Randwick race-by-race tips & quaddie | The Championships Day 1

Race 1: Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m)

The two-year-olds step out in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m), where the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Beskar returns from a 121-day spell. The Snitzel colt was a dominant maiden winner at Geelong on December 5 before being sent to the paddock, with the camp preparing to eye off bigger targets in the autumn. This is no exception based on his recent barrier trial win at this course on March 28, and with a genuine tempo engaged in this field of 11, watch for Beskar to be flashing over the top at a good price with horse racing bookmakers.

• 6
  

  BESKAR

• 1
  

  NORTH ENGLAND

• 2
  

  KING OF POP

• 11
  

  SYLPH

Race 2: Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (100m)

The Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) is the last chance for the fillies to make an impression before next Saturday’s Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m), and although Polymnia only broke her maiden last time out, she appears poised to claim back-to-back wins. She destroyed them when justifying the short quote with at Hawkesbury on March 18, sitting back at the rear of the field before rounding them up stylishly within a couple strides under the urgings of Zac Lloyd. The Dundeel filly should relish step-up to 2000m, and with a perfect middle draw (8) to stalk her rivals throughout, watch for Polymnia to be barrelling over the top once again.

• 9
  

  POLYMNIA

• 2
  

  INEVITABLE TRUTH

• 14
  

  EXCLUSIVE ARTIST

• 5
  

  YOU WAHNG

Race 3: Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m)

The William Haggas-trained Desert Hero brings some impressive staying credentials to Australia as he heads into the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) first-up. Although It’s been a lengthy 287-day absence for the son of Sea The Stars, his resume speaks for itself, finishing third in the 2023 Group 1 Doncaster St Leger Stakes (2916m). He’s gone off the boil since that effort and was unplaced in his last two starts, however, you can take on trust this guy is ready to fire, and at the $6.50 with , he shows great appeal at the each-way price for a stable that wins for fun when heading down under.

• 1
  

  DESERT HERO

• 3
  

  ALALCANCE

• 10
  

  VALIANT KING

• 7
  

  WALTHAM

Race 4: Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)

The Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) shapes up as a race in two, with Swiftfalcon set to go head-to-head with Evaporate. It’s easy to make the case for the latter at the current price with as the Lindsay Park-trained gelding returns from New Zealand, flashing home in a luckless performance in the inaugural running of The Kiwi (1600m) at Ellerslie on March 8. He closed on the heels of multiple Group 1 winner Mr Brightside prior to that effort, and with Evaporate likely to have map favours over Swiftfalcon, he gets the verdict in the 2025 Carbine Club.

• 1
  

  EVAPORATE

• 2
  

  SWIFTFALCON

• 5
  

  SHANGRI LA SPRING

• 8
  

  BRIGIDINE GAL

Race 5: Country Championships Final (1400m)

Gallant Star looks to go one better in the $1 million Country Championships Final (1400m) after finishing runner-up in last year’s edition. Since that effort the son of Zoustar has barely put a hoof wrong, winning three of his four starts, including a dominant 4.2-length win at Coonamble on March 16 to get ready for this second-up assignment. Jason Collett should get the perfect run in transit from stall four, and provided he can keep Gallant Star in a rhythm turning for home, he should simply have too much class for this lot.

• 1
  

  GALLANT STAR

• 14
  

  INTERVARSITY

• 3
  

  TRIBECA STAR

• 8
  

  FUKUBANA

Race 6: Group 1 Sires’ Produce (1400m)

The two-year-olds take centre stage in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce (1400m), attracting a quality field of 10. Wodeton gets the nod coming through the best traditional form-line for this event, finishing second behind Marhoona in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) on March 22. The 1400m should hold no issues for the Wootton Bassett colt, and with Ryan Moore making the trip from the UK to take the reins for Coolmore, it shows good intent to suggest Wodeton is ready to claim Group 1 glory at start five.

• 2
  

  WODETON

• 3
  

  VINROCK

• 1
  

  RIVELLINO

• 5
  

  STATE VISIT

Race 7: Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m)

The sprinters get set to scorch the Randwick turf in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), where Briasa gets his chance to claim a maiden Group 1 success. The Smart Missile gelding was sensational against the pattern of the day in the Group 1 Galaxy (1100m) on March 22, powering into a fourth-place finish and closed within two lengths of Private Harry. He draws a marble (3) to sit much closer to the speed this time around, and with a lack of tempo outside of Overpass, Briasa should find himself either outside lead, or perhaps land the one-one under Tyler Schiller. Weight-for-age will prove the ultimate test, and he looks up to the task.

• 5
  

  BRIASA

• 1
  

  OVERPASS

• 7
  

  JOLIESTAR

• 6
  

  SUNSHINE IN PARIS

Race 8: Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m)

A capacity field of 20 are set to line-up in the $4 million Doncaster Mile, with the John O’Shea & Tom Charlton-trained Linebacker currently holding the call at $5.50 with horse betting sites. Tom Kitten and Gringotts now share the second line of betting at $7 apiece, while the money continues to come for second emergency Swiftfalcon ($8) who still needs multiple scratchings to take his place in the final field. Who will win the 2025 Doncaster Mile? Get our thoughts on one of the greatest Australian handicaps down below.

Click here for our full preview of the 2025 Doncaster Mile

Race 9: Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m)

Aeliana will be looking to etch her name in history as the first filly since Shamrocker (2011) to take on the boys and claim the Group 1 Australian Derby. She should’ve won eased down in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 22, with the daughter of Castelvecchio held up behind a wall of horse before exploding at the furlong pole to miss by a lip. The 2400m does hold some query, however, with Damien Lane set to get an economical run in transit from gate two, Aeliana only needs the brakes to fall her way to be a major player in the 2025 Australian Derby.

• 18
  

  AELIANA

• 5
  

  PLYMOUTH

• 9
  

  GOLDEN CENTURY

• 8
  

  KING OF THUNDER

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

The three-year-old fillies round out the program in the Group 3 P.J. Bell Stakes (1200m), and it’s hard to go past the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Clean Energy. The Zoustar filly was electrifying against the bias at Moonee Valley on March 22, rounding up her rivals in the Group 3 Don Casboult Classic (1200m), which many failed to do on the testing conditions. She returns to Sydney for the first time this preparation, and with Ryan Moore set to take the reins from stall eight, expect a change of tactics as Clean Energy makes every post a winner in the 2025 P.J. Bell Stakes.

• 1
  

  CLEAN ENERGY

• 2
  

  ZEITUNG

• 3
  

  LILAC

• 4
  

  SHE’S GOT PIZZAZZ