: Royal Robbins
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Robrick Lodge Eremein Hcp) Royal Robbins is one of the newer imports to the yard and is only having his first preparation in Australia. He failed to beat a runner home in his first start for the stable over an unsuitable trip before finishing 7th last start at Randwick. The ability is there but he hasn’t quite got the racing just yet. He has been on the back foot but once he gets it, he will be fine but he has drawn terrible (gate 12) and it makes it hard when you draw bad barriers.
From Bjorn Baker
Horse: American President
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, Furphy Hcp) American President makes his debut for the stable. Funnily enough, he’s the horse that Overpass just beat when he won his first race at Orange. It’s amazing to have him in the stable and I’m lucky to get a well-performed horse. His best form is probably with the cut in the track though, so that’s what we’ll be hoping for with him. But he knows what the game is about and from gate six, hopefully he can just sit off them and the key with him is that if he can relax, he’s a chance.
Horse: Passeggiata
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, Furphy Hcp) A first-up winner over Saturday’s course and distance, Passeggiata was beaten as an odds-on favourite when overhauled by Omni Man in midweek grade last start, but she does meet him 3.5 kg better at the weights and hopefully that will be enough to turn the tables. I thought she still went well last start. It’s hard to win all the time, it’s very competitive racing and I think the winner is a pretty smart horse too. She just wasn’t quite good enough last time and she meets Omni Man again so he’ll be hard to beat. But she is very well. She’s got gate one on Saturday and up to benchmark 78 grade she gets a bit of weight relief. I think she goes in as a pretty good chance.
From Nathan Doyle
Horse: Overriding
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Schweppes Hcp) Overriding is unbeaten in three runs this preparation, all with (Koby) Jennings on board, and she’ll have to overcome a bit of adversity (gate 9) and 2kg more than her Randwick win three weeks ago. She impressed me with how versatile she is. She doesn’t seem to care where she is ridden. I’m confident with her, I wouldn’t say it’s an overly challenging race and she deserves to be winning again in town. If she keeps ticking boxes I don’t see why she can’t win another one.
From Brad Widdup
Horse: Colours Of Autumn
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Inglis Race Series Closing Hcp) The youngster drew the inside barrier on debut at Kembla Grange and went to the line virtually untested beaten two lengths. Be careful what you wish for because we drew the outside this start (gate 15). She probably needs to run because there aren’t many options around and she needs 1400m. Her run was great at Kembla. We’re probably going to have to ride her quiet and see what happens.
Horse: Tintookie
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, City Tattersalls Group Hcp) It doesn’t always mean the right result but it’s good to see her finally get a nice draw (gate 4). Hopefully we can be in front of a couple and not be so far back. She can be her own worst enemy but in the past she has been able to hold a more forward position than she has in her last couple. Going to 1200m with a better barrier you’d like to think she will be competitive. We’ve been patient with her and waited to bring her to town. I sort of held her back for the winter hoping to get a bit of rain. I think she’s better with her toe in the ground but you wouldn’t think so after seeing her last couple of runs where she’s running massive sectionals. She’s a more mature horse now and you’d like to think there’s a lot in front of her.
From Joseph Pride
Horse: Brutality
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, TAB Hcp) He will have another run or two and he will probably be retired at the end of this prep, but we’ll see how he goes on Saturday first. He’s got that awkward racing pattern (get back racing pattern) and he doesn’t make his own luck at all, which makes it hard for him. He’s been a great horse, but winning the Villiers made it very difficult for him from then on in.
Horse: Zoushack
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, TAB Hcp) Zoushack has been warming towards another win. The gelding followed two competitive runs from a spell with a fighting 2nd to Attractable at Rosehill last time out and has an outstanding 1400m record with three wins from four attempts at the journey. He’s had a lot of his starts at Randwick over the shorter courses and that might actually be the reason his win record isn’t quite as flash as it is at other places. But he’s quite versatile in that way. I don’t think it really matters to him where he races.
From Graham Byatt
Horse: Allaboutroy
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, Highway Hcp) I’ve had some success with Amy (McLucas) back home, a good rider that little girl, that’s why she’s where she is now. I booked Amy weeks back when I couldn’t get Danny Beasley after he won on him; Danny said he’d planned a family holiday to Japan. When he won so well with Danny on the heavy last start and that strong form line around his 2nd to Acapella Sun, we planned for this. I mean it got us only late by a neck, won a Highway off it and then only just got beaten in a decent benchmark 78 in town last Saturday. Pretty smart horse. So, we’re as good a form line as it gets for this I reckon. Only had the four starts, always tough for a three-year-old conceding experience and weight to the older horses but we’ve claimed the 3 kilos, drawn well (gate 3) and he’s a natural speed horse with upside. Danny said there’s plenty of improvement still. So we thought the time was right with the form he was in. And while he’s eligible for that level of prizemoney.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 1 – The Little Pumper
Sydney Race 2 – Oakfield Waratah
Sydney Race 5 – Hi Dubai
