The Championships Day 1 will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (6th Apr). The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with heavy showers forecast for Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick will certainly be racing on a Heavy track on raceday.
The mighty consistent mare Sunshine In Paris can take out the T.J. Smith Stakes (Sydney Race 7, 1200m). The 4YO is very consistent and being by Invader out of a Zabeel mare, she should have no problem handling the wet condition. She likes Randwick and has never missed a place at 1200m with three wins and two placings from five starts at the trip. Jason Collett will settle mid-field trailing race favourite Imperatrix and Sunshine In Paris will be fighting out the finish in the T.J. Smith. Currently at $8.00 in the fixed odds market, Sunshine In Paris represents a good value bet.
After completed a successful hit-and-run mission in the spring by taking out the Golden Eagle, Japanese visitor Obamburumai is trying to repeat the dose in the Doncaster Mile (Sydney Race 8, 1600m). The lightly raced 4YO has become stronger and has muscled up according to his trainer Keiji Yoshimura and he can also handle any track conditions. Race jockey Damian Lane has galloped the horse on Wednesday and he is very happy with his fitness and reckons Obamburumai is ready to run out a strong mile. And being a Golden Eagle winner, he isn’t harshly treated with only 55kg. Lane will settle somewhere mid-field and Obamburumai will come home with a booming run.
Victoria Derby winner Riff Rocket can complete the derby double by taking out the ATC Australian Derby (Sydney Race 9, 2400m). This 3YO gelding sprinted well fresh when successful in the CS Hayes Stakes first up this preparation before finishing 3rd in the Australian Guineas which turns out to be a very strong form race. And he won the Rosehill Guineas when stepping up in distance last start. Riff Rocket had won twice on Soft tracks and the mile and a half will not be a problem. James McDonald will put the 3YO to sleep just behind mid-field and Riff Rocket will prove to be the strongest in the run home.
By Owens Wong
