The Civic Stakes meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (22nd Jun). The course proper was rated a Soft 7 on Thursday and with light showers in Sydney over the next couple of days, Randwick is likely to be racing in the Soft range on raceday.
The Todd Howlett-trained Tanglewood has been in fine form since resuming from a break and he can continue his good form by taking out the Highway Handicap (Sydney Race 1, 1200m). This lightly raced 4YO finished a close 2nd first-up in a 1100m Highway before taking out a 1200m Highway at Newcastle. Though the gelding weakened under pressure at this track last start, he won a 1000m trial 9 days ago. Madeline Owen will claim 3kg and bring his weight down to 58kg. Tanglewood has the gate speed to go forward and sit one off one back and he will go very close in the run home.
Last start winner Need Some Luck can make it two wins in a row by taking out the James Squire Handicap (Sydney Race 5, 1300m). This Team Snowden-trained colt was beaten by a wide gate first-up at Scone, finishing four lengths behind the promising Elson Boy before running away with a Canterbury 1250m race on a Soft 7 track. The 3YO will be fitter again being third-up from a spell and staying at 1300m will suit. Drawn beautifully in barrier 3, Tommy Berry will be biding his time just behind the leaders and Need Some Luck will be raring to go in the straight.
Edward Cummings-trained Strait Acer is down in class on Saturday and the Civic Stakes could just be the right race for the gelding (Sydney Race 8, 1400m). Earlier this campaign, this 4YO finished a close 2nd in the Provincial Championships Final before beaten only a length in the WFA “The Archer”. He ran 8th last start in the Group 3 BRC Sprint and he is capable of a resurgence. It’s hard to fault his form at 1400m with two wins and three placings from seven attempts and he has as good a record at Randwick. Interestingly Cummings has put blinkers on Strait Acer for the first time so we can expect him to settle a bit closer in transit. Tim Clark will settle just behind the leading bunch in a stalking position and Strait Acer will be flying down the Randwick straight.
By Owens Wong
