Randwick racing tips, top odds & value bets | August 7, 2021

HorseBetting’s New South Wales brings you his top picks in the two feature races at Royal Randwick this Saturday, as well as his best bets and quaddie numbers for the rest of the 10-race card. The track is rated a Good 4, the rail is out 5m for the entire course, and the first race is set to jump at 11:15am AEST.

Group 2 Missile Stakes: Phobetor

Michael Costa sends Phobetor south of the border for what will be the six-year-old’s biggest test to date. The son of Dream Ahead has had just 11 starts in his career, winning six of those and finishing second in last month’s Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton when beaten less than half a length by Southern Lad. Drawn ideally in barrier two for Tommy Berry, Phobetor is likely to get a dream run outside the leader in what is a small field. Costa’s stable is airborne of late, and his raids on Sydney have been successful too, so we are happy to be with the Queenslander here.

Listed Rosebud Best Bet: Remarque

Classy colt Remarque returns to the races on Saturday on his trek towards the Golden Rose. The son of Snitzel was an impressive winner on debut in January before a slight setback saw him miss a key lead-up into the Golden Slipper, and he was luckless in the Todman Stakes when fifth behind Anamoe and Profiteer. The Hawkes runner has had two trials in preparation for this and won both in impressive fashion, including a one-length victory over Flying Crazy, who was a strong winner on Wednesday on the Randwick-Kensington track. Drawn on the inside, Remarque should box seat and get every chance before allowing his brilliant turn of foot to come to the fore. He can give Tommy Berry a feature-race double to start the new racing season.

Randwick Best Bet: Harpo Marx

Harpo Marx was slightly disappointing a fortnight ago at Rosehill after getting too far back in the run over 2400m. The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding stays at that trip on Saturday and rises to the 62.5kg after apprentice Tom Sherry is replaced by James McDonald. The son of Galileo was a dominant winner at Randwick two starts ago and is yet to miss the top two placings in two starts here, so the venue should suit this six-year-old. A dryer track should not be of any concern, and from barrier two he will hopefully settle closer and be put into the race. This is much easier opposition than last time out too.

Next Best at Randwick: Kingsheir

Kingsheir has won two of his five career starts and is now resuming for the first time since September 2020. The now five-year-old was very impressive on debut, winning over 1300m by two lengths at Newcastle, before going under as an odds-on favourite at Warwick Farm. Team Hawkes have been patient with this ready-made racehorse and have big spring aspirations, nominating the gelding for a number of Group 1 races including the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup, so they would be hoping he can win this Benchmark 78.

Best Value at Randwick: Great House

Chris Waller’s Great House has come up the wrong price here in our opinion, with the son of Galileo not doing anything wrong in his three starts this prep. The stayer was a tough winner first-up, fending off stablemates Wairere Falls and Zing, before finishing less than a length behind Brutality and Mubariz when third on June 26. Since then Great House has had just the one other start where he chased hard behind impressive winner Steely on a Heavy 8 track, finishing second and beating home subsequent winner So Wicked. Brock Ryan has been riding very well of late and takes 2kg off this five-year-old’s back, so the pair can win this at a good price.

Randwick quaddie picks for Missile Stakes Day