We are knees deep in spring racing now!
There is a plethora of quality racing taking place at Royal Randwick this weekend with plenty of opportunities to make bank.
Our full 2021 Spring Champion Stakes Day Tips & Preview can be found below!
Preview brought to you by Neds. Learn more about Neds HERE.
Race 1: 12:35pm – Highway Handicap, (1600m)
Tip: No. 4 Bahamut
Bahamut was a winner by 2.7 lengths at Grafton during his last prep before stepping up in class dramatically at Eagle Farm and Doomben where he was well beaten.
He returned to the races with a nice win at Lismore and gets his chance in a very open edition of the Highway Handicap here.
James McDonald will steer from barrier nine.
Race 2: 1:10pm – Midway Handicap, (1400m)
Tip: No. 10 Different Strokes
Kim Waugh saddles up Different Strokes in the Midway Handicap on Saturday and he looks really well placed.
The lightly raced four year old gelding is yet to miss a place in five career starts and he continues to step up to the challenge each time he heads to the races.
Hugh Bowman steers from barrier nine.
Race 3: 1:45pm – Benchmark 78 Handicap, (2000m)
Tip: No. 3 Yiyi
Yiyi was rewarded for his consistency when scoring last start at Rosehill after three placings in a row previous to that win.
The Chris Waller trained gelding will step out to 2000m for just the second time in his career but fitness should not be an issue at this stage in his prep.
Race 4: 2:20pm – Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes, (1500m)
Tip: No. 2 Coastwatch
Coastwatch has been racing very consistently throughout this prep and he finished within 1.6 lengths of In The Congo and Anamoe in the Group 1 Golden Rose last time out.
The step back to 1500m is ideal and he should be nearing peak fitness for this assignment in the Stan Fox Stakes.
Barrier three is perfect.
Race 5: 2:55pm – Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes, (1200m)
Tip: No. 2 Paulele
Paulele has been excellent in all three runs so far this prep including beating home the Golden Rose winner In The Congo first up in the Rosebud.
The chestnut colt got too far back in the Listed Heritage Stakes last start at Rosehill but he savaged the line late in the race.
Making the step up to 1200m suits and it will take a good one to beat him in the Roman Consul Stakes.
Race 6: 3:30pm – Group 3 Angst Stakes, (1600m)
Tip: No. 1 Amarelinha
On first look, the run of Kiwi mare Amarelinha was quite plain when she resumed in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie at Randwick but she did not seem comfortable when asked to take a split between horses.
She ended up finishing eighth of nine in that race but she was finding the line really well late and was beaten just 2.7 lengths.
The step up in distance will obviously suit her in the Angst Stakes and she has won her only second up run in the past.
Race 7: 4:10pm – Silver Eagle, (1300m)
Tip: No. 4 Prime Star & No. 4 Amish Boy
To be frank, this is one of the weakest races I have seen racing for over a quarter of a million dollars!
Prime Star is racing far better than his form on paper and he was in the Group 3 Bill Richie for a long way before he was run over late.
Amish Boy has proven himself at a high grade of racing throughout his career and he finds a very winnable race here in the Silver Eagle.
James McDonald going on is a big plus for the horse.
Race 8: 4:50pm – Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes, (2000m)
Tip: No. 4 Benaud
Grey colt Benaud was the eye catcher in the Gloaming Stakes behind Head Of State and Profondo running into third late in the race.
The son of Reliable Man has come on leaps in bounds since making his racing debut just a month ago and he will relish the step up in distance now in the Spring Champion Stakes.
I am aware that it is a big task for a young horse in his first prep to continue to rise to this level but he has a fair amount of class by the looks of it.
Race 9: 5:30pm – Group 3 The Nivision, (1200m)
Tip: No. 5 Minhaaj
I have a bit of time for the four year old mare Minhaaj and although it’s taken a while for the penny to drop with her, she looks ready for a big spring campaign.
She looks a bigger and stronger mare in her two trials leading into this first up assignment and she found the line really well behind Classique Legend at her most recent.
Barrier two is an advantage as is James McDonald and although she will only improve on whatever she does here, she is a winning chance.
Race 10: 6:05pm – Benchmark 78 Handicap, (1000m)
Tip: Boxed Trifecta 3/4/5/10