A double header worth of Group 1’s greet us at Randwick this weekend with the All Aged Stakes and Champagne Stakes.
The Wizard of Odds runs his eyes over the card and has aligned the best bets for the nine-race program.
Best of luck, punters!
Randwick Race 4
#5 Entente
Entente should get control of the front here and be the one they all have to run down.
Thought his effort in the Group 3 Sellwood last week was enough to warrant him being the top pick in this race despite the obvious danger being the top-weight in this race.
He did a good job to plug away for second against Shared Ambition who had an easy time of it up front.
The rail out should enhance the chances of Entente and if Tim Clark can roll along at a solid tempo with this fit Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper, then he might just have the advantage over the fast finishing Zaaki.
Suggested Bet: Entente win at $4.2
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 5/ 1/ Field
Randwick Race 6 - Champagne Stakes
#3 Converge
Converge has progressed through his grades with great style this preparation and ran a career best when winning the Listed Fernhill Stakes (1600m) last week.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have opted to back him up after that win and gets a chance to prove himself at Group 1 level against some talented opposition who will be hunting him down late.
The set up looks nice for a horse of his style.
Tim Clark can roll along to the front and with a run over the mile already in the legs of this two-year-old gelding it might prove the big edge to defeat his main rivals who are yet to experience the burn of a mile race.
Looks a nice each-way play.
Suggested Bet: Converge each-way at $6 the win and $2.25 the place
Suggested exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 2, 3
Randwick Race 7 - All Aged Stakes
#2 Masked Crusader & #10 Savatiano
Going with a two-horse play in this race with Masked Crusader at the $4 special from BetDeluxe and the smart Godolphin mare Savatiano.
We will start with the favourite Masked Crusader.
The four-year-old gelding from the Hawkes stable was subject of great controversy after his fast finishing, eye-catching runner-up effort behind Nature Strip in the TJ Smith.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy was baked by Wayne Hawkes for the ride and has since been replaced by Hawkes’ go-to rider Tommy Berry.
Savatiano will be the main danger to Masked Crusader.
James Cummings has done wonders with this mare and after finally winning her elusive Group 1 in the Canterbury Stakes back on March 6.
She races best when she is kept fresh and that is the situation here as she comes into this race a month-and-a-half between runs.
Hugh Bowman will camp her either in the lead or just in behind the lead and produce her run at the top of the straight.
Suggested Bets:
Masked Crusader $4 win special
Savatiano each-way at $7 the win and $2.45 the place
Randwick Race 9
#12 Salina Dreaming
Salina Dreaming is a marvel sprinter for trainer Angela Davies.
This lightly-raced four-year-old mare has been placed to near perfection in her nine-race career thus far with five wins and three minor placings to her name.
Her resuming run for a spell on March 31 was a class well above Wednesday grade after she showed a blistering turn of foot with 59.5kgs on her back to win by a space.
She now tumbles down in the weights to carry only 53kgs and gets the services of Kerrin McEvoy.
Looks the best of the program at Randwick.
Suggested Bet: Salina Dreaming win at $3.7
