The Ingham meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and with mainly fine weather in Sydney leading up to the weekend, Randwick will be racing on a Good track on raceday.
Sea King is a new stable addition for Matthew Dunn and the import can win on his stable debut by taking out the Christmas Cup (Sydney Race 7, 2400m). The 4YO gelding had good form in England finishing 6th in the form race, the Ebor Handicap, before he came to Australia. He won his first Australian start by running away with the Bendigo Cup before he finished mid-field in the Melbourne Cup. He has great record over 2400m with four wins and two placings from eight starts at the trip. Interestingly, Matthew Dunn is taking blinkers off to help Sea King to settle better. Nash Rawiller will settle just behind the leaders and Sea King will be ready to pounce rounding the home turn.
Last start winner Port Lockroy can continue his good form by winning The Ingham (Sydney Race 8, 1600m). This Team Neasham & Archibald-trained 4YO had been competitive against horses like Xidaki, Tannhauser and Kintyre during the winter carnival. And this campaign, he finished close up in both the Silver Eagle and Golden Eagle before he took out the Group 1 Railway Stakes over this distance in Perth last start. He’s rock hard fit being fifth-up on Saturday and Tyler Schiller will utilize his good gate (3) to take a forward spot and sit just behind the leading bunch. Port Lockroy will be giving every chance to win The Ingham.
The very consistent Jedibeel could be the one to beat in the Razor Sharp Handicap (Sydney Race 9, 1200m). This Brad Widdup-trained 5YO has been racing more tractable since being gelded and the 1200m should not be a problem. He won three races with two 2nds from five starts during his autumn campaign, culminating to his victory in the July Sprint before his spell. And the 5YO resumed with a close 2nd to Dragonstone in the Choisir Handicap over this track and trip on 5th Nov. Drawn beautifully in barrier 3, Tyler Schiller will settle just behind the leaders on the fence and Jedibeel will run over the top of this field down the Randwick straight.
By Owens Wong
