From Scott Singleton
Horse: Dollar Magic
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Chandon Hcp) Seven of Dollar Magic’s last 10 starts have resulted in 2nd placings along with two country wins and a 3rd placing. A lot of times when you get horses like that they’re letting one beat them a lot of them but she’s busting her gut and just running into one better. You can’t help but be happy with her but it’s more heartbreaking. It’d be nice for the horse to knock one off, she deserves one. I thought it was a solid enough race and she showed she’s well and truly up to winning one of them, it’s just a matter of things going her way. Luck’s got to turn around sooner or later. Her work since that last run has been exceptional and it gives me confidence she’s going to be competitive at the very least once again. Reece (Jones) should be able to give her the right run from that barrier (2). They should roll along so hopefully she can get a little bit of cover behind them. She has a fair bit of natural speed but I don’t think over 1000m in front would be the best place to be. Just let two or three go and give yourself the best run. There’s no reason why she can’t go just as well or better.
From Marc Quinn
Horse: Bomarea
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, Highway Plate) I think she’s overs (over the odds), fast horses run fast times, she’s always had that capability – that’s why we’re coming. We were going to give her more time up here, but the 54kg with the form she’s in convinced us and under the Plate conditions. Bomarea is getting a substantial 5kg off the main hopes. That and the timing was right off a nice trial. She progressing like our next Country Championships runner. We thought about claiming but Mikayla (Weir) has done an exceptional job with this filly. After winning at Muswellbrook, Bomarea had extended time off. She picked up a virus and we were going to turn her out, but she got over it soon enough and trialled really well again for Mikayla. But we won’t be the ‘bunny’ in the lead in a high-pressure race, and they usually are. She can get the job done with a sit. And the next few weeks of this prep, will tell us if we can stretch her out to the 1400m of the Championships.
From Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
Horse: Amazing Eagle
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, James Squire Hcp) Amazing Eagle created a big impression at his only trial appearance, not only taking out his heat by 7-1/2 lengths, but recording a sub 54-second time over the Rosehill 900 metres. They very rarely do (run that time), and he ran the fastest time of the morning by three-quarters of a second. A lot of the experts and trial watchers rated his trial really highly. But they’ve got to do it on race day. He’s got to go 900 (metres) to 1100 (metres) and he’s never been away from Rosehill before. He is a tractable horse though, or he is at home anyway, and he’s always been easy to get along with. I don’t know whether I’m excited, more anxious to see whether he can do it on race day. He’s not screwed down, so you’d think on what we’ve done with him and the way he’s going to the races that win, lose or draw, he will improve.
From Nathan Doyle
Horse: Cosmic Field
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Midway Hcp) Cosmic Field is well placed in the Midway Handicap. He got back a bit too far in a race (Midway Handicap on Hunter day at Newcastle) that wasn’t run to suit with the tempo up front but he was still okay to the line. He’s probably always needed blinkers but we’ve waited for the right time and he’s responded well at home in the shades. He’ll get covered up nice early and it’s the right race.
Horse: Hide Your Heart
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 3, Kia Ora Prague Hcp) At the 300m mark she was four lengths off the second last horse and lost contact with the field, and I was sending her to the paddock, but she was probably strongest through the line. It’s basically a Benchmark 72 and if they run along at a nice tempo she won’t have to make up too much ground.
Horse: Boston Rocks
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, TAB Hcp) There were probably easier options for lightly raced three-year-old Boston Rocks but he’s landed in the perfect race to test his Gosford Guineas credentials at Randwick on Saturday. With 54kg on his back, Boston Rocks will get his chance to earn a shot at Listed grade after Christmas. He’s got to get the job done on Saturday or show us he warrants going there. He just got in so well at the weights in this race. It’s worked out well, no weight, good gate, Tim Clark, everything maps well. The 1100m is a nice kick off point for him with no weight on his back. He trialled super at Newcastle, he ran the quickest time of the day under no pressure. I think there’s a lot more left to come with him but he was always going to be a lot better after that first preparation with us under his belt and we feel he’s come on nicely.
Horse: Cheerful Legend
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, Precise Air Hcp) Cheerful Legend has a wide gate (12) to contend with in the Precise Air Handicap. He’ll need his share of luck but he comes into the race with a solid 2nd on pace at Canterbury three weeks ago.
Horse: Xpresso
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Chandon Hcp) He’s trialled up okay, probably needed that trial. The 1000m is the right kick off point and barrier one helps. He will probably benefit from the run but he’s forward enough to run well.
Horse: Dalaalaat
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, Petaluma Hcp) He’s consistent as ever, he will bob up one day in that grade. He’s a big horse and a lot of the chances have to carry similar weights so that helps. He always races best on the fresh side and I’m happy heading down there.
From Sara Ryan
Horse: Vegas Outlaw
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Midway Hcp) I was playing around with him at the very beginning, I went to sell him and Domeland wanted to buy him. I just think he’s really slow to learn, it’s taken him a long time to figure out how to go forward. With wins at Kembla Grange, Wyong and Gosford in succession it was a logical step to give Vegas Outlaw his chance in the Midway Handicap at Randwick on Saturday. And the great thing about the gelding is that he’s proven to be versatile as far as both racing pattern and track conditions are concerned and he loves the mile so can go to the race confident jockey Grant Buckley will have options. Winning the (BM)68 the way he did it’s not much of a step up to the (BM)72 and it’s up against many of the same horses. I just leave it up to Grant, he knows the horse so well now, he knows what he’s got underneath him. I think he’s better towards the front, he has a huge turn of foot so he needs to be somewhat handy. But he definitely doesn’t need to be leading.
Horse: So Good So Cool
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Chandon Hcp) So Good So Cool won’t be leading when he resumes in the Chandon Handicap and the five-year-old will be hitting the line if the race is run slickly. There’s a lot of speed in the 1000m race and I’m hoping he can sit behind the speed and work home well. He might need this run but he’s also a weapon fresh, it just might be a tad short for him. Any bad run he’s put in there’s always been an excuse.
From Bjorn Baker
Horse: Infatuation
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, TAB Hcp) Infatuation had some strong juvenile formlines, finishing runner-up in the 2022 Golden Gift and 4th behind Skirt The Law in this year’s Magic Millions Classic. While she has drawn awkwardly in barrier 12 on Saturday, she can show enough to secure her passage back to the Gold Coast. We’re hopeful of getting her up for the Magic Millions three-year-old (Guineas) next month, that’s the main aim. She’s going in without a trial but her work at home has been good. Hopefully she can jump and put herself in the first four.
Horse: Lady Of Luxury
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, Petaluma Hcp) Lady Of Luxury has a strong first-up record but will have to lump topweight of 59kg on Saturday. She has got a big weight and it’s a kick off point for her. She will probably get back and if she hits the line, we’ll be comfortable going forward.
From John Sargent
Horse: Toesonthenose
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 4, Toyota Folklifts Hcp) Toesonthenose has relished (Nash) Rawiller’s patient riding and it will be crucial as he steps out in trip to the Toyota Forklifts Handicap. We just waited from last week to stay in his own class and get out to that extra distance. And probably to revolve around Nash who has really suited the horse and has brought the results. Nash said to me ‘I think I’ve ridden against him and watched him and he’s a horse that would suit being ridden a bit colder and come with a turn of foot’. He’s shown he doesn’t need to be up on the speed where we used to have him and Nash thinks 2000m after his last win would be ideal. He’s trained on beautifully, he’s right at the peak of his game.”
Horse: Outlandos
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Cactus Imaging Hcp) Outlandos will carry just 52kg with Molly Bourke to ride. I expect him to be coming home strongly from the back. Then to keep the freshness in his legs we’ll go another mile in two weeks. He’ll always get the trip when he gets up there. He’s done enough work to hit the line with no weight on his back and go well.
From Joseph Pride
Horse: Stockman
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Cactus Imaging Hcp) Stockman’s best form is on rain-affected ground, which he won’t get on Saturday, but he needs to race to remain at his peak for his next target, the Summer Cup at Randwick on Boxing Day.
Horse: King Of The Castle
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Cactus Imaging Hcp) Dropping back to a mile would be significant for King Of The Castle on Saturday as the gelding struggled over a middle-distance journey last weekend. I don’t think he’s a 2000-metre horse. I wanted to find out and last week was a good chance to do it, but I don’t think he quite gets 2000-metres.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 1 – Amazing Eagle
Sydney Race 7 – King Of The Castle
Sydney Race 8 – Louisville
