RANDWICK October 1

Best Bets

RACE 7 (3) MAZU: Another Everest preview with the key being the improvement the big name runners take from their first-up performances behind Nature Strip in the G2 Shorts over 1100m on September 17. MAZU meets LOST AND RUNNING 2kg better and OVERPASS 1kg better, he's unbeaten in two starts over 1200m at Randwick, gets an important gear addition with his pacifiers back on and with an early Heavy 8 rating his superior preference for affected tracks, having won six from eight on soft and heavy surfaces, is certain to come to the fore. He's a worthy gamble at the early odds, the only concern being any track bias against horses drawn close to the rail.

RACE 8 (5) ICEBATH: Surely the time has come for this winner of $4.5 million to crack it for her first G1 win after five placings at the highest level, all on affected tracks at 1600m with four of them over the Randwick mile. Her lead-up placings in the G2 Tramway behind Zaaki and G1 George Main behind Anamoe when she posted easily the fastest last 600m have her primed to peak at her fourth run, a similar prep that led to her Doncaster placing in the autumn. It could be a mares race with others favourably weighted but against only 10 rivals and James McDonald aboard for only the second time in her career she is never going to get a better chance to end her G1 drought.

RACE 10 (11) BACCHANALIA:  Expecting strong improvement second up from this smart sprinter after his even effort when resuming on a good track over 1100m at Rosehill, the keys being getting back on a soft to heavy surface with a 3kg drop in weight from 58kg. He'll meet the winner Remarque 2.5kg better on his favoured ground, noting that all his four wins have been on affected tracks including three straight last summer that culminated in a classy win in the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m). Drawn to get all the favours with McDonald aboard.

Selections

RACE 1: 7-9-5-1

RACE 2: 7-12-4-1

RACE 3: 8-10-14-13

RACE 4: 8-1-2-4

RACE 5: 2-1-4-6

RACE 6: 1-5-3-2

RACE 7: 3-1-5-2

RACE 8: 5-1-8-9

RACE 9: 6-7-2-1

RACE 10: 11-7-12-9

FOR VALUE

RACE 3: (8) KALINO: Can entertain his each way chances in an open race as he is at peak fitness and will be suited dropping back to 1600m on the affected track conditions with a 4kg drop in weight. 

RACE 5: (2) FLAG OF HONOUR: Found the line nicely first-up when beaten for first time in three starts. Set weights are against him but sure to be fitter and he will relish this trip.

RACE 9: (6) NO COMPROMISE: Like hm getting to this target race off three prep runs. Good 2400m record and will appreciate the soft conditions.

FLEMINGTON October 1

RACE 4: (11) PRIDE OF JENNI (EW)

RACE 5: (5) BUENOS NOCHES (EW)

RACE 7: (12) GOLD TRIP (EW)

RACE 8: (8) ATHELRIC (EW)

QUADDIE

RACE 6: 10-4-9-5

RACE 7: 12-10-11-16

RACE 8: 8-13-6-9

RACE 9: 1-9-3-2 

PLAYING THE RANDWICK QUADDIE

SKINNY PLAY: 1-2-5/1-5-8/2-6-7/7-11-12

GOING WIDE: 1-2-3-5/1-5-6-8-9/1-2-4-6-7-11/7-8-9-10-11-12

RACE 7: Obvious focus on the Everest contenders and their improvement from their first-up form in the Shorts. The weights and track conditions favour (3) MAZU plus a significant gear change with pacifiers back on over a course and distance where he is unbeaten. (1) LOST AND RUNNING was excellent first-up and is a huge chance providing he handles the going as well as MAZU. (5) KEMENTARI is the knockout – suited by the wfa scale and soft track. (2) MASKED CRUSADER also capable of big improvement off his first-up sixth in The Shorts. (6) OVERPASS is certain to race boldly but he's facing a sterner test under wfa conditions.

RACE 8: Only 10 runners in an Epsom is disappointing but it does help (5) ICEBATH avoid the traffic that has often cost her wins in major races, especially with James McDonald as her new jockey. Racing in soft to heavy ground on her favourite course gives her the ideal conditions to end her G1 drought. It could be a good year for the mares with good wet tracker (8) HINGED obviously primed to peak third up and meeting ICEBATH on better terms. The import (1) TOP RANKED is a specialist miler and showed his class winning first-up over 1400m. It's not a big ask for him to carry the topweight in this field. Expect (9) CROSS TALK to get a much easier lead this time and he is sure to be hard to run down in the going. Honest pair (4) NIMALEE and (6) FANGIRL add to the big hand held by the mares. (7) KIKU and (12) WAR ETERNAL put value into wide exotics.

RACE 9: Hardly a vintage G1 field for The Metropolitan. (7) DURSTON is flying and the Wyong and Newcastle Cup form always proves a good guide to this race. Must be hard to beat with only 53kg with all his main rivals giving him weight. No doubt his stablemate (6) NO COMPROMISE has been set for this. Favoured by the soft ground and getting to 2400m for the first time in his current prep. (2) LE DON DE VIE has had an interesting well-spaced prep of only two starts since early July plus a trial but rates highly on his Caloundra Cup win over this distance when he trounced the subsequent Grafton Cup winner (4) ARAPAHO. Meets him on better terms with McDonald a key booking by a stable that excels with its stayers. Tough topweight (1) STOCKMAN also gets ideal conditions as he comes into his own over 2400m in soft ground. (11) GROVE FERRY sure to back up with a bold run off his game 2400m win in a lesser race last Saturday.

RACE 10: A fitter (11) BACCHANALIA gets the right track conditions, soft draw and top jockey to improve sharply off his first-up sixth at Rosehill. The conditions are also a good fit for the talented (7) COAL CRUSHER to run well first-up. Wary that top Victorian stable has (12) CHASSIS set for a bold run as he is good fresh and handles affected tracks well. The fit (9) MAOTAI can bounce back with a good drop in weight. Topweight (1) RUSTIC STEEL has the class but this is not ideal for him second up under 61kg. (3) REMARQUE resumed with a strong win first time as a gelding but needs to be on top of the ground. Happy to oppose him under 59kg on an affected track. (8) KINLOCH and (10) ZOUSHACK are the value pair for wider exotics.

TRIAL WATCH REPORT

NOTED TRIAL RUNNERS – October 1

See Trial Pointers for Breeders Plate/Gimcrack Stakes summaries.

RANDWICK SATURDAY: Steely (R10)

FLEMINGTON SATURDAY: Buenos Noches (R5); Private Eye (R8)

KEMBLA GRANGE SATURDAY: Argentado (R4); Centrestone (R4); Desi Emperor (R6); Laroupe (R6); Shrill Whistle (R6); Way To The Stars (R7)

WARWICK FARM MONDAY: Atlantic Ocean (R1); Kallos (R3); Wisdom Of Water (R3); Thousand Years (R5); Kermanding (R6); Showtime Lady (R7)

RECENT TRIAL WATCH WINNERS: Sinaloa; Camino Real; Saturn Star; Jacquinot; Economics; Surf Dancer; Pericles; Sir Kerm; Badge; Selous; Walkin'Talkin'; King Of Naples; Enzina; Shohei; Brigantine; Zougotcha; Anamoe; Nature Strip; Short Shorts; Democracy Manifest; Willinga Rufio; Remarque; Smart Little Miss; Sir Ming.

TRIAL POINTERS

RANDWICK SEPTEMBER 19 - There were 10 2YO heats over 850m on the course proper for the new season youngsters on a Soft 6.

BREEDERS PLATE: The fastest of the colts and geldings heats on September 19 saw PHYSICAL GRAFFITI finish an impressive second (51.19; 35.07) after leading comfortably. Brenton Avdulla sat quietly and he had plenty in reserve over the last 200m. The $1.2 million purchase MACH TEN led his heat and was headed at the 200m before he went up a gear under riding and came back to win the heat by half a length in average time (51.97; 35.31). FLYING TRAPEZE won the slowest heat of the session (52.38; 35.79) after showing early toe to lead. He was ridden out under the whip to hold off a strong finish from EMPIRE OF JAPAN who kept making ground from the rear under less pressure. A nice trial from the grey SNATCHREILLY to finish a closing second in a fast heat (51.36; 35.49) after he came off the fence from behind the leader and chased keenly. – 51.94; 35.56): TARABEAU was professional winning his heat in slow time (51.94; 35.56) as he sat three wide to the turn before taking control and running clear under a kind ride to score by two lengths.

GIMCRACK STAKES: Classy win by PERFECT PROPOSAL in the fastest heat of the morning 51.06; 34.74) and significantly the only winner to go under 35 seconds for her last 600m. Jumped well from a wide gate and kept under restraint before crossing to lead after 250m. Responded well when called on to sprint through the line full of running for a decisive 2.2 lengths win. Nice trial from the runner-up SATIN AND SILK as she travelled well on the pace and was given an easy time over the last 100m. 51.38; 35.12): Well-bred SICILIAN took up the lead easily in her heat (51.38; 35.12) and was always under a good hold, going up a gear when required to extend like a professional while ACHLYS was the one taking the eye with her work late to finish a soft fourth. PLATINUM JUBILEE (51.40; 35.17) was another well prepared heat winner for the Waterhouse/Bott stable. She was straight into the bridle to lead and maintained a good advantage all the way to the line after getting a reminder with the whip at the 200m to keep her focused. DIVINE GLORY chased her from the start and held her ground well for second. OUTCAST GIRL worked nicely for fourth. JUST GISELLA won the slowest heat for fillies (52.20; 36.01) but there was plenty of merit in her performance as she was held up behind the leaders at the 300m, had to check across heels to get a clear run and showed good acceleration over the last 100m to run down the leader.

WARWICK FARM Sept 23: A classy open heat over 792m won by the G1 winner In The Congo (47.32; 33.51) saw KALLOS, PRIVATE EYE and BUENOS NOCHES all work strongly with plenty in hand through the line.

ROSEHILL September 6: Bjorn Baker always likes to see his horses perform in trials and he would have been pleased with the 900m heat win by his promising maiden LAROUPE (55.81; 35.44).

WARWICK FARM August 29: A sharp all the way win in the shorter heats by WAY TO THE STARS (fastest 787m heat 46.80; 33.97).

BLACKBOOK REPORT

Eligible Blackbook Runners – October 1-3

RANDWICK SATURDAY: Numerian (R4); She's Extreme (R6); Wolverine (R6); It's Me (R7); Rustic Steel (R10)

FLEMINGTON SATURDAY: Yearning (R4); Lunar Flare (R6); Profondo (R7); Great House (R7); Gold Trip (R7); Athelric (R8); It'sourtime (R8)

SUNSHINE COAST SNDAY: Lethal Warning (R5)

WARWICK FARM MONDAY: Sunshine Ruby (R5)

RECENT BLACKBOOK WINNERS: Tijuana; Loch Eagle; Ita; Top Ranked; In Secret; Golden Mile; I'm Thunderstruck; Sharp 'N' Smart; Pounding; Aussie Nugget; Don't Stop; Opal Ridge; Tara Jasmine; Salty Rain; Zou Tiger; Boldinho; Bonaparte; Mayfair Spirit; I Am Bene; Veranskova; Berkeley Square; Pizarro.

Blackbookers – Selected September 23-24

(Follow for next 3 starts)

ASFOORA: Never out of trouble. Forgive run.

MAYROSE: Close to a win.

PINARELLO: Easy return. Good Kiwi stayer.

SIBAAQ: Best ahead for this import.

SPIRANAC: Set for a good campaign.

WHAM: Sure to find a suitable sprint.