From Lyle Chandler
Horse: Rapbidash
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Highway Hcp) Rapbidash, a winner of three of her four starts, hasn’t raced since an unlucky defeat in a Highway in December. Mitch (Bell) has always been very keen on her. When he came back to scale after she broke her maiden he said ‘you’ll need a crowbar to get me off this horse’. First-up at Newcastle over 1200m, it was a pretty competitive race and she dropped right back and ran good time. That showed us she was relatively smart. Going to the Highways you always worry about traffic and as we saw last time she was probably the best horse in the race but she got a lot of bad luck. Rapbidash is a little vulnerable having just had the one jump out at home but from a favourable draw (gate 5) it means she’ll likely not need to concede a huge start. I think she’s fit enough for the 1200m but she’s not totally screwed down. She doesn’t have to drop to last but better than midfield might be slightly ambitious. I’d rather try to stick to the regular pattern.
From Bryce Heys
Horse: Gently Rolled
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Westmead Institute for Medical Research Hcp) She’s a beautiful mare and she’s got a nice little race record, she’s always been that sort of mare that given a bit of time will fill into herself. The plan is to run her here and see where we are at and make some decisions after Saturday as to where we go. For a long time we’ve felt we will find out a bit more about her this prep, with distance and grade and what might be for her. I’d rather see her do it first before we get too carried away. She’s been very good each time she’s gone to the races. She can get back a little bit but she’s raced well, I feel, each time she’s gone to the races and I’m expecting no different.
Horse: Key Largo
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Hcp) Key Largo’s two runs in Melbourne in the spring should be completely ignored and I have Key Largo in a good place to fire first-up given an expected solid tempo up front. There’s good speed in there so naturally that will be good for him but he will get back anyway. He’s a horse that’s best ridden quiet for him to be effective. What comes with that territory, you lose more than you win. He’s a real stable favourite and we’ve been waiting for a benchmark race for him for a while. The obvious thing is to try to get him back in the winner’s circle for the connections involved. There’s no reason not to consider the Galaxy but he might be better off chasing a Wagga Town Plate or something like that. To warrant going to the Galaxy he’d need to be winning a race between now and then.
From David Payne
Horse: Rag Queen
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Inglis Millennium) She is a very nice type. She’s correct, she walks well, she is athletic. I usually go by my eye and touch wood, I’ve been lucky. She showed her share of ability on debut at Canterbury, settling back and relishing a fast tempo to weave through the field and storm home to score. I thought she’d run in the first five (on debut), so she did surprise me. It might be flattering too, because they went flat out that day and were cutting each other’s throats. I’ve always thought she was a miler from day one, but she’s in it, and if she runs in the first five, I’d be very pleased. It’s probably not the ideal race for her, I think she wants further, but for $2 million you’ve got to have a crack.
From Jacob Perrett
Horse: Wiggles
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Highway Hcp) A dominant winning double (at Inverell and Gunnedah) and the decision of outstanding regional rider Matthew McGuren to make the long return trip for just one ride at Royal Randwick on Saturday, is confidence boosting. We just haven’t had the calibre of horse, but this gelding is a nice type, lightly raced at six and off those two wins, it was worth a crack. I ride work and Matty gives me a hand, he rode this horse on Tuesday morning, gave him the option of the ride and he was happy to take it so that’s encouraging. This gelding still has upside, he’s race fit and in form he can race on the pace. And while we drew 17, it’s likely looking at acceptances and where emergencies are drawn we could come in a few.
From Gary Portelli
Horse: Encap
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, Eskimo Prince Stakes) Encap started his last campaign in a Warwick Farm maiden, three starts later he won a Group 3 before being nabbed in the last stride by Militarize in the Group 1 Golden Rose. I’ve got him fit enough to run six furlongs out easily and I think he’s a top three chance without a doubt. You can see he’s learned a lot from last time though. He’s more professional and his two trials were very good. I’m very happy with the way he’s come back. He’ll be a great chance of winning this weekend. He’s one of the most improved horses I’ve had anything to do with. He’s not a horse that gives you much at home. He’s very laid back and unassuming and this weekend will answer a lot of questions for us and the punters. I was happy with the way he hit the line the other day, he’s just a racehorse who turns up on race day. You’ve just got to ride him right and get a bit of luck and he’ll be there.
From Steve O’Halloran
Horse: Nymphadora
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Inglis Millennium) Shunted back to last after copping an early cheque (in the Inglis Nursery), Nymphadora motored home late to finish an outstanding 3rd, beaten less than 1-1/2 lengths by winner Odinson. I watched the head on and the horse on her outside came right across her and put her out of the race, but her last 200 was unbelievable. Even Tom (Sherry) was taken aback by her turn of foot. She hasn’t drawn well (gate 14) but last year 2nd and 4th came down the outside so I’m hoping, especially with the track being a bit rain-affected, it might be the same again. Her attitude and the way she paraded was great. Being a two-year-old race, everybody probably thinks they can win. But on the way she has been running and going, if she can run top-five we will be over the moon. She has already paid back what she cost so anything else will be a bonus.
From Michael Freedman
Horse: Moravia
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, Eskimo Prince Stakes) Moravia made a rapid leap into black-type company at just his second start last August, placing in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes then beating all but Cylinder in the Group 2 Run To The Rose. It was his first prep, so he did a great job racing at the highest level for three-year-olds in the spring. He’s a big, strong brute of a horse now. I was rapt with his trial the other day and he seems to have trained on well so I’m looking forward to getting him back and to what we can do with him in the autumn. Obviously there will be improvement to come out of it, but he will be ready for the 1200m.
From Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Horse: Fully Lit
Message: (Saturday, (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, Inglis Millennium) Fully Lit made the perfect start to his career when he walloped his rivals by 2-3/4 lengths. He had hinted he was above average with two trial second placings, but took things to a new level once he got to the races. He was the perfect package, he has perfect conformation, he had beautiful legs and although he was on the smaller side he just had it all. He almost made it to the Breeders Plate, he was two weeks off going to that race, but we just made the decision that although he was mentally there, he just needed to be that little bit more stronger physically so we put him out in preparation for where we are now. He’ll probably come into (barrier) 15 and Learning To Fly won from that barrier last year. He’s well within himself. He’s been ticking along nicely ever since that run and he’s a no-fuss colt.
From Neil Osborne
Horse: Beer Baron
Message: (Saturday, Rosehill Race 7, Inglis Millennium) Right from the time he was a baby, when I took him to the sales, I felt he had something special about him and that he’d be a nice horse. Beer Baron went into his debut in the Inglis Nursery as a $51 chance and almost scored an unlikely win. He was forced to sit four wide and gave cover to the eventual winner Odinson who managed to reel him in over the last 100m. If he’d had a bit more economical run early he might have won. The gallop before the Nursery I was disappointed in, prior to that I thought he could win the race. He was going like a jet. I thought he was on the verge of going shinsore (after the Nursery) so he had three weeks off and we’ve got him back again. If he could be just behind the pace, he came off the pace in his first start and hit the front, that’d be good. He probably had too hard a run early (in the Nursery), we’re hoping Gai’s (Fully Lit) will have too hard a run from 17 and we can pick it up.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 2 – Anode
Sydney Race 5 – Dakota Vroom
Sydney Race 7 – Odinson
