The $20,000,000 Group 1 Everest is front and centre this Saturday at Royal Randwick. With the $5,000,000 Group 1 King Charles III Stakes also featuring on Australia’s richest race day, the eastern suburbs is the place to be in old Sydney town! In Melbourne, we head to the Heath for the time-honoured $5,000,000 Group 1 Caulfield Cup. Will the well-supported favourite Half Yours continue his meteoric rise to the top, or will one of the well-credentialed international visitors prove too classy?
Royal Randwick Race 7
#1 Ka Ying Rising
Ka Ying Rising has been waiting for his moment in the sun for twelve months. The world’s highest-rated sprinter has built a picket fence next to his name, and his record at 1200m is outrageous. The good track will suit him to a tee, and I suspect the local contingency are racing for the minor end of the prize. The pride of Hong Kong is in stellar form, and I expect his best performance here could produce a time and margin job and give the track record an all-mighty shake in the process. The big boy is ultra-versatile, and Zac Purton has a menagerie of options jumping from a perfect middle draw. Win, lose, or draw, it’s great to have him line up in Sydney’s feature event for the spring, and by all reports, Royal Randwick will be at full capacity and then some on Saturday. Clearly the one to beat!
Joliestar was an explosive winner on resumption over 1100m. She has been freshened up since, and she traditionally explodes with a gap between outings. The first-up victory over Briasa reads well for this event, and the talented five-year-old possesses a massive turn of foot. The Chris Waller-trained galloper is a multiple Group 1 winner, and she is a six-furlong specialist. The key appointment of James McDonald should give her supporters confidence, and she has been well supported since Tuesday night’s barrier draw. If she doesn’t get too far out of her ground during the middles stage of the race, she can make her presence felt at the top of the mountain.
Suggested Bet: Ka Ying Rising @ $1.80
Royal Randwick Race 8
#9 Sabaj
Sabaj debuts for the Kent and Price stable. The lightly raced four-year-old is building an impressive career record, and his form around the Group 1 Goodwood winner Reserve Bank reads incredibly well for this event. His recent jump-out at Caulfield oozed class, and the 1300m looks an ideal starting point for his spring campaign. Barrier three is advantageous, and the key booking of the inform Damian Lane should raise plenty of eyebrows. Ready to make a statement!
Linebacker caught the attention of the racing public in a recent barrier trial at Randwick. He outsprinted the Everest favourite, and I suspect he strips fitter as a result. The talented four-year-old is undefeated at the distance and traditionally performs well at the track. He is racing in good spirit since undergoing the ultimate gear change, and he has been heavily supported in most all-in markets. He may prove hard to toss if he has fully recovered from a minor setback. Take on trust.
Suggested Bet: Sabaj @ $7.00
#10 Fangirl
Fangirl was a brilliant last-start winner of the $1,000,000 7 Stakes at the track and distance. The form out of the race has been franked, and I suspect this is her spring grand final. Her record at the track and distance is elite, and she is traditionally peaks third-up from a spell. The brilliant seven-year-old grows an extra leg on top of the ground, and her winning record with James McDonald aboard is enviable. If she doesn’t get too far out of her ground during the race’s middle stages, I expect her to prove too strong in the shadow.
Mr Brightside is an absolute star. The Bullbars gelding took the mickey when winning the Group 1 Makybediva Stakes at Flemington in a walk, and I suspect he will be cherry ripe for his third-up assignment on Saturday. The now eight-year-old was good fresh behind a smart one in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes, and the big boy simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race. If he figures in the finish here, I expect him to line up in another Cox Plate, and a victory would put his career record and winnings amongst our all-time greats. The awkward barrier draw is the primary concern.
Suggested Bet: Fangirl @ $4.00
Caulfield Race 7
#1Apocalyptic
Apocalyptic is flying at present. The Extreme Choice filly put three wins together on the bounce, and her latest victory in the Group 1 Flight Stakes was simply breathtaking. The enigmatic three-year-old clearly has the measure of the Sydneysiders, and I suspect she has the right form to claim another Group 1 event on Saturday. She handled the mile last start better than an old man getting into a bath, and I am unsure the local contingency will get within a couple of lengths of this potential star. Hard to toss!
Ole Dancer is the obvious danger to the short-priced favourite. The Ole Kirk filly is building towards her next victory, and she has been crying out for the mile all campaign. The Shinn and Moody combination must be respected, and there has been a tsunami of money for the big girl since acceptances. From barrier five she will drift back and find her hooves; if she has an interrupted path from the tail, she can loom to win. Her racing pattern and style always requires an element of good fortune.
Caulfield Race 8
#2 Private Eye
Private Eye is a model of consistency. The Al Maher gelding has been competitive at the top level in his previous two outings, and I suspect he will appreciate the significant drop in class. His second-up victory at the track and distance was first-class, and he meets easier opposition here. The evergreen eight-year-old should be rock-hard-fit after a solid campaign, and the inform Nash Rawiller has an impressive winning record with the Joseph Pride-trained galloper. He is unlucky not to be lining up in another Everest, however; he has this Group 3 event at his mercy.
Media World is over the odds. The Written Tycoon was a brilliant last-start winner Flemington, and he finds his pet distance on Saturday. He strips fitter as a result of recent racing, and he is ideally drawn in a middle gate. The Mark Zahra factor will attract late market support, and he looks the obvious leader on paper. If he can cheat the clock throughout, and stack them up as heads turn for home, he can upset his more credentialed rivals. Upside galore!
Caulfield Race 9
#15 Half Yours
Half Yours has one foot on the till. The St Jean gelding is in career best form, and he deservedly will start race favourite in one of our time-honoured majors. The progressive five-year-old was still mixing it in Benchmark 78 company during the winter, and his climb up the ladder has been nothing short of exceptional. The Caloundra Cup and Naturalism Stakes winner caught the eyes of punters behind Sir Delius, Antino, and Via Sistina in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at his latest outing, and I suspect he is ready to explode over the longer trip on Saturday. The 52.5kg under handicap conditions puts him into all winning conversations, and barrier two will allow the McEvoy-trained galloper to save every inch of ground in transit. If Jamie Melham can get the favourite off the dulex as they run for the doctor, I expect him to prove too strong at the pointy end of the contest. Acid test!
Middle Earth finally gets out to a suitable trip. The Roaring Lion gelding has been racing well without threatening, and his form prior to arriving down under must be respected. The inside draw will allow him to sit closer in the run, and I suspect this event has been a long-range target from the astute Ciaron Maher camp. The Mark Zahra factor will attract further market support, and he gets in well at the weights despite his recent Group 1 performances. His recent winning record and his ability to miss the start are among the primary concerns.
Suggested Bet: Half Yours @ $3.00
