From Cassandra Stummer
Horse: Coella
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Highway Hcp) Coella has only raced eight times for two wins and four placings. Last start Coella finished 5th behind Sunchyme in a Rosehill Gardens Highway two weeks back. In the gloomy conditions and ploughing through a heavy track, Coella was back near last on straightening but finished strongly when clear to be not far off the placegetters. Coella will be ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes.
From Joseph Pride
Horse: In Flight
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Toyota Forklifts Hcp) One hundred per cent she is a stakes grade horse in the making, it’s just a matter of when she gets there. It’s a good, even field on Saturday and it will be a tough race to win, but she is a nice horse on the way up. I thought if she could win on Saturday she could go to the Listed race on New Years’ Day (Canterbury Sprint) but she will need to be winning to go there. Her big weapon is probably her ability to handle wet tracks and that’s why I ran her in that stakes race first-up. But she is still effective on the dry and she’ll go well on Saturday, although she has a tricky draw (gate 10).
Horse: Accredited
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, TAB Hcp) Accredited is stepping up to Saturday grade in the TAB Handicap following his convincing three length win at Warwick Farm last start. He also has an awkward gate in barrier 12 and is likely to press forward. He was impressive the other day. He now needs to make that transition to Saturday grade but he looks like he’s got what it takes. I’m happy with him.
From Angela Davies
Horse: Our Kobison
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 9, Toyota Forklifts Hcp) Initially intended to run the gelding in the Magic Millions Falvelon (1200m) in Brisbane this weekend but with Eagle Farm in the heavy range, I decided to keep Our Kobison in Sydney given his preference for firm ground. I had a discussion with the owners and said, ‘I think this weather is going to continue north so we’ll just stay here where we are’. He will go to the Canterbury Sprint, the Listed race on the first of January. That’s our goal. We missed the Razor Sharp (Handicap)(last week), he had a little bit of an elevated temperature, just enough that you don’t want to be running if they’re not right. We missed that one, which we really wanted to be in, but there was this race so we’ve done well to find another one just before the Canterbury Sprint. Our Kobison will carry 59kg after the two-kilo claim of in-form apprentice Molly Bourke. He will go forward so as long as he doesn’t overdo it.
From John Thompson
Horse: California Grass
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 6, Precise Air Hcp) She is a 2400-metre, out-and-out stayer. She is a lovely mare and the more she runs, the better she will get. She is a real, genuine, honest stayer that will go through the grades and win a nice race one day.
Horse: Jojo Was A Man
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, James Squire Hcp) JoJo is a stallion and he is a real 1400 to mile specialist. He fractured a pedal bone and it took him six months to come right, but now he is good, one hundred per cent again. He has drawn well (gate 3) and it’s a nice race to kick him off in. He looks to be going as good as ever.
From Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
Horse: Southern Prince
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Coolmore Plate) He’s a big, scopey horse. He is doing everything professionally and he has won a trial, but I’d say he is going to be better next time in. So we will probably just stay at home, give him this run and pop him out for a bit more time. I would have preferred 1200 (metres), but I have put the blinkers on because he’s quite a casual customer and if they overdo it up front he will be coming home late and that will bring him into it.
From The Editor
Sydney Race 2 – Texas Fireball
Sydney Race 6 – Gilded Water
Sydney Race 7 – Bright Red
