The Randwick Guineas meeting will be held at Randwick this Saturday (4th Mar). The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with showers forecast for Sydney over the next couple of days, Randwick will be racing on a Soft track on raceday.
Top weight Soulcombe is the highest rated horse in the Randwick City Stakes and he could win accordingly (Sydney Race 4, 2000m). This english import has good winning strike rate with four wins on both Good and Soft tracks from nine career starts. He won his first Australian start by taking out the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington last spring. The 4YO wasn’t disgraced when he resumed over the Randwick mile four weeks ago. Fitter for Saturday and stepping up to 2000m suits. James McDonald will park mid-field with cover and Soulcombe will finish strongly down the Randwick straight.
Speedster Economics looks well placed in the Fireball Stakes (Sydney Race 5, 1100m). The in-form Annabel Neasham stable has given the 3YO two nice trials in preparation for his first-up run. This Capitalist colt has won his only starts at 1100m when he took out the Listed Heritage Stakes and he could handle any track conditions. Interestingly a barrier blanket will be used for the first time on Saturday and that would help to relax the colt further. McDonald will go forward and sit just behind the leading bunch and Economics could prove too nippy for this field.
The Waller stable has the two best colts in the Randwick Guineas and the son of Pierro, Osipenko, could be the one to beat (Sydney Race 8, 1600m). The 3YO showed good closing speed to beat Aft Cabin and Zou Tiger last start in the Hobartville Stakes. Osipenko is ready to step up to 1600m 3rd up and he handles any track condition. Nash Rawiller will once again be on board. Beautifully drawn in barrier 4, Rawiller will bide his time settling just off the pace and Osipenko will fly over the top of this field.
– By Owens Wong