From Annabel Neasham
Horse: Zaaki
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) We asked Jamie (Kah) if she come back and ride and she was over the moon and so happy to be back on him. I think he’s come up as well as we’ve ever had him. We didn’t have the horses we wanted in the beginning of the autumn for whatever reason. He is as good this year as he has been this time last year and this time two years ago, I can’t really fault him, he is showing no signs of age. It’s a good field … often it’s a small field of stayers resuming but there is a bit of mixture in there. There is a lot of up-and-coming horses and I think it’s exciting and it probably shows the depth of horses we are going to have in these weight-for-age races throughout the spring. I am also mindful he is older and he does go well fresh. I don’t know where we go between the Winx and the King Charles or if we go to Melbourne for a race or stay in Sydney, I am not sure yet.
Horse: Mo’unga
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) Mo’unga is flying, he won his trial the other day and he’s never won one or looked close to winning one, so hopefully that’s a good sign. He has been working very well and obviously he is a six-year-old entire, but he really does look magnificent. After a number of seconds the last year he really deserves another couple of Group 1s and I can’t see why he can’t do that this prep.
From Ron Stubbs
Horse: Rumours Abound
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Highway Hcp) The lightly raced mare has barrier 16, the extreme outside in a capacity field on a rain-affected surface. It’s some task, an inexperienced mare up in grade but at this stage were coming, relying on the skill and experience of James from out there. And if Randwick remains in that Heavy 8 range then we would wait for another day. There were limited options, she’d been winning so well, and mares generally hold their form. She’s been showing natural speed and running time but out there Saturday, we’ll have to look for a sit, likely she’ll be just as effective. She’s been showing natural speed and running time but out there Saturday, we’ll have to look for a sit, likely she’ll be just as effective.
From James Cummings
Horse: Parisal
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Toy Show Quality) I think Parisal has returned very well, she’s a stylish mare and she’s quite capable of taking the progression from her three-year-old year to open company. The weights are a little tough on her with a 110 rater being nominated and not accepting but nevertheless she’s going to run a nice race.
Horse: Golden Mile
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) Luck deserted Golden Mile when he resumed in the Missile Stakes two weeks ago when travelling behind the speed in the Missile and struck severe interference when Big Parade was injured. (James) McDonald was adamant the entire was going to win or be right in the finish but importantly he’s come through the incident unscathed. The horse has taken absolutely no harm from the interference he experienced first-up. He had an indifferent campaign last prep and yet he was ready to go first-up two weeks ago. I think we can keep the faith with the horse that from a good draw he’s bound to get a good run and I think he’s going to run another slashing race here second-up.
Horse: Zardozi
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Silver Shadow Stakes) (Zardozi) is a slender filly, she’s not that robust, but she’s got a deep pedigree. Just wait until you see this filly get out over a bit of ground. Meanwhile she’s had three runs in a very solid first campaign that’s laid an excellent foundation. Zardozi has been given two trials and is expecting, at the least, to see her charging home. Despite having the potential to get a lot further she has the performances on the board already as a two-year-old that has shown she can be competitive at six furlongs. I can’t see her doing anything other than hitting the line very well first-up and just maybe that might bring her into the race and she can be highly competitive.
From Joseph Pride
Horse: Argentia
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Show County Quality) Argentia, who was making her debut for the stable in the Missile, was racing behind stablemate Big Parade when he suffered a fatal injury halfway up the straight. It was a little bit hard to get a guide, but you couldn’t be disappointed with the run. She knuckled down and got home well.
Horse: Dragonstone
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Show County Quality) Dragonstone relishes rain-affected tracks and he appears set to strike his favoured conditions. Dragonstone did a bit of a Steven Bradbury moment down the outside (in the Missile Stakes) while they were all knocking each other out, but he is racing really consistently. He’s favoured by a wet track and no weight on his back. I don’t think I wanted a wet track for Argentia. Looking at her form, she looks better on top of the ground, but if it gets to the soft range it shouldn’t bother her. I’m really happy with both of them.
Horse: Cinderella Days
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Toy Show Quality) Cinderella Days resumes in the Toy Show Quality at Randwick on Saturday after bursting onto the black-type scene in the autumn with a cheeky third behind Group 1 winners In Secret and Sunshine In Paris in the Light Fingers Stakes. She has always been going to get better as she gets older like her mum did, her mum won a Group One as a five or six-year-old. She has come back a big beast of a filly. She is bigger and stronger than any filly I’ve ever had to be honest. I’d be flat out remembering a bigger, stronger mare I’ve trained than her. She likes the wet tracks, so it won’t pose any problem and the draw (barrier one) looks good for her. It’s always a hard transition from three to four, but she just looks the perfect candidate to make that transition.
From Kris Lees
Horse: Ucalledit
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Show County Quality) It’s been six weeks since his easy win in the Winter Stakes at 1400m though he’s been unplaced in both starts at 1200m. He’s only been to it a couple of times early in his preparations, so he’s got a bit of race fitness. He’s a horse once he finds form he normally holds it so he’ll run well. Whether he’s suited at 1200m we’ll probably learn more off the run. I think he will still run well and it will set up nicely to go to the Tramway. I’ll leave it to Hugh (Bowman), if there’s no pressure he could be more forward due to the fact he’s got some fitness but in a perfect world he’d be two or three off them.
Horse: Cleveland
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, Premier’s Cup) He produced an eye-catching local debut in the weight-for-age Tancred Stakes, running 5th behind Arapaho. We considered trialling but I don’t know that he would show anything in the shorter trials. He’s had a couple of solid gallops on the track. I normally would trial a horse before a first-up run but I don’t see a lot of benefit for him. He’s had a good slow build up for the preparation. The 2000m he’ll probably find a bit sharp but it will set up nicely for his preparation going forward. I’ve got a reasonable understanding of the horse but you learn more when you see them under race pressure. It’s about having him happy and ready to race at 2000m, he’s certainly fit enough. If he’s sharp enough to show up might be questionable but I’m happy with where he’s at with a view we’re getting him ready for longer races.
From Matthew Smith
Horse: Buenos Noches
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Show County Quality) At the end of the day he’s got to go and do it. Absolutely the Everest is on the radar, with a horse like this. If he wins he might earn a guernsey. Let’s hope he goes bang, here I am, and we’ll all be pretty happy. He has developed in his break and he’s prepared to run a big race fresh, evidenced by his latest trial where he was close up behind Mo’unga and Think It Over. He’s a lot bigger and stronger, no doubt about that. He’s well over 16 hands now so he’s definitely grown and strengthened and you always hope that translates into a faster horse. I was happy with his trials. His work is great and everything is good with him. He looks well and he’s fit, for a first up run he’s where you need to have him. I definitely think he will keep improving as he gets runs under his belt but he’s forward enough to run really well.
Horse: French Endeavour
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Silver Shadow Stakes) The filly has only raced twice and was a maiden winner at Warwick Farm a month ago. She’s a nice filly. She’s more of a seven furlong or miler, I think these will be a bit sharp for her at 1200m but she will come into her own over further. Her first-up run was good and she backed it up, that’s all you can do. She was unlucky not to win first-up and a few of those horses have gone onto bigger and better things.
From Kerry Parker
Horse: Think It Over
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) He’s great. He’s going into it really well, really happy with him. He (Nash Rawiller) was absolutely thrilled with him, he came down and rode him in the track gallop at Kembla (Grange) a few weeks ago and then of course in the trial and he’s over the moon with him. No doubt the King Charles and the Cox Plate would be two main goals, we’ll have to take each run as it comes but the main thing is he’s got to turn up Saturday and race really well and come through it in one piece. He’s done plenty, as far as you can. The last thing you want him to do is get him there half fit, he’s going into it as well as he can.
From Chris Waller
Horse: Osipenko
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) Osipenko has the right attributes to be competitive first-up at 1400m. He’s a similar horse to Lindermann, just a bit sharper. He’s more of a miler whereas Lindermann will get out to 2000m. I think he’s a genuine Group 1 winner, he arguably should have won a Caulfield Guineas and he struck a wet track, which he didn’t like, in the Doncaster.
Horse: Lindermann
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) Lindermann, who won a gallop with stablemate El Bodegon at Rosehill last weekend, though he has his work cut out from a wide barrier (18). He outgunned Pericles to win the Rosehill Guineas before finishing unplaced in the Doncaster but caught everyone’s eye with his recent Canterbury trial win. He’s developed well, I think he will just improve. He was a bit unlucky not to have won a Randwick Guineas, he muscled his way to win a Rosehill Guineas, that’s the fighting qualities he has, and before that he won over 1400m. In my eyes he’s a genuine weight-for-age horse, hopefully a winning weight-for-age horse. It’s a good starting point. At the moment he’s in between a handicapper and a weight-for-age horse.
Horse: Fangirl
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Winx Stakes) She was runner-up in last year’s Winx Stakes. She has come back well. She’s had a good couple of years without winning, mainly because of Anamoe. A bit like Happy Clapper (fronting up against Winx). She’s a good horse and didn’t have much luck in a Doncaster, with the barrier and an awkward run. She likes good tracks so that will be key to her.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 2 – Derry Grove
Sydney Race 5 – Kalino
Sydney Race 8 – Zaaki
