The Spring Champion Stakes meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (9th Oct). The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with overcast weather in Sydney over the next couple of days, Randwick will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
The consistent Coastwatch is the one to watch out in the Stan Fox Stakes (Sydney Race 4, 1500m). This Waller-trained 3YO has come back in great order this campaign beaten a nose by Tiger Of Malay second-up in the Up & Coming Stakes before taking out the Ming Dynasty Quality. And he did a fantastic job last start finishing 3rd to topliners In The Congo and Anamoe in the Group 1 Golden Rose. Coastwatch is rock hard fit and he is ready to step up to 1500m. Beautifully drawn in barrier 3, James McDonald will box seat just behind the leaders and Coastwatch will be ready to pounce rounding the home turn.
Star New Zealand filly Amarelinha had no luck finishing eighth first-up in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap and she is going to make amend in the Angst Stakes on Saturday (Sydney Race 6, 1600). The Jamie Richards-trained filly won the NZ Oaks earlier this year so stepping up to 1600m will certainly suit. Though she has been allotted topweight (59kg), there is only a five kilo spread. The speed horses have drawn immediately inside Amarelinha so she should be able to slide across from barrier 13 to settle mid-field. Her class should shine through when Amarelinha rockets down the Randwick straight.
In recent years, fillies have been having a good record in the Spring Champion Stakes winning three of the past five editions and Never Been Kissed can continue that trend (Sydney Race 8, 2000m). The 3YO took out the Group 1 Flight Stakes last start in brilliant fashion as did Montefilia the previous season before she completed the Flight Stakes-Spring Champion Stakes double. This Team Waterhouse-Bott trained filly was strong through the line in the Flight Stakes hence it looks like stepping up to 2000m should suit her. The in-form Regan Bayliss retains the ride on Saturday. From barrier 8, Bayliss could well take the filly to the lead to control the pace and Never Been Kissed is the one they all have to catch.
By Owens Wong, Editor
