Winx Stakes Day 2022 preview, best bets & quaddie | Randwick

Race 1: Class 2 Highway Handicap (1100m)

The Highway races are never ones we are too keen to play into, but there does look to be a couple of smart horses stepping out. Both Bandi’s Boy and the Tim Donnelly-trained PARTICIPATOR appear to be above average, and the latter is where we are siding. The four-year-old won his first two starts on his home track at Wagga, before tackling a Class 3 Highway in February over 1200m. The son of Contributer finished fourth on that occasion, just a length behind Testator Silens, Anethole and Golden Point, while he beat home subsequent Group 1 winner Shelby Sixtysix. The wide barrier isn’t pleasant, but this horse does have the ability to overcome the draw.

• 4
  

  PARTICIPATOR

• 5
  

  BANDI’S BOY

• 7
  

  OPTIMO

• 2
  

  COMONIC

Race 2: Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m)

The stayers get their chance in the second, with a couple of nice horses going around. We were with MONFELICITY on the weekend that just went and she was one of many victims of bad luck, so we are happy to forgive and forget. The David Payne-trained mare steps straight out to 2400m which is going to suit her down to the ground, while a dry Randwick deck should also be to her liking given she won here first-up over the mile. The four-year-old by Vadamos is once again going to get the right run in transit from barrier two under William Pike, and with a bigger track and a more genuinely run race, we are confident that the runs will come when needed. The mare by Vadamos can hit back hard on Saturday, we are just getting a fifth of the price.

• 6
  

  MONFELICITY

• 3
  

  IMPULSAR

• 2
  

  STRAWBERRY ROCK

• 1
  

  HERMAN HESSE

Race 3: Benchmark 72 Midway Handicap (1600m)

David Payne can make it a race-to-race double on Saturday, with last-start Midway winner BAZOOKA looking hard to beat. The five-year-old gelding exploded late on August 6 over 1800m here at Randwick in a similar race to win by nearly three lengths, and although he comes back to the mile on Saturday, he will be going close again. James McDonald has retained the ride on the son of Smart Missile, and from barrier eight, the pair will get a beautiful run in transit. We aren’t overly keen to bet in the race, but the top weight should be winning.

• 1
  

  BAZOOKA

• 2
  

  BUBA

• 14
  

  SCORCHED LAND

• 17
  

  MY TRUTH

Race 4: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m)

You don’t have to have much on at these odds, but the $81 available for FUN FACT is good enough for us to step in. The grey front-running seven-year-old hasn’t won since October 2020 and he rarely fires a shot first-up, but although his fresh record reads 6:0-0-1, one of those runs was in a Group 3 where he was beaten only two lengths and another was in the Golden Eagle where he was simply outclassed. This is the easiest race he’s faced in a while, he has trialled really well and apprentice jockey Dylan Gibbons is a terrific booking. If he does no work and gets a soft lead, he could be in it for a while on top of the ground.

• 1
  

  FUN FACT

• 2
  

  EQUATION

• 9
  

  MORETHANNUMBERONE

• 12
  

  I’VE BEAN TRYIN’

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

We really like ROCKETING BY in the Show County on Saturday for a number of reasons. The David Pfieffer-trained gelding had plenty of promise early in his career, winning the $1 million Inglis Sprint back in 2021 before going on to tackle some better races. He had a run in October in the Sydney Stakes, before having a long lay off. This time in, the son of So You Think has had two nice trials and resumed with a good seventh behind Easy Single on July 30. He loomed and looked the winner at one point there, but a lack of fitness probably told late. Now second-up, Rocketing By drops 5kg, gets on to a dry track and steps out to 1200m, so we are confident that we will see a very competitive racehorse.

• 8
  

  ROCKETING BY

• 2
  

  KING OF SPARTA

• 6
  

  SHOWMANSHIP

• 7
  

  CHAT

Race 6: Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m)

David Payne will be hoping we have our eye in, because we are tipping another one of his horses in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup. We were filthy we weren’t with RAGING BULL when he won last Saturday given we tipped him in the Australian Derby and Rosehill Guineas, but we can’t dwell on the past. The son of Bull Point was one of the wins of the day at Rosehill Gardens, coming down the middle of the track to win well over 1800m. He had to carry 61kg on Saturday and was forced to the worst part of the track, so there was plenty of merit in that win. Now dropping 7kg to 54kg and stepping out to 2000m, we expect Raging Bull to be competitive once again. He showed he has Group class, so this could be the preparation for him to prove it.

• 6
  

  RAGING BULL

• 3
  

  LORD ARDMORE

• 4
  

  CARIF

• 7
  

  TOOMUCHTOBEAR

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

BELLA NIPOTINA is a dual acceptor both here in Sydney and at Moonee Valley, but with the threat of facing Extremely Lucky in Melbourne, we are hoping that she will line up in this race. The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained mare has always shown a great deal of talent, winning four races and placing 13 times. The five-year-old by Pride Of Dubai has placed twice in Group 1 company, but a career peak of hers was winning the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at this track over 1200m in April, before going to Adelaide to be beaten three lengths in both the Group 1 Sangster Stakes and Group 1 Goodwood Handicap. She looked like a jet in her recent trial win at Cranbourne, and with James McDonald booked in this Group 3 event, we are expecting her to be too classy, despite the weight. She will be winning if she comes to Sydney.

• 1
  

  BELLA NIPOTINA

• 5
  

  JAMAEA

• 2
  

  BELLUCI BABE

• 9
  

  BOOMNOVA

Race 8: Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m)

There is always plenty of debate as to whether the Winx Stakes should be a Group 1, but nevertheless, it is and a stellar field has been assembled. Seven individual Group 1 winners take their place, with 14 top-tier titles between them. Mo’unga is back to defend his crown in the first Group 1 of the season, while Anamoe is looking to kick off his Cox Plate campaign with a top-level victory. Three stayers are in the race, with Stockman, Benaud and champion mare Duais all lining up, while Chris Waller’s Fangirl and Hinged are now aiming to add Group 1 wins to their name as four-year-olds.

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

A classy field of 15 three-year-old fillies take their place in Saturday’s Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes over 1200m. While there are a number of Group winners in this field, we are siding with the only maiden galloper in the race. SNITCAT is winless from five starts, but she has been in the minor money three times, including a third in the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) in January. The filly by Snitzel has a terrific fast-finishing burst on her which she will be able to use on Saturday, given that there is plenty of pace in the race. She has trialled up well twice this time in, and Brenton Avdulla got a feel for her at her most recent trial appearance. If there’s a knockout in this race, we think it is from this filly. There is plenty of value to be found in this race though, so go wide in your quaddie.

• 8
  

  SNITCAT

• 14
  

  OPAL RIDGE

• 15
  

  MIYOSHI

• 9
  

  GRACE’S SECRET

Race 10: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m)

To round out the afternoon, we have a big field contesting a Benchmark 78 over 1200m. A horse that we have always had a bit of time for is the Kim Waugh-trained CONRAD, who comes off a brilliant last-start win at Canterbury. The son of Maurice has won three of his eight career starts, while he has finished in the minor money on two separate occasions. Drawn barrier three on Saturday with Nash Rawiller in the saddle once again, the four-year-old is likely to get a beautiful run in transit in the middle of the pack, before coming out into clear air and letting down with his terrific turn of speed. The dry track will be a bonus and he looks ready for 1200m now third-up.

• 8
  

  CONRAD

• 13
  

  ARBITRATION

• 7
  

  MAYROSE

• 2
  

  CATESBY