From Edward Cummings
Fri 26th Jul, 2024
Horse: Arts
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 10, ATC Thank You Stable Staff Hcp) Saturday is her first appearance at the races since October last year. She was always that little bit backward and immature. Even when she won the Adrian Knox and ran well in the (ATC) Oaks, it was well before her time. The way she has come back in and the way she has been holding her condition and been able to take a bit more work, they’re all signs that she has matured. It’s well short of her best (distance), but she should be hitting the line well. She will wear the winkers first-up over a shorter trip. I was pretty happy with her last trial and I’ve been much happier with her since then. She’d had a genuinely long break, six or eight months, and it always takes them a bit longer to work the rust out.
From Brett Cavanough
Fri 26th Jul, 2024
Horse: Pride To Follow
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Ranvet Hcp) She’s done nothing wrong, she keeps delivering. The race is strong, this time of year the late maturing types are turning up. There could be anything amongst them.
Horse: Joiselle
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, TAB Hcp) If you start setting a horse for that race (The Kosciuszko) and you don’t get picked you get a bit disappointed. If you have them in winning form they highlight themselves. If she wins four straight and wins that race on Saturday someone’s got to look at her. Zac Lloyd was originally booked for the ride but when the champion apprentice was suspended last week there’s no hesitation in calling on Winona Costin. It’s a good race, it’s a real test for her. She gets a good look at them, hopefully we can nurse her through the gears. She was wound up for her first-up run, she’d had a trial and a mile of work, so I won’t have any excuses on that front. If we get a half decent run in the race we’ll see how good she is.
From Matthew Smith
Fri 26th Jul, 2024
Horse: World Alliance
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, TAB Hcp) World Alliance has been a strong winner at 1100m and 1000m in his two winter starts and looks to extend that streak in the TAB Handicap. We just changed what we’ve been doing with him for sure. I tried to lengthen him a little bit last time in and see if he could get over a trip and he never really relaxed. We thought this time in we’d keep him short and see what happens and he’s going super, he’s clearly enjoying the tempo of the shorter races. He keeps improving and that’s all you can ask. He’ll find his feet and go from there. It looks like a race that has plenty of speed and he’ll have his chance. I think he will measure up, he’s got talent no doubt about that.
From Kris Lees
Fri 26th Jul, 2024
Horse: Lutetia
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Ranvet Hcp) An impressive debut winner over 1200m at Newcastle earlier this month. Lutetia took up the running and bounded clear in the straight, holding her advantage comfortably to the line. Really nice filly. She did a good job to win. I’m always a little bit guarded about the opposition at Newcastle, but I think that two-year-old form on the day will hold up reasonably well and she is ready to take that next step. It’s not ideal coming back in trip to 1100, but I don’t know that it will be a huge concern for her, and I think she is up to this grade.
From Marc Quinn
Thur 25th Jul, 2024
Horse: Agirlsbestfriend
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Highway Plate) Racefit Agirlsbestfriend, with regular rider Jenny Duggan, is well placed with 57kg. She’s a mare who appreciates her comfort zone, so we’ve got to find the right balance and maybe the 1800m is it. We’re still not sure though a strong 1800m, but her past three runs suggest as a four-year-old now she’s ready for it. Just hoping this time we can be midfield, backmarkers in a capacity Highway field face a near impossible task.
From Brad Widdup
Thur 25th Jul, 2024
Horse: Sneaky Paige
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Kia Ora Prague Hcp) She has been a very frustrating horse. She would work with (last Saturday’s Rosehill winner) Jedibeel every day of the week and probably towel him up, but just doesn’t do it on the racetrack. After beating just two rivals home first-up in the Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich, she finished at the tail of the field last time out on a heavy track at Randwick. I have made a few tweaks to her training regime in the hope of sparking her into a final competitive performance. She has been disappointing, and I think she will definitely go to stud this year. But normally when you threaten them, they come out and do something.
From Matthew Dale
Thur 25th Jul, 2024
Horse: Field The Moment
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 2, Highway Plate) It was an unbelievably slow tempo up front (last start) and the $1.80 favourite was leading so we were never going to beat it. I thought she did a good job to knuckle down and get up for 2nd off that slow tempo. It’s as good an opportunity for her to win a Highway as we’ll get so she only has to hold her form to be competitive. She’s only got to reproduce that intent and she’s hard to beat again.
Horse: Boston Rocks
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, TAB Hcp) Boston Rocks didn’t fire in the heavy ground at Rosehill a month ago. We got to that stage where he was busting to run and at some stage we were going to have to run on a heavy track. I thought he travelled well into the race and he didn’t let go on the wet track. We’ve waited a month between runs and we get that ‘no excuse’ surface so we’ll learn a lot about him. He’s a nice big strong horse, I think he’s got that raw ability and speed, and we’ve just got to work out what makes him tick in regard to extending away with a race. Even when he won in December he looked like he was going to win by a few lengths and he ended up winning by half a length. He’s been going well at home, I was happy with his trial going into first-up and he gets a no excuse surface.
From Bjorn Baker
Thur 25th Jul, 2024
Horse: Ride The River
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 1, Ranvet Hcp) He was dominant last start and has a good gate (3). His work has been very good, he’s a big striding horse and one that will keep improving in time. He’s a good each-way hope.
Horse: Wingardium
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 5, TAB Hcp) She has a good gate (2) for her and should be able to position up behind them. She’s fit and looks well. Ben Osmond takes 3kg off and she’s an each-way hope in a very competitive race.
Horse: Shezanalister
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 7, Kia Ora Prague Hcp) Shezanalister has won four of her five starts in 2024 and reaches BM 88 level on the back of a tough first-up win three weeks ago under 61kg on a heavy track. She’s continued to improve, she’s a sound and strong mare now and hopefully she can force her way into stakes company. I think she’s in great order, I’ve been absolutely thrilled with her. She’s a big strong mare now and Tommy Berry gets on with her very well. She’s always shown speed but now she can definitely sustain it and we couldn’t be happier with her. She has a good gate (1) so we will be positive and I think she is ready to run a good race. She had a lovely run last time and she looks to get a similar run.
Horse: Line Of Fire
Message: (Saturday, Randwick Race 8, ATC Thank You Trainers Hcp) Line Of Fire who hasn’t raced for 54 weeks since running 2nd at Flemington over 1800m, to take benefit from the run and be a horse to follow later in the preparation. He’s had one or two soundness problems behind but he’s come back in good order. It’s hard to be confident with so long off but in saying that his work has been good at home. When he steps out over further and second and third-up he will be much more competitive.
