From Joseph Pride
Horse: Private Eye
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Concorde Stakes) It’s a lucrative time of year for Private Eye. He loves this time of year. In spring every year he just comes up so well, he always manages to win a good race or two in the spring and no reason why he won’t do it again. The weather has probably got something to do with it, he normally gets firm tracks in the spring whereas in the autumn the tracks are softer. His two trials have been what I am looking for, he hasn’t worn blinkers in either and wasn’t asked for anything serious behind Giga Kick in the latest of them, and has the right set up to get his chance. I couldn’t be happier with him. A lovely quiet trial the other day, just what you’d expect to see from him in a trial. That’s what he does. He’s come back great, I’m looking forward to a big prep from him. I like the draw (gate 6), he’s a go forward horse and he should just get that nice run. I can see a heap of pace, it looks a very fast race as most 1000m races are.
Horse: Dragonstone
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Concorde Stakes) He hasn’t raced since winning the Starlight Stakes last December. I reckon he will run really well. I thought his trial was excellent, obviously he’s up against it here against this type of horse. He’ll be ridden quietly off that barrier and he’ll steam home. He’ll beat more home than beat him home, I’m confident of that.
From Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Horse: Poptronic
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Chelmsford Stakes) She has performed at the highest level at Ascot and holds entries for both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cups. She is obviously a quality mare. The mile under these conditions might be a bit sharp for her, she’s 2000-metres plus and could be on a Cups path. Once she gets out to that trip, that’s when we will start to get a gauge on her level of ability.
Horse: Royal Patronage
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Tramway Stakes) A winner up to 1700m in America, Royal Patronage hasn’t raced for more than a year, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm he has shown in two recent barrier trials. He has shown good speed in his trials, which is why we’re happy to kick him off over 1400 metres. He has shown more speed than the traditional staying type coming over. It will give us a good idea where he’s at and how to profile him off the back of Saturday’s race, whether he’s a miler, or 2000-metres is his trip, or if we need to be getting out over further. It will tell us a lot, but he is a very interesting horse. There is good improvement to come and I’m sure there is a nice race there somewhere.
From Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Horse: Arctic Glamour
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Tramway Hcp) Arctic Glamour is nicely placed with just 53kg having resumed with an eye-catching 2nd in the Group 2 Missile Stakes. I think the right 1600m she’d run but 1400m is her go. We’ll be sticking to the mares races after this. You go from here to the Golden Pendant, she might race in another race in the middle and hopefully get a run in The Invitation. She ran really well. She’s well suited at set weights and penalties, she’s got a firm track and she can show what she’s worth. Sometimes she can be a bit tardy out of the gates but the other day she jumped well and got squeezed up either side and ended up being further back than what was desired.
From Todd Payne
Horse: Lisztomania
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, Highway Hcp) Lisztomania has been a strong contender and unlucky in several Highways. They’d (James McDonald) made contact when this gelding was racing super in Highways but without any luck. They identify the right form. No riding instructions with the start he gives you. We’ll run a race – he always does. Good as we can get him, really happy, probably should have won two of these (Highways). We’re overdue but in a real hard race, big field and drawn out (gate 17).
From James Cummings
Horse: Aft Cabin
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Concorde Stakes) Aft Cabin has been gelded following his autumn campaign. He’s reacted with two easy trial wins. He’s going beautifully. He’s come back we’d like to think as a brand new racehorse this preparation having been freshly gelded. I like the way he’s gone about his work in two public trials since. But he’s been building up to those efforts with an excellent preliminary at Osborne Park. I’d say on the strength of his effort in the Challenge Stakes first-up last preparation he’s a very interesting chance in what is a very strong Concorde.
Horse: Red Card
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Concorde Stakes) I think Red Card can run a race because she’s well suited at set weights and penalties. Even though there’s the likelihood of a good gallop in this 1000m race I think she can still be well suited by a fast pace and kick on strongly. Because 1000m races are often the domain of 1000m horses and those that might have a little more class and finish off strongly don’t always catch them.
Horse: Zardozi
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Chelmsford Stakes) She’s really flying, we love the way she’s going and this is almost too good a race for her second-up. I think the mare has got to get her preparation underway in a positive fashion. I like that she won second-up last preparation over 1500m at Rosehill (Phar Lap Stakes). She’s certainly in a position to reward us for her light campaign last time in having had only the four runs. I’d say this is the type of race that could keep setting her up well for the spring ahead which is a really open looking whiteboard of options at the moment. It’ll be a confidence booster whichever way we are heading if she can keep getting to the races and running well like she did first-up.
From Michael Freedman
Horse: Moravia
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Concorde Stakes) Placed in the San Domenico Stakes and The Run To The Rose last spring, Moravia was gelded after not quite hitting the mark during the Sydney autumn. While he has turned in two unplaced runs since then in Queensland, I am seeing a noticeable difference this time off a clean slate. He had a semi-prep last time where he was gelded, then he had three weeks off, then he went to Queensland. He struck a bottomless heavy ten (track) at the Sunshine Coast and got caught wide from a bad gate at his second start up there then went back to the paddock. This is probably his first genuine preparation as a gelding. Early indications this time back, with his trackwork and trials, are that he is very switched on and focused. Moravia’s best form is on firm going, which he should strike on Saturday. While he finds himself in a hot race, he does have a low draw in barrier 5 with Dylan Gibbons to ride.
Horse: Flying Destiny
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, Salix Hcp) It’s a little bit of a shy at the stumps, he’ll probably go for a little break then come back for racing over the summer. He’s a good genuine horse and has had a great prep and we’ll give him his chance. He’s very competitive and he rarely runs a bad race. It’s a step up but he’s in great form.
Horse: Panic
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, Salix Hcp) I thought he took benefit from that first-up run and on James McDonald’s suggestion we put the tongue tie on. He was mucking around with his tongue a little bit during the race and affecting his breathing. He’s been working in it the last 10 days and has trained on well.
From Annabel Neasham
Horse: My Oberon
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Tramway Hcp) My Oberon hasn’t raced since the Cox Plate but showed his quality prior to that with placings in the Doncaster Mile and King Charles III. I feel like he is moving really fluently and seems fresh and happy and, for an older gelding, that’s what we’re all looking for. He won the Crystal Mile, and he hasn’t won since, but he was beaten in a photo in the Doncaster and he placed in the King Charles. He’s a good horse. I visually like the way he went about that (Hawkesbury) trial. He just seems in a good headspace. At this stage we will try to keep him here. Last year he did Tramway, Seven (Stakes), Epsom. He went every two weeks.
Horse: Amelia’s Jewel
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Tramway Hcp) Her two barrier trials have pleased, and in some ways surprised, particularly with how sharp she was winning at Hawkesbury in the latest. Amelia’s Jewel’s only appearance in Sydney to date came in last year’s Golden Eagle where she was on the wrong end of some interference and finished well beaten. She has only had the one run here, which was a bit of a disaster. So she has still got to prove that she is as good going the Sydney way but I see no reason why not, she is so straightforward. It should be a perfect race to kick her off in, although obviously we’re still getting to know her. She is going to tighten up for the run. You will see in the yard she has still got a bit of tightening up to do. But that’s how we like to start them so we’ve still got something to work with for the rest of the campaign.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 2 – Spring Lee
Sydney Race 7 – Giga Kick
Sydney Race 8 – Zardozi
