| What | Randwick Races |
| Where | Royal Randwick Racecourse – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031 |
| When | Saturday, February 4, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:20pm AEDT |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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We’re back racing at Randwick on Saturday afternoon for a mammoth 10-race program that is set to be run and won. There’s plenty of feature racing as we find out more about the two-year-old crop with the Listed Lonhro Plate. We’ll also be seeing some key three-year-olds returning to the track in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes.
We should be racing under picture-perfect conditions at Randwick with the track rated a Good 4 and no signs of rain heading into Saturday. The rail has been moved out +8m between the 1600m-winning post with the remainder of the rail out +5m. Hopefully the surface means we’ll be racing on a relatively fair track as well. The first race is scheduled to get underway at 12:20pm AEDT.
Lohnro Plate Top Tip: Madeira Sunrise
In what looks a very tricky race to dissect, we’ve landed with Madeira Sunrise on top in the Lohnro Plate on Saturday afternoon. The Michael Freedman yard must hold this filly in high regard too, as Madeira Sunrise was accepted to run on the Kensington on Friday night; however, have chosen to come to a much tough race, both in grade and prizemoney. She’s one of the first starters in this field and has trialled up beautifully behind the favourite, Sicilian, on two occasions. In both trial performances this daughter of I Am Invincible was only given minor reminders to chase home Sicilian and did it very nicely, while Sicilian was hard ridden to the line to ensure victory. We think Madeira Sunrise has plenty up her sleeve coming here and we aren’t sure Sicilian is even the main danger as Mexico is another horse that caught the eye at the trials. All that said, James McDonald takes the reins now and should get the saloon passage on Madeira Sunrise from barrier three, sitting on the back on the speed from the one-by-one to score on debut.
Lohnro Plate
Race 1 – 
#5 Madeira Sunrise (3)
2yo Filly | T: Michael Freedman | J: James McDonald (54kg)
$4.40 with Ladbrokes
Eskimo Prince Stakes: Osipenko
This is an epic edition of the Eskimo Prince Stakes and you could see it having many different results; however, we’ve got to be with Osipenko at the price on offer with online bookmakers. He returns after a 119-day spell since his enormous effort in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas beaten a half-length by Golden Mile and looks to be travelling well heading into this first-up assignment. The 1200m may be a little suspect for this Pierro colt, but he won his first career start over 1300m, so we aren’t overly concerned about the trip, more so where he gets to in the run and perhaps a lack of speed in the race. Osipenko has had two soft barrier trials heading into this as well, suggesting he can make an impact in this competitive field. Drawn barrier three here, we’re hoping jockey Nash Rawiller can be positive and sit close enough if they do crawl up on speed. He’s the wrong price on talent alone and while we respect the likes of Aft Cabin and Zou Tiger, they’ve come up very short quotes, so we’re happy to take the each-way odds about Osipenko despite some question marks.
Eskimo Prince Stakes
Race 8 – 
#5 Osipenko (3)
3yo Colt | T: Chris Waller | J: Nash Rawiller (56kg)
$8 with Bet365
Best Bet at Randwick: Cosmic Minerva
Bjorn Baker looks to have Cosmic Minerva going really well this preparation and now finds a great chance to get his second win of the campaign. We love they’ve elected to come here on the one-week back up from last Saturday at Rosehill when finishing 0.7 lengths off African Daisy. He looked the winner for a stage before hitting a flat spot with about 200m to run and was unable to pick up again having to settle for third. James McDonald hops aboard now and from a soft draw can find himself in a position where he should be top four turning for home and in striking distance of the leaders. He’ll have an extra 100m to chase them down this time as well, stepping to the mile for the first time. This Deep Field gelding has found plenty of progression this preparation and is yet to miss the frame and we think that continues on Saturday.
Best Bet
Race 2 – 
#4 Cosmic Minerva (3)
4yo Gelding | T: Bjorn Baker | J: James McDonald (57kg)
$3.50 with Neds
Next Best at Randwick: Banju
Banju is looking for three in a row on Saturday at Randwick and he finds another manageable task in Open company. He won by a dominant 3.8 lengths two back at this course and distance when leading throughout to score with relative easy going to the line. An argument can be made it was tough to make ground that day; however, Banju proved the win was no fluke producing another winner effort last time out at Rosehill on January 14. That was a more versatile effort, sitting in behind the speed before storming down the middle of the track to win again. Now he comes back to the 1600m at Randwick and gets all the way down to 50.5kg courtesy of Reece Jones’ claim. The only other danger in the race for us is first-up galloper, Soulcombe, who does look the best horse; however, with a 9kg swing in the weights and fitness on our side, if Soulcombe does beat home Banju in this contest, it’ll be an extraordinary effort. Banju can lead and utilise the rock bottom weight to kick clear and should be winning again.
Next Best
Race 6 – 
#6 Banju (1)
6yo Gelding | T: Lyle Chandler | J: Reece Jones (50.5kg)
$2.45 with PlayUp
Best Value at Randwick: Sebonack
All eyes will be on the return of Remarque in this 1000m contest, which is fair enough; however, we feel Sebonack is sneaking under the radar with online betting sites here. The fact we’re getting double figures for Sebonack makes him a cracking each-way bet on Saturday as he makes his return from a luckless campaign. He’s back after a 133-day break and comes from some very strong three-year-old form-lines, including running 5.4 lengths off Jacquinot in the Group 1 Golden Rose, who is now an equal favourite for the CF Orr Stakes in just over a weeks’ time. That was an unsuitable trip and we think you should be taking this guy on his two-year-old form on good tracks. He’s had just one barrier trial heading into this against Remarque and he beat him home. We understand Remarque wasn’t asked for a big effort; however, we get a 10kg swing on our key rival and with the monster price in comparison, we couldn’t have them that far apart in the betting. Brock Ryan can lead here from the low draw and we think Sebonack can give us a huge sight here.
Best Value
Race 7 – 
#11 Sebonack (3)
3yo Gelding | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Brock Ryan (52kg)
$14 with Betfair
Saturday quaddie tips for Randwick races
Randwick quadrella selections
Saturday, February 4, 2023
- 1-3-10-11
- 3-5-6-8
- 1-4-6-7-14
- 7-13-15
Investment: $240 for 100%
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