Randwick racing tips & quaddie picks | Winx Stakes Day 2023

Race 1: BM72 Midway Handicap (1200m)

Vindication looks to be primed third-up into the campaign and should be ultra-competitive in the opening race on Saturday. The son of Deep Field chased home a very progressive type in Mogo Magic and was by no means disgraced, finishing less than a length away over 1100m. He now has fitness on some key rivals, and with the luxury of an extra 100m to chase down his rivals, we think Vindication can bring up his third career win here.

• 4
  

  VINDICATION

• 7
  

  NINGALOO STAR

• 2
  

  CHEERFUL LEGEND

• 11
  

  FIELD WIRI

Race 2: Highway Handicap (1100m)

Manzoni is a terrific bet at the each-way price with online bookmakers as he searches for his third win under new trainer Natalie Jarvis. He put together back-to-back wins after joining the new stable before heading to the paddock and has returned in outstanding order, finding another minor placing at Forbes on August 6. He was only beaten by less than a half-length on that occasion, and now with a run under his belt this time in, the four-year-old gelding should get every chance to bring up another win.

• 6
  

  MANZONI

• 7
  

  MISS KIRRIBILLI

• 10
  

  BRITISH STATESMAN

• 1
  

  DERRY GROVE

Race 3: BM78 Handicap (2400m)

Martial Eagle has been crying out for a longer journey since arriving in Australia, and that’s exactly what he finds on Saturday. The European import was well-beaten at Flemington last start by Shaiyhar, a nice staying type on the rise, and although the five-length margin was less than flattering for our on top selection, nothing really made inroads against the winner. The son of Adlerflug was doing his best work late suggesting that the 2400m here would be more than ideal, and with the Charlotte Littlefield yard happy to travel north from Victoria for this event, it shows great intent, and we think Martial Eagle will be reward with his first Australian win.

• 2
  

  MARTIAL EAGLE

  zz

• 11
  

  AWESOME WONDER

• 3
  

  INTUITU

• 1
  

  KIRKEBY

Race 4: BM78 Handicap (1600m)

The fourth event of the program is a wide-open affair, which is where we get excited!, For Victory represents exactly that and appears to be flying, heading into his third-up run for the Chris Waller barn. He was building the revs nicely at the end of 1350m behind Wategos at his latest start at Rosehill on August 5, and should’ve finished closer than three lengths away. He ran into a wall of horses at a crucial stage and was forced back to the inside running rail. Once he burst clear his closing splits were excellent, and getting back up to a more suitable trip should be a major benefit for this lightly raced three-year-old. For Victory will be stalking his rivals from a mid-field position, and if he can sit close enough turning in, look for him to rally over the top late.

• 15
  

  FOR VICTORY

• 18
  

  VENELOPE

• 10
  

  FOUJITA SAN

• 12
  

  HOLLYWOOD HERO

Race 5: Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m)

The Show County Quality is the first of the Group level races on the program and is for the sprinters over 1200m. We’ve landed with the Chris Waller-trained Extremely Lucky on top as they don’t trial much better than the son of Extreme Choice has since joining his new stable. Both is barrier trials caught the eye of punters showing a blistering turn-of-speed under a stranglehold while powering through the line under Kerrin McEvoy. He retains the ride with James McDonald unable to make the 53kg, and with the featherlight-weight for Extremely Lucky in this field, you’d have to imagine he’ll be hard to beat in this field. The main danger comes in the form of Buenos Noches at the top of the page; however, with 5.5kg swing in the weights, we’re confident Extremely Lucky can get the job done.

• 10
  

  EXTREMELY LUCKY

• 1
  

  BUENOS NOCHES

• 6
  

  ARGENTIA

• 7
  

  DRAGONSTONE

Race 6: Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m)

The Group 3 Premier’s Cup is for the stayers and it’s easy to see why the market is gravitating to Fawkner Park; however, we want to make a case for the ever-consistent Mark Minervini-trained gelding Hosier. He’s now had 16 starts in his career with 10 of them resulting in a top three finishes, with his latest being a luckless effort in the Listed Coffs Harbour Cup. It was over the unsuitable 1600m journey, and now getting to the 2000m looks like the perfect set up for the Camelot bred galloper to find his best performance of the campaign. Drawn gate six on Saturday you know exactly what to expect from Hosier, and with a lot of these coming into this event underdone, we think he can launch late to score a much-deserved win this preparation.

• 7
  

  HOSIER

• 2
  

  CLEVELAND

• 14
  

  FAWKNER PARK

• 1
  

  KING FRANKEL

Race 7: Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m)

The Group 3 Toy Show Quality is for the fillies and mares, and we’ve found Parisal extremely hard to beat. The James Cummings-trained mare set the turf alight last preparation with a barnstorming victory at Group 3 level at Moonee Valley on March 18. She then headed to a Heavy Randwick track on April 1 to contest the PJ Bell Stakes and simply didn’t hand the testing conditions despite running into a second-place finish. Her trials heading into Saturday have been supreme and we expect this progressive mare to make every post a winner.

• 7
  

  PARISAL

• 1
  

  ZOUGOTCHA

• 4
  

  NORTH STAR LASS

• 2
  

  HOW’S THE SERENITY

Race 8: Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m)

An incredible field of 16 runners will be staking their claim on the $1 million prize packet on offer for the first Group 1 of the season. Zaaki ($4) and Fangirl ($4.40) seem to have all the admirers heading into Saturday but find out how we’ll be trying to bet in the feature. What a cracking way to kick-off the spring festivities.

Click here for our full betting preview & $100 betting strategy for the Group 1 Winx Stakes

Race 9: Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m)

The Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes has an intriguing field of 15 fillies making their first impression as three-year-olds, and we want to be with the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Estriella in this competitive contest. She’s had two starts so far heading into Saturday, with the latest a bold effort behind Caballus at Randwick on July 29. She was just nosed out at the finish and finds herself with a fitness edge as most of the runners engaged here are yet to have a start this campaign. They’ve got the major booking of Jamie Kah here to boot, and from a lovely run all but guaranteed from barrier five, we’d be shocked if this daughter of I Am Invincible wasn’t fighting out the finish.

• 11
  

  ESTRIELLA

• 6
  

  INHIBITIONS

• 7
  

  ZARDOZI

• 13
  

  AUGUST BLOOM

Race 10: BM78 Handicap (1200m)

The final race of the afternoon is a tricky affair to dissect; however, Pacific Ruby looks to be a massive hope heading to Sydney for the first time. She beat home notable Listed winner Barbie’s Fox first-up in the preparation at Sandown on June 10 before disappointing over the 1400m at Flemington, and now finds a very winnable race having had a month between runs. We’re seeing this more like another first-up race for the Maher & Eustace-trained mare, and with the five-year-old mare never missing the frame when resuming, it’s hard to go past her as one of the better bets of the Randwick card.

• 3
  

  PACIFIC RUBY

• 4
  

  KING OF NAPLES

• 7
  

  TIME TO BOOGIE

• 10
  

  SHINES