From David Payne
Horse: Navajo Peak
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, JRA Plate) Navajo Peak resumed with a competitive 4th to Fangirl in the Apollo Stakes before his form tapered off, culminating in his latest unplaced effort in the Doncaster Mile. It was my fault, I thought he was more of a miler. But they’ve been running him off his feet. He won the Chelmsford (Stakes, 1600m), that was a mile, and I thought, maybe that’s his best distance. I think I’m wrong. The other day (in the Doncaster) he was off the bit from the start and struggling. But he’s well and he will be more comfortable over 2000. Having drawn double-figure alleys at his past two runs, Navajo Peak should appreciate a low draw in barrier five on Saturday with Chad Schofield booked for the ride.
From Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Horse: Pajanti
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, James HB Carr Stakes) She won well first and second-up, through lack of races she had to take a step back to six furlongs on a track that didn’t suit her. If she can settle in the first half I’m sure she can run a good race.
Horse: It’s A Wonder
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, James HB Carr Stakes) I thought she did a good job to win the other day off an awful trial, I don’t think there’s any other way to describe it. She has a distinct disliking for racing in amongst horses and that’s probably why she performed so badly in the trial. A mid to wide-ish gate (9) for her will do her the world of good. She’s got a very good turn of foot and she’ll be very strong late.
Horse: Grebeni
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Catanach’s Jewellers Hcp) The form guide shows Grebeni hasn’t trialled officially but he has had a 900m unofficial trial at Rosehill last Tuesday. He seems to be coming up quite well, he’s a horse that although he can run well first-up he seems to improve off it. Last preparation he resumed in the Silver Eagle which was only 1300m. I imagine whatever he does on Saturday he’ll improve on. He’ll probably only have the three runs, because he’s turning five there’s the Five Diamonds and winning the Goulburn Cup he’s eligible for the Big Dance. The barrier (gate 13) will probably see him get back but he’s not a horse that has abundant gate speed so he’ll settle in the second half of the field. We’d like to see him relax, travel well, and finish it off. In terms of fitness he’s probably a little bit behind where he normally is but he’s fit enough to run well. He’s nearly got a 50 per cent win strike rate and it takes a very handy horse to do that. Some might say he’s been well placed but horses have still got to go out there and win.
From Lyle Chandler
Horse: Rapbidash
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Highway Hcp) Rapbidash arguably should have won the Country Championships Final when she powered from near last to finish 3rd to outsider Asgarda. The weight (60.5kg) is off-putting but not unexpected with the benchmark points from the final but I’m happy to be drawn out there (gate 14). She’s a mare that needs to be in space on the outside of horses. And lately wider is the place to be with the rail out. Anyway, she’s a tall strong mare with the capacity to handle weight. She gets back so it’s preferable with weight to be back a bit in a big field rather than be up front and pressured which is generally the case in Highway races. She’s a mare with a super turn of foot and she can build momentum out there and miss some traffic which has been messy in her last couple.
From Joseph Pride
Horse: Private Eye
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, All Aged Stakes) If he doesn’t win this autumn, it will be four autumns in a row that he hasn’t won a race. He’s a bit hard to place and he gets a lot of wet tracks, which has contributed, but then in the winter he’s good. He likes the spring, he likes the winter, but the autumn has been a tricky time for him. He was never in the contest from a wide draw in The Galaxy (1100m), then missed a scheduled start in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) due to a wet track. I compensated for that by giving the gelding a barrier trial at Warwick Farm last week with James McDonald in the saddle. James was very impressed with him when he trialled him on Friday and had a fair bit of confidence in the horse. I like that. I like the fact he has had a sit on him, and he takes that confidence into the race because Private Eye at his best, he would beat those horses.
From Matthew Smith
Horse: French Endeavour
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, James HB Carr) French Endeavour showed she was on target for James HB Carr Stakes with a close-up 3rd two weeks ago but she faces a job after drawing the outside (gate 14). It’s not a good start when you draw out there. She’s going really well, she’s flying and I thought from a good gate she’d be right in it.
Horse: Buenos Noches
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, All Aged Stakes) Buenos Noches ended his spring with a respectable run in the TAB Everest and a 2nd to Imperatriz at Group 1 level. After drawing the outside gate, the entire had to be ridden conservatively and turned last before running on to be beaten just over two lengths by Chain Of Lightning over the 1200m (in the T.J. Smith Stakes). I thought he ran on pretty well. He was too far back to win but the main thing was that he found the line. He held his ground all the way and picked up and hit the line. You can’t give those sorts of sprinters a head start and beat them unless there’s a pattern to help you and there certainly wasn’t enough speed for him to win. I thought it was a pass and he’s pulled up well. He’s had the right number of runs under his belt and heading to 1400m should be ideal. Hopefully he can bounce back. I just think he’s looking for further. The blinkers was a wrong move, that didn’t work at all but I thought he was near his best the other day. As long as he jumps well and can hold a spot somewhere where he’s comfortable that’d be good. He just wants a good genuine gallop.
From Michael Freedman
Horse: Resistible
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Midway Hcp) Resistible’s first-up win at Wyong showed she’s come back in good order and while you’d always prefer an inside gate but given her pattern it’s something she could overcome. I’m really happy with her and picked this race out a while ago for her as a second-up option. It’s not ideal to draw out (gate 22) there but she has nice gate speed and the ability to roll forward in her races. Her natural racing style is a reasonably bold going type of mare.
Horse: Manaal
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Champagne Stakes) Manaal won the Gimcrack right back on September 30 and has proven to be as durable as she has been competitive – she’s the only horse to contest all three legs of the Triple Crown. She finished a luckless 5th in the Golden Slipper third-up before backing it up with a last stride win in the Inglis Sires’. She’s drawn a nice enough gate (4), good rider on (Jamie Kah), and hopefully she can run out a strong mile. The smaller field doesn’t make them any easier to win. She gives the indication that she can run it (1600m) but you never know until you try. Once she gets into a nice rhythm she seems to relax and for any horse, in particular a young horse, that’s important. It gives me encouragement she can run it out. She’s been really good the past 10 days, she’s been nice and bright and I was really happy with her work on Tuesday morning. I think she goes into Saturday in pretty good nick.
From John O’Shea
Horse: Linebacker
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Champagne Stakes) Linebacker put four lengths on his nearest rival when he made his first appearance at Hawkesbury in February, then dug deep to reel in Anode and claim the Group 3 Baillieu at Rosehill at just his second start last month. This is the race we’ve set for him since January, so everything is on track really. I thought he was a little new when he won at Rosehill so that brought him on and he’s going to run the best race of his preparation.
From Matthew Dale
Horse: Occhiata
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Highway Hcp) She was denied a hat-trick on Country Championships day at Moruya on March 3 but bounced back with a strong Class 2 win at Nowra at the end of the month. She came to me as a maiden and this prep she’s won a few races for us. Her confidence is up and she’ll appreciate a good tempo, Louise (Day) knows her well and I think she can acquit herself well.
Horse: Front Page
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Hall Mark Stakes) He’ll be in the Kosciuszko or the Sydney Stakes, or if some level of stars align he could be in an Everest (later this year). You don’t have to stress too much about it, it’s great they’re all on the one day. That was the silver lining of getting nabbed near the line in the Galaxy. If you want to find a positive, the positive was we could still go to a Kosciuszko. Front Page led until the shadows in the Group 1 Galaxy, running 3rd behind Zapateo, and the difference was having to work a bit early from a wide gate to clear the field. That won’t be an issue in the Hall Mark from barrier 2. All indications from my point of view are that he will run extremely well. He’s well placed at the set weights conditions, if it was a Group 3 handicap he’d have horses chasing him with five or six less kilos. We can’t have him placed any better to perform second-up which is something he’s got to do. If he’s ever going to do it then it’s Saturday.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 7 – Linebacker
Sydney Race 8 – Sunshine In Paris
