From David Payne
Horse: Tympanist
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Precise Air Hcp) He hasn’t put a foot wrong and we expect another nice run from him. He’s nicely drawn as well (gate 3), he could let a few lead him and see if he can run them down.
Horse: Fox Fighter
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, TAB Hcp) Fox Fighter had been just behind the placings in both the Starlight and Razor Sharp, at Listed level, before his weakening 7th behind Noble Soldier two weeks ago. Forget his last run completely, he’s drawn nicely and he likes to be left alone a little. He’s around the mark, a couple of lengths off them all the time and just needs a bit of luck. When you’ve got backmarkers most times you don’t get the right run.
Horse: Monfelicity
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Climate Roofing Hcp) Monfelicity chases back-to-back wins in the Climate Roofing Handicap. Monfelicity showed a different side to herself in beating stablemate Tympanist at 1500m two weeks ago when she sat on the speed but Payne expects to be a little more conservative up in trip. She is a lot stronger with age and she doesn’t take much racing. You have three runs then you back off her. We’ve tried to give her easy preps and she’s rewarding us now. If she steps up a bit later we’ll look for some black type if we can. She was nice and fresh the other day, she is better from back off them and she’ll be ridden normally now it’s 2000m. She’ll let three or four lead her, better than midfield. I think it will suit her, if you’ve drawn 12 you have to pull back or be four wide but she’ll be on the fence (from gate 1).
From Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones
Horse: Two Aye
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Highway Hcp) Two Aye on the 54kg limit to be ridden by Reece Jones. Lightly raced Two Aye a highly impressive winner of a modest early season Goulburn maiden will be jumping grades into the Class 3 1600m race. The blinkers are back on for Two Aye – we’ve had an opinion of this mare after a big maiden win but she’s been disappointing since. Hopefully the blinkers and race fitness make a difference. Two runs back this prep, she’s been showing more. Up in grade but hopefully running into form no weight and out to the 1600m on the big track. We originally bought Two Aye and the way she won her maiden had the makings of a good mare.
From Angela Davies
Horse: Our Kobison
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Toyota Forklifts Hcp) This is our levelling day I suppose, to see where he’s at. We are just going to see how he shapes up on a Saturday and if he happened to win well you’d be thinking of a little look at the autumn and seeing what sprint races are there for him. While dual accepted with Our Kobison, the Benchmark 78 was my original thought, but that was complicated slightly by drawing barrier two in the Midway. You’re under pressure all the time when you come to town, first-up off one trial even though I think he’s probably fit enough to run the 1100m it’s a hard call. The smaller field in the 1000m appeals to me. I’d love to see him take a sit and be running third to fifth and see if he can really reel off some sectionals and be good enough to win it. That’s why the 1000m suits, if they do go quickly he can get back and we’ll see how well he hits the line. He’s really well, I’m tickled pink with him.
From Brad Widdup
Horse: Tintookie
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Toyota Forklifts Hcp) The mare resumes over the short course in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1000m) and it looks ideal to kick off her preparation at that trip for the first time since she won on debut. I’m sure she’ll run well, she’s very consistent. It’s only a 1000m race and we have her forward enough for that. I was happy with her second trial and she seems in good order. Hopefully she does everything right.
Horse: Owen County
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, James Squire Hcp) He jumped from 1200m first-up to a mile at Randwick two weeks ago where he finished eight lengths behind Belleistic Kids. I’m not putting the pen through him until I get him out to 2000m. He had a few problems so I gave him a 1200m run to see if he’d sprint well fresh and he did run well. I stepped straight to the mile and his run wasn’t too bad the other day. He’s drawn well and I’d like to see him hit the line well and when we go to 2000m that will probably be the D-Day.
Horse: Sneaky Paige
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, TAB Hcp) Sneaky Paige, formerly with Mark Newnham, has yet to find her best form since joining the stable and that’s a source of some frustration because she’s always impressive at home. She appeared to have her chance when 5th behind Noble Soldier two weeks ago and will wear winkers for the first time in the TAB Handicap. You’d be excited if most of your horses work like she does, she’s a cracking type and has good ability. She had a good record when Mark had her and I don’t think she’s got back to that. I thought she was a little disappointing the other day. We’ve put a bit of gear on her, she’s working well and looks in great order but has been a bit of a head scratcher. Third-up, she’s had a couple of solid gallops now, I’ve put winkers on her, over 1200m she might get a bit softer speed than what she’s been getting. If she didn’t run well on Saturday I’d probably throw my hands in the air.”
From Jarrod Austin
Horse: London
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, Midway Hcp) After a close 3rd behind Storm The Ramparts at Warwick Farm two weeks ago, he drops slightly in grade into the Midway Handicap – a race there’s no reason why he can’t be competitive in again. He’s stepped up this preparation, he was a big raw baby his last prep so we’re pleased to see him put it together. He’s been racing consistently and he’s only got to do that again and he’ll run a race on Saturday.
Horse: Terra Mata
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Bisley Workwear Hcp) She was a tiny little thing when we bought her but she was nicely put together. There’s a fair bit of luck involved but she’s always shown a bit and continued to develop so we’ve been lucky. She was behind the eight ball for most of the time but when she came back in this time she’d furnished 25-30kg heavier and that’s showing in her strength at the end of her races. It’s been a month since Terra Mater’s impressive Midway win over 1200m, where that late strength was on show, and that’s largely by design after just two weeks separated her first and second-up wins. I was intending to give her an extra week break and I thought the races that fell last week weren’t quite as attractive as this week so we were happy to wait. I know it was a Midway field she beat last time but I thought it was quite convincing the way she did it and it looks like we’ve found a suitable race. She’s very adaptable and very competitive, she wants to win. She’ll do whatever the rider wants her to do, she’s happy to go back or forward and it doesn’t worry her, so it’s a great attribute to have.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 1 – I Am Good At This
Sydney Race 4 – Terra Mater
Sydney Race 5 – Running By
