WINNO'S WINNERS: RANDWICK, MARCH 3

By Darren Winningham | Thursday, March 1, 2018

ROYAL RANDWICK RACES SATURDAY 3 MARCH 2018

Welcome to Autumn punters!

We are back at headquarters – ROYAL RANDWICK - this weekend to see some great racing leading into some feature races over the coming month!

The track is currently rated “SOFT” and the rail is out 3 metres this weekend

I think the track will race true here with these conditions and we should see some great racing!

The mighty mare WINX – makes her much anticipated return to racing in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes!

She is looking for 23 consecutive wins in a row – can she do it?

NB: As this form assessment was made a couple of days prior to raceday, please check final fields and track conditions for any changes on the day.

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Race 1

A TAB Highway handicap to ease us into the program this week.

I think that we should be having something on my top two selections here ... in particular the Matthew Dunn trained Sepoy’s Choice (9) at around the $10 mark each way. This is a lightly raced Sepoy gelding who was running on nicely over the mile last start at Grafton in what looks to be a nice time as well. I think that the big open Randwick track will suit this runner and with Tye Angland (he bleeds BLUE like me) in the saddle we may get off to a good start to the day.

Fui San (6) from the Terry Robinson stables has performed well here in the past at Randwick over the mile. The gelding can race on the speed or take a sit so it seems that Jason Collett can take his choice on riding tactics.

So It Is (12) rounds out my trifecta. Again a solid performer here at Randwick without winning – but she still stays under notice.

Selections: 9-6-12-10

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Race 2

Chris Waller has dominance in this race with five of the 12 runners and they all seem to have genuine chances.

I think that Sizzling Bullet (6) fourth up from a spell is the one to be on here in a race that really does not excite me. He has a previous win here at Randwick and does like this distance – at $8 I think he represents great each way value.

The stablemate to be ridden by Hugh Bowman is Xebec (7). I think he will appreciate coming back from the 2400 metres where he seems to struggle.

Almost Court (3) who won here last start, leading all the way, may spoil the Waller trifecta!

Another Waller runner is Quick Defence (5) who won last start at the massive odds of $31 – a massive form reversal. He could go on with it. I'm just not too sure how he may fair on the soft track.

Selections: 6-7-3-5

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Race 3

A small field of two year olds to face the starter here – the boys edition!

Looks like another nice race for Santos (2) who returned from a spell with a dominant win in the Pierro Plate.

Take your pick for the placings – this one seems to be a good thing.

Selections: 2-5-6-3

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Race 4

The two-year old’s step out here over 1200 metres – for fillies only!

This race is very open – however, I like Fiesta (2) from Waller Racing who resumed in the Widden with a nice run after settling off the speed and making a run at them. I think the tactics will be the same this weekend as there appears to be some genuine speed in the race.

Sweet Ava (10) is my roughie in the race at around $17. Unfortunately, she has drawn wide and may need some luck – but I think Avdulla will trail them from the wide barrier and I hope to see her finishing the race off strongly.

Satin Slipper (3) won the Gimcrack here in September over 1000 metres. She resumed with a solid performance over 1100 metres in the Lonhro last start. I think the 1200 metres will suit her second up.

Waterhouse and Bott have Setsuna (1) resuming here – the recent barrier trial at Rosehill looked good on the video. I am gambling that she will not be wound up for this run and will derive some benefit from the run.

Selections: 2-10-3-1

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Race 5

The Group 3 Liverpool City Cup.

NSW is represented well here with the Murwillumbah, Matthew Dunn trained Care To Think (3). This gelding took the summer be storm winning all three starts culminating in a dynamic win in the Magic Millions Cup.

The gelding is owned by a massive number of owners who get along and support racing and always have a great time. Two of them are Damien “Quinny” Quinn and Blair “Gibbo” Gibson. I wonder whether these two will be at the races at Randwick to see he resume this weekend.

Jeff Lloyd has made the trip to Randwick to ride the gelding too. He has a 100% strike rate on him with 3 rides for 3 wins. I hope he runs a bold race for all the owners so we can see a wonderful celebration in the winners enclosure after the race – this is great for racing!

Boss Lane (1) could be the forgotten runner here. Do not let this seasoned galloper get under your guard. His run when he resumed at Randwick a fortnight ago was super. He has a wonderful second up record and Andrew Adkins partners him again and is riding in tremendous form.

Interlocuter (7) has proven himself in this class as well and his barrier trial behind Music Magnate 2 weeks ago looked okay. He wasn’t asked to do too much and I think first up over 1300 metres he will be flashing home late.

Selections: 3-1-7-8

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Race 6

Winx cannot win!

Now that I have your attention – I am only joking!

Short and sweet here …. WINX … the end!

Take your pick for the placings

Selections: 7-4-6-5

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Race 7

The Group 1 Surround Stakes.

Alizee (2) resumed with forceful win in the Light Fingers Stakes (Group 2). She hasn’t won second up but she appeared to have returned in fine fettle and I think that she will be hard to toss again here.

I keep on coming back to Frolic (4) as a genuine contender to knock off the favourite at around the $12 mark. She is trained by Edward O’Rourke a very charismatic young man who I have met when he was in Brisbane two seasons ago for the Winter Carnival. If she can win I think it would be his first Group 1 winner since becoming a trainer – good luck Edward!

Ironically, Edward was Gai Waterhouse’s representative over that Winter Carnival and he is taking her on here. Gai has Smukookh (6) engaged. This filly was strong at the line when beaten first up by Alizee (2) at Randwick – she too hasn’t won second up before but her run suggests that the 1400 metres here second up will be right up her alley.

A strong Group 1 race and I am certain that when the judge calls a halt to the race there will be multiple runners stretched across the track in a blanket finish!

Selections: 2-4-6-5

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Race 8

A race named after a true gentleman of racing – Guy Walter. He trained Streama to win the Group 1 Doomben Cup in 2014.

This race is a Group 2 event and it is a very competitive field.

I am finding it hard to split Dixie Blossoms (4) and Eckstein (6) – so I am going to bracket them both to win!

Dixie Blossoms (4) has a solid record at Randwick and is good fresh. She has won a recent barrier trial at Randwick over 1000 metres and I think she will be difficult to beat.

However, in saying that ...

Selections: (4-6)-5-9

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Race 9

This is a tough race to end a day of quality racing at Randwick.

I am looking for some value here with a Kris Lees runner in Raiden (15) at around the $10 mark to win. He resumed with an impressive win at Warwick Farm midweek a fortnight ago and I think he is ready to step up to this class on a Saturday.

The other runner that got my attention was Generalissimo (8) who was superb first up at Randwick two weeks ago when he was held up and finally got clear to storm home late and be beaten just over 0.5 length. This gelding has won second up previously and is sure to be in the finish this week.

The favourite is Osborne Bulls from the Godolphin yards, trained by James Cummings and to be ridden by Tye Angland. This gelding has an imposing career record of 4 wins and a second from 5 starts. He deserves to be favourite and will be competitive.

His stable mate is Peacock (10) who has been trialling well at Warwick Farm. He will race handy on the speed and may just have done enough work on the track to knock off his counterpart.

Selections: 15-8-3-10 rough chance 1

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Jockey Challenge

Tough ask this week to find the winner – let’s go for Brenton Avdulla to just pip Hugh Bowman and Tye Angland.

Early Quaddie (races 2 to 5 NSW only)

3,6,7 / 2,5,6 / 2,3,10 / 1,3,7 - cost is $81 to $1

Quaddie (races 6 to 9)

7 / 2,4,6 / 4,5,6 / 3,8,15 - cost is $27 to $1

Value Quaddie (races 6 to 9)

7 / 2,4 / 4,6 / 3,8 - cost is $8 to $1

Treble (races 7 to 9)

2,4,6 / 4,5,6 / 3,8,15 - cost is $27 to $1

NSW TAB BIG 6 (races 4 to 9)

2,3,10 / 1,3 / 7 / 2,4 / 4,6 / 3,8,15 - cost is $72 to $1

Good luck and good punting!