Day 2 of The Championships is almost upon us and The Wizard of Odds has sprinkled his magic across the 10-race card at Randwick.
The best bet comes up in the Provincial Championships Final and there is good each-way value to be found in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Randwick race 3 - provincial championships final
#1 Pandano
Pandano is simply airborne at the moment having easily won his last start two starts.
The first of those came at the Randwick mile on February 13 when he sat outside the lead on a soft track to boot clear and win by a length.
That win was then followed up by an impressive two-and-a-half length triumph at Newcastle over the 1400 metres to guarantee his start in this race.
James McDonald has put his hand up to take the ride and he will utilise the good gate speed this Paul Perry-trained four-year-old has to either land in the lead or a pair behind.
Either way, he is the one they will have to chase down.
Suggested Bet: Pandano win at $3.6
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 1/ 7, 8/ 2, 4, 7, 8
Randwick Race 4 - percy sykes stakes
#5 crystal bound
What a way to start your racing career.
Crystal Bound showed us what was under the bonnet on debut at Moonee Valley with a blistering six-length demolition of her rivals over 1000 metres.
After sitting outside the lead, jockey Jye McNeil slipped the Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace-trained filly a little bit of reign and away she went.
She blew her rivals away with a massive turn of foot at the top of the straight, albeit with the guidance of the rail, but she had plenty left up the tank.
The step up to 1200 metres looks of no concern given the way she strode through the line and she will bound to the front again here.
Suggested Bet: Crystal Bound win at $3.80
Randwick Race 5 - Australian oaks
#2 Amarelinha
The king of the New Zealand training ranks Jamie Richards sends his star three-year-old filly Amarelinha to the shores of Australia following her slashing win in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) last start.
She has only been defeated twice in her seven-race career and gets a great chance to win on her Australian debut.
The predicted scattered showers for Sydney should not prove an issue if they land at Randwick but it must be noted her only defeats came on a soft track.
Keep an eye on the weather all day, but if we are nothing worse than a soft five and you can make up ground from out wide, then look out.
Suggested Bet: Amarelinha win at $4.6
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 2/ 4/ 1
Randwick Race 7 - sydney cup
#15 Good Idea
We were with Good Idea each-way for the Easter Cup over 2000 metres at Caufield last start and while he did not earn us a collect but he did do a good job to whack away and finish sixth.
He was nearly a month between runs that day after winning the Adelaide Cup over the 3200 metres and now he steps back up to that exact distance range, albeit in tougher company.
The beauty about this Phillip Stokes-trained stayer is his ability to jump and sit on the speed.
Only has to carry the 50kgs and he gets the in form Ben Thompson to ride him who guided him around for the Adelaide Cup victory back in March.
Worth a small each-way ticket at huge odds.
Suggested Bet: Good Idea each-way at $21 the win and $6 the place
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta -2, 12, 13, 15/ 2, 12, 13, 15/ 2, 12, 13, 15, 16
Randwick Race 8 - Queen Elizabeth Stakes
#3 Mugatoo
While this race may look a match-race in two, Mugatoo might just be the one to knock off the more highly-fancied Verry Elleegant and Adeyabb.
Both the favourites in this race are 21 days between runs after going head to head in Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
Adeyabb’s trainer Willie Haggas has opted to get the blinkers on his horse for the first time in the galloper’s 21-race career.
Not sure if this is to add some zest back into racing or a tactic the stable had wanted to employ.
As much, Mugatoo seems the forgotten horse here.
His form this preparation saw him win the All-Star Mile on a bog track at Moonee Valley and then he backed it up with a solid fourth in the Doncaster Handicap last week.
He nearly had a month between runs heading into the Doncaster and it is likely that the run in that race will make his fitness cherry ripe for the step up to 2000 metres.
The seven-day back up shows this horse has pulled up very well and Hugh Bowman sticks with the ride.
Suggested Bet: Mugatoo each-way at $6.5 the win and $2.8 the place (No Third Dividend)
Randwick Race 9 - Queen of the turf
#1 probabeel
Forget the New Zealand bonny mare Probabeel ever went around in the All-Star Mile last start.
She looked poised to run the race of her life in the richest mile race on turf until the rain arrived at Moonee Valley.
The four-year-old mare barely went a yard on the rain-affected track but she can easily bounce back here on a track that should hopefully be no worse than a soft five.
She draws a beautiful barrier which will allow her to sit one off the fence with cover and right up on the pace.
Would love to see how she parades given she has had a month off but the 1200-metre trial on April 9 suggests she is ready to run to her best.
Suggested Bet: Probabeel to win at Deluxe Odds of $4
