Two Group 1s feature on the card at Randwick today with the running of the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and the Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
We’ve syphoned through the eight-race card as well as the main metropolitan meetings across the rest of Australia and come up with our best selections for a big day of racing.
Good luck, punters!
randwick race 1 - tokyo city keiba fireball stakes
#1 wild ruler
This three-year-old colt by Snitzel gets the perfect race first-up here as he attempts to keep his undefeated record at Randwick intact.
Father and son training duo Peter & Paul Snowden have given their sprinter two nice trials heading into this race with James McDonald riding both times.
McDonald, who is the regular jockey for Wild Ruler, just needs to be positive and proactive from barrier one which can sometimes get a bit awkward.
He might have the underneath to kick up and hold the inside to lead but this horse has shown he can win without having it his own out in front.
Looks like a nice way to start the program.
Suggested Bet: Wild Ruler $2.1
Suggested exotic: Exacta – 1 & 7
randwick race 2 - unsw todman stakes
#2 alpine edge
He is one of the rank outsiders of the field in a race that has bucket loads of talent with Profiteer, Stay Inside and Remarque dominating the market.
But there is a sense of optimism in this Toby & Trent Edmonds trained sprinter is the ability to pinch a Group 2 Sydney race with the more highly-fancied runners having their eye on the Golden Slipper in a fortnight.
Sporting the blinkers and tongue tie for the first time, it might be enough to cause a boilover in this race and champion jockey Glen Boss has been selected to ride the horse.
His run in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) was brave when finishing in second spot behind Shaquero. He settled a pair or two too far back and flashed home late.
He has had the 1200m runs under this belt as opposed to favourites in this race who have done all their work at 1100m.
Worth a throw at the stumps from an each-way perspective.
Suggested Bet: Alpine Edge $26
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1, 2, 5/ 1, 2, 5/ 1, 2, 5, 7
randwick race 7 - randwick guineas
#7 peltzer
He was very heavily backed in Hobartville (1400m) a fortnight ago and started the $2.6 in that race over the likes of Aegon and North Pacific.
It was his second run back from a spell after a booming win first-up and after leading the field up he raced a bit flat in the straight and was unable to show that dynamic turn of foot he possesses.
More than happy to forgive him for that effort with this, the Randwick Guineas, clearly being the race he was set for.
His main dangers are the horses coming out of the Hobartville which casts a big shadow of form over this race but the three-year-colt arriving from Melbourne called Mo’Unga looks a big threat.
Mo’Unga gets the blinkers for the first time and Tommy Berry is arguably the in form jockey in Sydney at the moment.
Suggested Bet: Peltzer each-way at $7.5 the win and $2.2 the place
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 5, 7/ 1, 5, 7/ 1, 3, 5, 7
FLEMINGTON RACE 8 - canterbury stakes
#8 savatiano
James Cummings unlocked the key to this mare a while back: keep her fresh for race day.
Her best runs have come when Cummings has her tuned up for a first-up run or off a nice freshen up which is her situation in this race.
It will be 35 days between her dominant win the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) till this race and she has had a nice 905-metre trial to keep her legs ticking over.
If there was ever a horse that deserves a Group 1 win then she is the prime candidate come Saturday.
With Hugh Bowman booked for her again, he will look to settle either in the lead or one pair behind the leaders and let down with the mare’s sharp sprint.
Her fellow Godolphin stablemate Bivouac, who is the current favourite for the race, will be the one charging home late but hopefully she has enough of a gap on him in the run to prove the difference in the finish.
Suggested Bet: Savatiano win at $4
Suggested Exotic: Quinella – 1 & 8
bunbury race 8 - amelia park bunbury stakes
#1 silentz
The training effort by Lindsey Smith, to get this horse back to the races let alone winning, has been quite a feat.
Silentz had threatened to be a genuine group horse before injury ruined his racing career.
He had been away from the racing scene for nearly two years when resuming at Mount Barker on January 17 and put in a brilliant display to win by just over two lengths.
It was a huge effort and he was given just over a month off to tackle his second-up assignment in the Pinjarra Classic and may have just raced a bit flat after such a long lay off.
The rise in distance to 1400 metres will suit him perfectly as he is racing like a horse who wants further and at $26 he is worth a little peanut each-way.
Suggested Bet: Silentz each-way at $26 the win and $6.5 the place
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1, 4, 14/ 1, 2, 4, 9, 14/ 1, 2, 4, 9, 14
bunbury race 9 - furphy bunbury cup
#7 montelena
Her two runs back this preparation thus far have her in absolutely perfect shape for the Bunbury Cup.
She settled a mile back first-up and launched home late down the outside and that was followed by a gallant effort in defeat when she was just run down late by a fitter horse called Last of the Line.
Now, Montelena is ready to show her best having drawn a peach of a barrier.
Suggested Bet: Montelena win at $1.70
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 7/ 1, 8/ 1, 4, 8
eagle farm race - racecourse village handicap
#3 the stifmeister
Michael Rodd missed the boat on this two-year-old gelding’s first career run.
After settling in the rear half of the field, Rodd had the back of the eventual winner Mishani Enchanted but decided to bide his time when the winner took off at the 500 metre mark.
It was the move that proved the difference in the end as The Stifmeister would rattle home late to miss out on victory by a nostril.
He has drawn a similar barrier to his debut but should be able to settle closer in the run than he did on that occasion.
Suggested Bet: The Stifmeister win at $2.5
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 3/ 4, 6/ 4, 6
morphetville race 6 - Adelaide galvanising
#11 spectacle
This three-year-old filly is yet to break her maiden status here but she looks well set to do so in this race.
Her two only two runs to date thus far have been in weaker maiden grade but she looks to have shown signs of improvement heading into this preparation.
She has had two trials since being tipped out: one of which was over 1000 metres and the other was over 1400m to get her primed for this first-up assignment.
Tony & Calvin McEvoy have opted with their ‘go to man’ Barend Vorster to lift this filly over the line.
Suggested Bet: Spectacle to win at $3.8
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 4, 11/ 3, 4, 11/ 2, 3, 4, 1
