The Winter Stakes meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (8th Jul). The course proper was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and with fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
Epic Proportions can make it two wins from two starts by taking out the opening event at Randwick (Sydney Race 1, 1100m). The Better Than Ready colt won easily on debut over 1100m at Canterbury a month ago leading from start to finish and he could only improve with further racing. Dylan Gibbons’ 1.5kg claim will bring the 2YO’s weight down to 56.5kg. Drawn beautifully in barrier 3, Gibbons will go straight to the lead and Epic Proportions will run them ragged.
Resonator is backing up from his victory at Rosehill last Saturday (Sydney Race 5, 1400m). The 3YO gelding showed tremendous fight and tenacity to hold off Gracilistyla last start and he is very fit being fourth-up on Saturday. The 3kg claim from in-form apprentice Amy McLucas would bring relief to Resonator (58kg). McLucas will go to the front from gate 3 to control the pace and Resonator is looking to make it three wins on the trot.
King Of Hastings has been fantastic with his two runs this preparation and he is primed to take out the Winter Stakes at Randwick (Sydney Race 8, 1400m). The 6YO gelding resumed with a good 3rd over 1300m at Randwick before a very unlucky 2nd in the Civic Stakes over this course and distance two weeks ago. The spacious Randwick track really suits this free going galloper. Tyler Schiller is likely to go forward and sit just behind the pace and King Of Hastings is going to repel all challengers in the run home.
By Owens Wong
