The Missile Stakes meeting will be held at Randwick this Saturday. The track was rated a Dead 5 on Thursday and with further shower forecast for Thursday & Friday, Randwick could end up in the Slow/Heavy range on raceday.
Aurie’s Star Stakes day at Flemington on Saturday. The track was rated a Dead 5 on Thursday and with a few showers in the next 2 days, Flemington will be no better than Dead on raceday.
In the opening event at Randwick (Sydney Race 1, 1400m), Bart & James Cummings partnership should kick off the programme on a winning note with Streaking Comet. The Northern Meteor filly has been racing consistently and 3rd up over 1400m looks ideal. She has started twice on Slow track with a win and a second so the anticipate Slow condition will present no problem to Streaking Comet. From barrier 6, Peter Robl will look to park her one off the fence in 4th position and make sure she’ll have a clear run rounding the home turn under her 59kg. Streaking Comet looks the winner in the first race.
In the Gary Robert Mara BM84 (Sydney Race 2, 2600m), the Chris Waller-trained Lucripetous has been racing very consistently with three placings in his past three starts. But with his racing style, he would have to give most horses a start. He kept looming up in the straight and he kept missing the winner. With not much pace in the race, it would be against Lucripetous once again. I like the top weight Iggi Pop. He had scored a much deserved win last start over 2400m here at Randwick and with the claim of Sam Clipperton, Iggi Pop will be carrying 57.5kg. I believe this 5YO gelding is ready to make it back to back victory.
In the Group 3 Missile Stakes (Sydney Race 5, 1200m), Sydney’s best wet track sprinter, Rain Affair, looks primed to win this WFA race 1st up. The Joe Pride-trained 6YO displayed stunning speed in winning a Randwick barrier trial last Friday by 9 lengths, recording 47.2 secs over 800m. He won 4 from 4 on Slow tracks and with reigning champion Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller on board, Rain Affair will go straight to the front and run his rivals off their feet. Rain Affair is currently odds-on ($1.75) in the fixed odds market but he looks hard to beat.
In The Rosebud for 3YOs (Sydney Race 6, 1200m), we see the clash of three very promising 3YOs in Watabout, Bull Point and Eurozone. All three have won on Slow tracks before so the condition wouldn’t be against any of them. However Watabout is coming back in distance and that could be against her. I can see Bowman driving through to the lead on Eurozone and Berry will settle Bull Point mid-field. I suspect Bull Point may not be able to give Eurozone a start and beat him. Hence I am tipping Eurozone to win The Rosebud.
By Owens Wong, Editor
