Australia Racing Preview for 4/18/2014
by Grant Davies
Royal Randwick puts on another huge day Saturday with the second round of races for the new format dubbed the “Championships” And today there is another four huge grade 1’s that will be contested by some of the best horses the country has to offer! Including the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a race that has jumped in prize money from $500,000 to $4 Million this year! So let’s make some money of our own!
ROYAL RANDWICK – AUS A
RACE 5 – GRADE 1 CELLARBRATIONS QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES 1600m Of $1000000 (AUS)
Rawiller reunites with RED TRACER and she may well be worth another chance back to her own sex. Her worst runs have been in the G1s against males. She has met CATKINS only once and the margin was a lip at G1 WFA last Spring. Could definitely make a case CATKINS has only improved since but Nash has a compelling record on RED TRACER - 10 rides for 8:1:1. The filly SOLICIT I find myself liking to run a beauty here. Back from a 2000m run I think can definitely help her. GYPSY DIAMOND did what she had to last week. Showed her class and her Coolmore run definitely has her in the mix.
SELECTIONS – RED TRACER / CATKINS / SOLICIT
RACE 6- GRADE 1 SEVEN NEWS AUSTRALIAN OAKS 2400m Of $1000000 (AUS)
LUCIA VALENTINA beat all her Storm Queen opposition (and there are seven others coming from that event) by at least 6L so on the face of it they are pushing it uphill to turn the tables. While LUCIA was being ridden a treat though I spied at least a couple of others that were really struggling through the softer sections of the Rosehill surface. RISING ROMANCE in particular was doing it hard but stuck to her task well, especially given she was 5 weeks between runs as well. Like her each-way and INTERSPERSED can appreciate an improving track also. ZANBAGH deserves respect here today too.
SELECTIONS – LUCIA VALENTINA / RISING ROMANCE / ZANBAGH
RACE 7 – GRADE 1 SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP 3200m Of $1000000 (AUS)
A most interesting version of the Cup, enhanced by the inclusion of a 3YO that has always looked a dead-set twomiler. Can see TREMEC crossing from the outside and taking it up. THE OFFER looks all too obvious and entitled to be a clear favourite. He has done the job on wet tracks but he demonstrated last spring he's not averse to a drier surface either. Manion Cup/Chairmans is the old-fashioned way into this race and he's been far too good. Expect he will be again. WHO SHOT THEBARMAN is lightest raced and doing good things in NZ. Good enough to win over 3200m at start nine. BRIGANTIN as a long shot.
SELECTIONS – THE OFFER / VOLEUSE DE COEURS / BRIGANTIN
RACE 8 – GRADE 1 LONGINES QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES 2000m Of $4000000 (AUS)
Here at last is the race they've made the headline event of the carnival. Worth $500K last year, now instantly $4M. Waller with 5 of the 12. CARLTON HOUSE and SILENT ACHIEVER slugged it out in the Ranvet 4 weeks ago and an argument could be made that CARLTON HOUSE went out a touch too strong that day. I want to like SILENT ACHIEVER to beat him again but she was flat in this race last year. Rawiller the solution to that? IT'S A DUNDEEL an obvious chance. ROYAL DESCENT looks well primed and a wide draw no problem. Oliver gets on - winless in Sydney the last five Saturdays from 24 rides.
SELECTIONS – SILENT ACHEIVER / ROYAL DESCENT / IT’S A DUNDEEL
Royal Randwick puts on another huge day Saturday with the second round of races for the new format dubbed the “Championships” And today there is another four huge grade 1’s that will be contested by some of the best horses the country has to offer! Including the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a race that has jumped in prize money from $500,000 to $4 Million this year! So let’s make some money of our own!
ROYAL RANDWICK – AUS A
RACE 5 – GRADE 1 CELLARBRATIONS QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES 1600m Of $1000000 (AUS)
Rawiller reunites with RED TRACER and she may well be worth another chance back to her own sex. Her worst runs have been in the G1s against males. She has met CATKINS only once and the margin was a lip at G1 WFA last Spring. Could definitely make a case CATKINS has only improved since but Nash has a compelling record on RED TRACER - 10 rides for 8:1:1. The filly SOLICIT I find myself liking to run a beauty here. Back from a 2000m run I think can definitely help her. GYPSY DIAMOND did what she had to last week. Showed her class and her Coolmore run definitely has her in the mix.
SELECTIONS – RED TRACER / CATKINS / SOLICIT
RACE 6- GRADE 1 SEVEN NEWS AUSTRALIAN OAKS 2400m Of $1000000 (AUS)
LUCIA VALENTINA beat all her Storm Queen opposition (and there are seven others coming from that event) by at least 6L so on the face of it they are pushing it uphill to turn the tables. While LUCIA was being ridden a treat though I spied at least a couple of others that were really struggling through the softer sections of the Rosehill surface. RISING ROMANCE in particular was doing it hard but stuck to her task well, especially given she was 5 weeks between runs as well. Like her each-way and INTERSPERSED can appreciate an improving track also. ZANBAGH deserves respect here today too.
SELECTIONS – LUCIA VALENTINA / RISING ROMANCE / ZANBAGH
RACE 7 – GRADE 1 SCHWEPPES SYDNEY CUP 3200m Of $1000000 (AUS)
A most interesting version of the Cup, enhanced by the inclusion of a 3YO that has always looked a dead-set twomiler. Can see TREMEC crossing from the outside and taking it up. THE OFFER looks all too obvious and entitled to be a clear favourite. He has done the job on wet tracks but he demonstrated last spring he's not averse to a drier surface either. Manion Cup/Chairmans is the old-fashioned way into this race and he's been far too good. Expect he will be again. WHO SHOT THEBARMAN is lightest raced and doing good things in NZ. Good enough to win over 3200m at start nine. BRIGANTIN as a long shot.
SELECTIONS – THE OFFER / VOLEUSE DE COEURS / BRIGANTIN
RACE 8 – GRADE 1 LONGINES QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES 2000m Of $4000000 (AUS)
Here at last is the race they've made the headline event of the carnival. Worth $500K last year, now instantly $4M. Waller with 5 of the 12. CARLTON HOUSE and SILENT ACHIEVER slugged it out in the Ranvet 4 weeks ago and an argument could be made that CARLTON HOUSE went out a touch too strong that day. I want to like SILENT ACHIEVER to beat him again but she was flat in this race last year. Rawiller the solution to that? IT'S A DUNDEEL an obvious chance. ROYAL DESCENT looks well primed and a wide draw no problem. Oliver gets on - winless in Sydney the last five Saturdays from 24 rides.
SELECTIONS – SILENT ACHEIVER / ROYAL DESCENT / IT’S A DUNDEEL
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