Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation meeting will be held at Royal Randwick this Saturday (28th May). The course proper was rated a Heavy 10 on Thursday and with mainly fine weather leading up to the weekend, Randwick is likely to border on Soft/Heavy condition on raceday.
Nice filly Golden Queen could well be the horse to beat in the Precise Air Handicap (Sydney Race 2, 1400m). The 2YO resumed in good fashion finishing 2nd in the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) at Scone two weeks ago. Fitter when second-up on Saturday and looking at her pedigree, 1400m should suit better. And she can handle the Heavy tracks. Jay Ford will go to the lead from gate 1 and Golden Queen can control the pace and prove hard to run down.
The consistent Ita could make it two wins on the trot by taking out the Canterbury League Club Handicap (Sydney Race 3, 1400m). This Bjorn Baker-trained 4YO has five top 3 finish from seven starts this preparation and he won well last start over 1400m after a freshen-up. The All Too Hard mare has a very good record on wet tracks and she never finished worse than 2nd over 1400m from three attempts. The 2kgs claim from Reece Jones will certainly help. Nicely drawn in barrier 3, Jones will settle just behind the pace with cover and Ita will unleash strongly down the Randwick straight.
Whatever beat Andermatt will win the Taylor Construction Handicap (Randwick Race 7, 1100m). James Cummings has decided to miss the Doomben 10,000 and instead started the very promising Andermatt in the Luskin Star Stakes at Scone two weeks ago where he was trapped wide and eventually finishing 4th. The Snitzel gelding is exceptional on wet tracks, winning both 1100m starts earlier this campaign by big margins on tracks rated Heavy 10. Dropping back to 1100m suits much better as the 4YO has a terrific record of three wins and two placings from six starts at the trip. Jason Collett will park somewhere mid-field and given his class and his turn-of-foot, Andermatt looks pretty hard to beat.
By Owens Wong, Editor
