Randwick races full preview & quaddie | The Championships Day 1

Race 1: Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m)

The two-year-olds do battle in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m), where the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Espionage will prove hard to beat. The son of Zoustar only narrowly missed out on a spot in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and based on his effort in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m), he should be ready to fire on all cylinders this weekend. His tick-over trial has him kept up to the mark, and with Tommy Berry to get all favours from stall three, Espionage can get followers on the board early.

• 1
  

  ESPIONAGE

• 4
  

  ROSELYN’S STAR

• 7
  

  EXTREME DIVA

• 3
  

  EMBASSY

Race 2: Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m)

The Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) is the last chance for the stayers to stake their claims on the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 13. Circle Of Fire gives the impression he is ready to win third-up into his first Australian campaign, storming through the wire behind Wymark in a BM78 at Rosehill on March 16. This is clearly a much tougher task on paper for the lightly raced four-year-old, however, with the Ciaron Maher-trained import getting into this event on the minimum 53kg, Circle Of Fire can outstay his rivals and claim a spot in next Saturday’s Sydney Cup.

• 11
  

  CIRCLE OF FIRE

• 2
  

  STOCKMAN

• 3
  

  MANZOICE

• 8
  

  VERONA

Race 3: Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)

A capacity field of 20 three-year-olds are set to line up in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m), where the New Zealand raider Witz End presents at a good each-way price. The son of Savabeel produced back-to-back wins before finishing runner-up in his two most recent outings, including when closing off gamely behind Grail Seeker in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) at Trentham on March 16. The Tony Pike-trained galloper gains the services of James McDonald on Saturday, and with the sting out of the ground only set to enhance his chances, Witz End should prove competitive in the Carbine Club.

• 2
  

  WITZ END

• 9
  

  PORT LOCKROY

• 5
  

  TANNHAUSER

• 15
  

  PASIMA

Race 4: Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m)

The three-year-old fillies take centre stage in the Group 3 Adrian Knox (2000m), where Good Banter will be attempting to win her way into the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) on April 13. The John O’Shea-trained filly was impressive when chasing wide without cover in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) in her most recent outing and never shirked the task despite the torrid run in transit. The step up to 2000m looks ideal for the daughter of Tavistock, and with leading Victorian hoop Jamie Kah in the saddle, watch for Good Banter to be challenging late.

• 12
  

  GOOD BANTER

• 1
  

  AUTUMN ANGEL

• 3
  

  WAIKATO GIRL

• 5
  

  HEAVEN BOUND

Race 5: Country Championship Final (1400m)

There is $1 million up for grabs in the Country Championship Final (1400m) and Gallant Star warrants an each-way ticket at the current price with online bookmakers. The Brett Robb-trained gelding has only missed the frame once in his 10-start career, with his latest runner-up effort in the Coonamble Qualifier confirming his entry into this event on Saturday. He simply had too much work to do from the rear of the field on that occasion, but with this bigger field and genuine tempo on offer, Gallant Star is sure to give a bold sight when the whips are cracking.

• 10
  

  GALLANT STAR

• 11
  

  ASSOCIATE

• 1
  

  BANDI’S BOY

• 7
  

  TRIBECA STAR

Race 6: Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m)

The Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) is the second leg of the two-year-old triple crown, where Storm Boy will be trying to redeem himself after going down as a short-priced favourite in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m). He lost no admirers on that occasion, however, bombing the start and being forced to muster in the middle stages, blunting his usually devastating turn-of-foot. He has shown plenty of versatility in the past, so whether he takes a sit or elects to go forward under James McDonald, leave it to his more than capable hands to claim victory on this ultra-talented son of Justify.

• 1
  

  STORM BOY

• 9
  

  LADY OF CAMELOT

• 10
  

  MANAAL

• 3
  

  TRAFFIC WARDEN

Race 7: Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m)

An outstanding crop of 15 sprinters are set to scorch the turf on Saturday and there could be an upset brewing in the form of Aft Cabin. The James Cummings-trained galloper was unsighted in an on-speed dominated Group 1 Galaxy (1100m) on March 23 and didn’t seem to deal with the tight-turning Rosehill circuit after sitting wide without cover throughout. His form reads much better at Randwick, with a fifty percent winning strike to go along with wet track form of (6:3-2-0). Hong Kong’s leading jockey Zac Purton makes his return down under to take the reins, and provided there’s a genuine tempo, Aft Cabin is too big a price to ignore in the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m).

• 5
  

  AFT CABIN

• 8
  

  IMPERATRIZ

• 1
  

  I WISH I WIN

• 13
  

  MAGIC TIME

Race 8: Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m)

The $4 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) is stacked with quality, as the Ciaron Maher-trained Another Wil made his presence felt securing his place in this event with a blistering win in the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) on March 30. Online bookmakers don’t want to take on the talented four-year-old, installing him as a $3.50 favourite. Celestial Legend is on the second line of betting at $6.00, while the Japanese are represented by Golden Eagle (1500m) winner Obamburumai ($9.00). Will it be a rising star to take out this year’s edition? Or perhaps a more proven miler like Mr Brightside in last year’s running of Australia’s great handicap?

Click here for HorseBetting’s free Doncaster Mile preview

Race 9: Group 1 Australian Derby (1500m)

Zardozi is on the one-week backup after a bold display behind kiwi filly Orchestral in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and will revel in the conditions on offer. The daughter of Kingman goes to another level with sting out of the surface, signified by her dominant victory two starts back in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 16. She won the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) with a very similar setup utilizing a short turnaround, and with Jamie Kah likely to gain the perfect run in transit, Zardozi can prove better than the boys in this year’s Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m).

• 14
  

  ZARDOZI

• 1
  

  RIFF ROCKET

• 2
  

  TOM KITTEN

• 3
  

  CEOLWULF

Race 10: Group 3 P J Bell Stakes (1200m)

The final race is a sprint for the three-year-old fillies and the James Cummings-trained Commemorative appears to be a good play in the get-out stakes. The daughter of I Am Invincible was an impressive winner resuming at Wyong on March 20, sitting wide throughout the entire journey before bounding away to score by 1.8 lengths. This will prove a much tougher task, but the Godolphin filly oozes class based on her limited race-day experience, and although she hasn’t taken on this level quite yet, Commemorative has the ability to be more than competitive in the Randwick finale.

• 12
  

  COMMEMORATIVE

• 1
  

  LEARNING TO FLY

• 6
  

  MIRAVAL ROSE

• 18
  

  UNIQUE AMBITION