A star studded Warwick Stakes field featuring ten Group 1 winners is the highlight of the eight race program at Randwick on Saturday.
The Group 2 $250,000 WFA Pro-Ride Warwick Stakes (1400m) has bought together a high quality field of fourteen headed by Doomben Cup winner Pornichet and glamour race mare First Seal.
On the support program we see the new season three year old fillies lining up in the Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) while the Group 3 $125,000 Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) is open to all three year olds.
The feature race for the fillies and mares is the Group 3 $125,000 Toy Show Quality (1300m) while the open class sprinters will go around in the Group 3 $125,000 Sky Thoroughbred Central Show County Quality (1200m).
Ladbrokes have a great offer going for the Warwick Stakes: if your first fixed odds win bet comes in 2nd or 3rd, you will get your stake back as a bonus bet up to $100.
Feature Race
Race 6– 3:40pm Group 2 $250,000 Pro-Ride Warwick Stakes (1400m)
Ten Group 1 winners are set to kick off their Spring Carnival campaign in the weight for age Group 2 $250,000 Pro-Ride Warwick Stakes (1400m). Glamour mare First Seal has Tommy Berry riding her for the first time and the Fastnet Rock mare is certain to give a good account of herself first up. Gai Waterhouse has been talking up the Spring prospects of Pornichet who will be having his first run since scoring a sensational win in the Group 1 $650,000 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Burbero is looking for back to back Group 2 wins after scoring a narrow win over Weary in the $175,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 8 and has a significant fitness advantage over most of his rivals. Messene from the Team Hawkes stable also has a run under his belt and is certain to race well from the inside gate. As usual Chris Waller trained horses have a significant presence and the premier trainer will saddle up six of the fourteen runners, Beaten Up, Foreteller, Moriarty, Hawkspur, Kermadec and Royal Descent. English import It’s Somewhat is one of two John O’Shea trained horses in the field and has been Group 1 placed in England. Complacent is the other runner to carry the Godolphin royal blue and the 2013 Spring Champion Stakes winner will be having his start since finishing second in the 2013 Group 1 $1.5m Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.
Supporting races
Race 1 – 12:35pm Group 3 $125,000 Up and Coming Stakes (1300m)
Sebring Sun is finally starting to live up to trainer Gary Portetlli’s early expectations and looks the one to beat again in the Group 3 $125,000 Up and Coming Stakes (1300m). Sebring Sun resumed from a spell to break his maiden status at Canterbury on July 29 and followed that up with a win in the Listed $100,000 The Rosebud (1200m) at Randwick on August 8. Voilier chased home Sebring Sun in the Rosebud and will have to show some improvement if he is going to reverse the placings on Saturday. The well-bred Shards from the John O’Shea stable is resuming from a short break while stablemate Inner Circle will be wearing the blinkers for the first time as will the Gerald Ryan trained Land’s End.
Race 2 – 1:15pm Group 3 $125,000 Toy Show Quality (1300m)
The consistent Two Blue is back to fillies and mares class in the Group 3 $125,000 Toy Show Quality (1300m) and gets her chance to get back into the winner’s circle. The Kristen Buchanan trained mare has had a freshen up since running second in the Listed $100,000 Winter Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on July 18 and the front runner has drawn perfectly on the rails. Last start restricted class winner Echo Gal is certain to put some pressure on Two Blue at some stage and the well performed Maastricht has a very good fresh record. Chris Waller will saddle up three runners, Kristy Lee and Wine Tales, who both have finished third at their last outings in restricted grade, while 2014 Thousand Guineas winner Amicus will be having her first run since finishing thirteenth in the Group 1 $1m Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Race 3 – 1:50pm $85,000 BenchMark 85 Handicap (1000m)
Canberra trained Fell Swoop kept the punters happy with a three lengths win in an 1100m BenchMark 75 Handicap at Rosehill on August 1 and is certain to have plenty of followers again this week in the $85,000 BenchMark 85 Handicap (1000m). Blake Shinn has decided to stick with the four year old and is certain to give him the run of the race from barrier two. Straturbo went down narrowly over this course and distance last start when second in similar grade and has the 3kg claim of Samantha Clenton to help his chances. Wonderbolt has been placed twice over this course and distance and has been in the runner’s up stall three of his last five starts.
Race 4 – 2:25pm Group 2 $175,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m)
A small field of only six fillies will do battle in the Group 2 $175,000 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) with trainer Gai Waterhouse holding the key to the race. Waterhouse will saddle up the in-form Kimberley Star who is one of the most improved gallopers in Sydney with wins at her last three starts, including a three lengths victory in a 1400m open three year old plate at Rosehill on August 1. Stablemate Speak Fondly showed plenty of ability during the Sydney Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill before running eleventh in the Group 1 $3.5m Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. The Northern Meteor filly has won and ran second in two recent Randwick barrier trials and will wear the blinkers for the first time on Saturday. Lake Geneva is another filly loaded with potential and if she can repeat her Golden Slipper third placing, will be hard to hold out here. Fireworks also went around in the Golden Slipper, finishing thirteenth, and a forward showing would not surprise.
Race 5 – 3:00pm $85,000 The Mostyn Copper Group Handicap (1400m)
Bring A Ring scored an upset win last start in a 1400m BenchMark 80 Handicap at Rosehill and looks to be one of the main players again in the $85,000 The Mostyn Copper Group Handicap (1400m). The Gai Waterhouse trained Marseille Roulette and El Sasso from the Snowden stable are set to clash again after finishing second and third in a 1200m BenchMark 79 Handicap at Randwick on August 8. Forget has been around the mark of late with two wins and a last start third from his last four starts and should get the run of the race from barrier two with Blake Shinn in the saddle.
Race 7 – 4:20pm Group 3 $125,000 Sky Thoroughbred Central Show County Quality (1200m)
Boss Lane is racing in outstanding form and gets his chance to record a hat trick of wins in the Group 3 $125,000 Show County Quality (1200m). The Ron Quinton trained gelding, a three times winner over this course and distance, has earned his chance to step up to Group 3 company and drops 4.5kg after winning a BenchMark 85 Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on August 8. The Chris Waller trained Heart Testa was a Group 3 winner over this course and distance back in February and has performed well in two recent barrier trials with a win over 900m at Rosehill and a third over 809m at Warwick Farm. Countryman has collected a cheque at his three runs from a spell with two seconds and a win and is certain to figure in the prizemoney again.
Race 8 – 5:00pm $85,000 Randwick City Mayor’s Cup (2000m)
Trainer Chris Waller has a great chance to win the last race on the card, the $85,000 Randwick City Mayor’s Cup (2000m), with topweight Soviet Courage and last start winner Loophole. Soviet Courage is a winner at his last three starts and has been lumped with 59kg again, the same weight he carried to victory in a 2400m BenchMark 76 Handicap at Rosehill on July 18. Loophole is up 1.5kg after winning over this course and distance on August 8. Casino Dancer has been around the mark at his last few starts and Claire Nutman’s 3kg claim will come in handy again after the pair finished second to Loophole last start. The blinkers come off Dream Folk and Hugh Bowman goes on replacing apprentice Winona Costin following his third to Loophole.