From John Sargent
Horse: Glad You Think So
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Gloaming Stakes) Glad You Think So arrives at Saturday’s Group 3 race off the back of consecutive wins at Newcastle in what will be his most significant class test. That’s the path. As long as he runs well on Saturday we’ll go to the Spring Champion (Stakes) and then back-up in the (Victoria) Derby. He is an out-and-out stayer who runs on speed. Hopefully he will get over (from barrier 14) and make his own luck. He has just progressed all the time and he is really hitting his straps now. He’s a mile-and-a-half horse, that’s where we’ll see the best of him, but if they run true and it’s a fast-run race on Saturday he’ll be fighting hard at the line.
Horse: Waverley
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Gloaming Stakes) Waverley hasn’t been beaten far in three recent runs, including when 4th to Gold Bullion at Flemington last start. Waverley will probably go back from the draw (gate 15) so he gets the trip. He hasn’t been giving his best being a colt, but I’ve put blinkers on so hopefully that will turn him around on Saturday.
From Matthew Smith
Horse: Buenos Noches
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) I’m confident the horse is in the right place to win the race in terms of how he’s been prepared, now it’s down to luck in running. Giga Kick narrowly beat him in the Danehill Stakes last year, before that horse won The Everest. This spring he’s been a revelation and announced himself an Everest candidate with an easy Group 3 Show County win at Randwick first-up in August. He followed that up with an eye-catching 3rd in The Shorts, recorded 32.47 for his last 600m, and the fastest last 200m of 10.82. He’s had a super prep, his work has been really good. He’s gone better than leading into his last race so he’s still on the way up. It will be interesting to see what the horses inside are going to do, because he’s a horse that gets back he’s dictated to by the speed. He runs on so he will need a bit of pressure up front to win so it depends on how they run the race. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him. This preparation is the best he’s been, he’s working better and looks better, he’s really ready to go.
From Matthew Dunn
Horse: Derry Grove
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, The Kosciuszko) A debut winner at Warwick Farm at three, Derry Grove showed ability from the outset, but he has needed a combination of patience, trust and time to realise his potential. He won his first start at Warwick Farm coming from last at the hundred (metres), so it’s always been there, it has just been a matter of extracting it. I have also been spacing Derry Grove’s runs and the horse has been thriving on it. The gelding goes into The Kosciuszko fresh, and while I would have liked a rain-affected track it will be offset by a good draw in barrier 6 and the booking of Nash Rawiller, who is unbeaten in three rides on the horse. He’s in a really good spot so hopefully he can step up
From Joseph Pride
Horse: Private Eye
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) He went missing in the autumn, a combination of wet tracks and a knee issue contributing, but burst back into contention with a dynamic, and tough, first-up win in the Group 2 The Shorts a month ago. After his win in The Shorts, there was a couple of lengths improvement in Private Eye but more importantly I have the six-year-old in similar touch to last spring. There’s definite improvement to come. To me when he’s in form, and he wasn’t in the autumn, you’ll see him perform consistently at a high level. If you look at the Gilgai (Stakes), the Everest and the Nature Strip (Stakes) last year, the level he was able to perform at three runs in a row that’s what I’m expecting from him. He wins his races by running up to his absolute best which I think he’s primed to do.
Horse: Think About It
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) He’s won 10 of his 11 starts and you could mount a case he was unfortunate not to win the other. I think everybody expected him to win the other day (the Premiere Stakes) because of his price. He found himself in a difficult position but overcame that as he always seems to be able to do. He goes into the race with a run under his belt which is only going to make him better and he’s had a good couple of weeks. I think he needs things to unfold for him a bit, his best runs are off a good tempo. I’d hate to see him in a slowly run race off the pace because I think he’d struggle. If he can get a genuine run race it won’t matter where he is he will be in the finish.
From Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Horse: Hawaii Five Oh
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) Hawaii Five Oh comes into the field after his barnstorming 2nd to Think About It in the Premiere (Stakes). He’s a horse who is still lightly raced, he’s progressive and there’s more upside. That seems to be a profile of a horse who does very well in an Everest. He’s got that potential there and there is a good sense of timing about his campaign. He’s got tactical speed, we’ve seen him quite prominent in races before, so he’s got options from there and he may well be able to put himself in the race.
Horse: Alcohol Free
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) Put a line through what you saw from her in the autumn, that first-up run here (4th in the Premiere Stakes) was very encouraging. She’s got a lot of improvement there and I’m excited by what she can potentially produce for us. She is a quality horse, she is showing us that at home, and no doubt you will see a better horse on Saturday. Physically she is looking a much more furnished and stronger mare than we saw last campaign and mentally, she seems very happy and in a good space. All those things are pointing to a good performance for us. She has turned the corner and expects her to take up a “handy to midfield” position on Saturday.
Horse: Colin Toss
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Silver Eagle) Coin Toss won four of his nine starts in Singapore. We haven’t seen a lot of horses come out of Singapore to target the carnival but given what’s happened with the racing jurisdiction an opportunity was created there. I think he will adapt relatively quickly to the style of racing and I think (Saturday’s run) will be great benefit having not run for a while.
Horse: Kibou
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Silver Eagle) Kibou looked on track for the Silver Eagle with his gutsy first-up win over 1200m at Randwick on September 16 but he produced a shock failure over the same course two weeks later, and that performance should be completely overlooked as a pointer to Saturday. I think remaining at the 1200m, and it was a high pressure race by the end of the day, it didn’t quite work out for him.
Horse: New Endeavour
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Silver Eagle) He’s a horse that raced back of the field, he has a got turn of foot and great acceleration. In his most recent runs we rode him a little more prominent to help with the adaptation to the Australian racing. He was just as effective being able to do that. We put him on the radar to target the Golden Eagle. A decision was made to keep him racing in Europe with the Eagle in mind so he had a further couple of runs in Group company. It allowed him to arrive down here nice and fit and forward and ready to go. He looks excellent in his condition and his coat. He was very fit coming down here, he’d had plenty of racing, so he hasn’t had to do too much.
From Team Snowden
Horse: Mazu
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) Mazu drew wide first-up in The Shorts. He then drew ideally in the Premiere Stakes only to be scratched when he came out of his box slightly lame on race day. If he drew (gate) 1-4, I’d say he would be right in the race but 11 makes the job hard. I think we are back on track as far as fitness goes. He worked great on Tuesday morning. I won’t be surprised to see him storming home and running great sectionals and running in the first half. I’d be happy with that. I know this is the grand final but it’s not going to happen for him unless he gets the luck. Look at the make up of the race and there’s one leader, there’s a lot of horses that depend on speed and how the race is run. We’d have loved to draw a good gate and be right on the back of the speed and give ourselves every chance. Now we only have one option to go back and ride for luck. I know he’s going to be there somewhere but I would feel a lot more confident if he drew better.
Horse: Huetor
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, King Charles III Stakes) Huetor makes his return in the King Charles III Stakes in preference to the Toorak Handicap. The seven-year-old has come back in good order and while the mile at that level could be a bit sharp I expect a solid first-up performance. I want to run him in the Craven Plate in two weeks so I didn’t want to travel him down and back.
From Bjorn Baker
Horse: Overpass
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, The Everest) Overpass was 6th and less than three lengths from winner Giga Kick last year, however his appearance in Saturday’s renewal will be under much different circumstances. Not only has Overpass subsequently undergone a gelding procedure, he will also go into Saturday’s race off a less rushed preparation. He’s had four weeks going into this year’s Everest as opposed to two weeks last year, I think that will definitely help him. He’s run his best races a little bit fresh, four weeks’ break should give him that little bit of freshness in his legs so hopefully he can get out and roll along. He’s got a track to suit – we’re getting some of our famous (dry) Sydney weather back which is good – and the four-weeks in between. He’s had the ultimate gear change too. The old saying, another Aussie gelded couldn’t a bad thing and I stick by that. Overpass shapes as the natural leader in The Everest and his chances have been enhanced by a low draw in barrier two. He’s got a high cruising speed and we want to take advantage of it. I think he can go to a career peak and if he does that, he’s in the race.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 5 – Far Too Easy
Sydney Race 7 – Private Eye
Sydney Race 9 – Mr. Brightside
