This Saturday in Sydney the Autumn Racing Carnival lead-up races begin in earnest at Royal Randwick Racecourse for Breeders Classic Day.
There are two Group races across the card with some of the season’s most promising three-year-olds facing off in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) after the mares face off in the Group 2 NSW Breeders Classic (1200m).
The other feature on the program is the Restricted Listed Inglis Classic (1200m) for qualified two-year-olds.
Make sure you check out our top Sydney racing odds across the weekend and into the autumn Group 1s!
All times are local Sydney times
Feature Races
Race 4 – 2:30pm $175,000 Group 2 Thoroughbred Breeders NSW Breeders Classic (1200m)
Only seven mares are in the Breeders Classic mix this year including Chris Waller’s returning Group 2 winner Amicus who gets the rails run from barrier one. She was far from disgraced in Melbourne during the Cup Carnival when fifth in the Myer Classic and has winning form at the track. Goes well first-up (4-1-0-2) and could surprise. She does give away the fitness edge to some class rivals including Miss Cover Girl from Queensland who ran third in the Nudgee Fillies & Mares Handicap back home last month and Takeover Target Stakes runner-up at Gosford Slots. Snowden duo can improve on last start fifths with Dublin Lass and I’ve Got The Looks facing off.
Race 7 – 4:25pm $150,000 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m)
Meeting is highlighted by this three-years-old sprint featuring plenty of Group 1 talent including the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Blue Diamond Stakes – Inglis Sires’ double winner Pride Of Dubai. He will improve on whatever he does here, but has the class factor and has trialled really well leading up to his return. Chris Waller’s Coolmore Stud Stakes third placed colt Counterattack is also first-up and has a gun record when resuming (4-2-1-1), plus Randwick is his pet track (5-2-2-0) and he won in black-type company last time he ran here. Wolf Cry for Team Snowden displayed lots of potential with a Gold Coast Magic Millions win last month and is on way to bigger autumn targets.
Race 5 – 3:05pm $250,000 Restricted Listed Inglis Classic (1200m)
The young Inglis graduates face off in this rich feature including the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Rampage who won at Moonee Valley on debut before a third in the Inglis Nursery here in December. Winner of that race Extreme Choice is early favourite for the Blue Diamond, so the form could stack-up here with Rampage jumping from the inside alley in the capacity field. Of Bede Murray’s three, Rafha’s Choice has claims looking to improve on an Inglis Nursery fifth last start. Beneteau filly Twist Tops was runner-up at the track in the wet last start and ran a good fourth two back in the Gimcrack Stakes, while Soviet Secret returns for the first time since her Merson Cooper second at Sandown in November.
Support Races
Race 1 – 12:40pm $85,000 Frank Wilding 70th Birthday Handicap (2000m)
A Benchmark 93 kicks off the card with plenty of smart stayers in the mix including Chris Waller’s in-form Loophole, allocated top weight (61kg) but claiming with Andrew Adkins aboard (13/50kg). The six-year-old will be flying with that relief and comes off back-to-back wins including over Dance Of Heroes at this track and distance on January 16 carrying 59kg. Group 3 winner Faust ran well over the distance in Melbourne behind Second Bullet last start, while veteran Zabeel nine-year-old Landlocked continues to surprise. Testashadow has class and the last start Randwick win over a mile, but could struggle stepping up in distance.
Race 2 – 1:20pm $40,000 TAB Highway Handicap (1200m)
A bumper field of 18 starters for this Class 3 sprint where Stratum four-year-old Three Sheets has the top weight after gun lead-up form including a Sunshine Coast win over the distance on January 16. Goes up from 54kg to 60kg, which is the test. Smart Snitzel mare Grand Proposal returns to racing here and uses Winona Costin’s claim, plus gets the inside run from barrier one. All Summer Long benefits from the booking of James McDonald again after a good third, beaten under a length, over 1200m here late last month.
Race 3 – 1:55pm $85,000 Ranvet Handicap (1000m)
Plenty of class in this 11-starter sprint including Clarry Conners’ Group 3 winner Decision Time out to atone for a dead last in the Takeover Target Stakes last start; will be better returning to Randwick. Craftiness has been hit and miss but has two seconds from three previous Randwick runs and the 1000m is ideal (5-3-2-0), so will appreciate the drop back after finishing ninth last start over 1100m still beaten under two lengths in the spring. Kris Lees saddles-up progressive mare Felines who won over the track and distance last start carrying 59kg, she drops back to 55.5kg and has McDonald aboard.
Race 6 – 3:45pm $85,000 TAB.Com.Au Gardenia Handicap (1600m)
Mile feature has a field of 13 with Chris Waller’s Beyond Thankful allocated 63.5kg top weight but claiming with Adkins (a3/50kg). The consistent son of Whipper has won two from four at the track and was flying in the early spring taking out the Wyong Cup – Newcastle Cup double before a 12th when outclassed in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m); this is a far easier assignment. Undefeated young New Zealand visitor Hasselhoof is six-from-six back home, the Tavistock four-year-old debuting down under on the back of a Group 2 win over the mile on New Year’s Day. John O’Shea’s December Handicap winner at the track and distance on Boxing Day Medcaut is back and looks a big danger from barrier one, as do Carrington Stakes winner over 1400m here in the wet last start Zin Zan Eddie and the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Snippets Land who also saluted over the Randwick mile last month.
Race 8 – 5:05pm $85,000 ATC Remembers AB “Banjo” Paterson Handicap (1400m)
Another big field for this Benchmark 85 where the Anthony Cummings-trained Alpha Beat backs up off a 1200m win here in the wet late last month, but has work to do with 61.5kg even from barrier one. Murt The Flirt has his first Randwick run on the back of some stellar summer form including a Wyong Magic Millions third and Gold Coast Magic Millions Cup fourth. Roaring To Win for Team Snowden won at the track and distance on January 16 and looks well weighted again. Shaft mare Selita has won her last three on the trot and drops from 58kg last start to 54.5kg here, while Never Back Down has a wide alley (15) but is in flying form.
Race 9 – 5:45pm $85,000 Colin Tidy Tribute Handicap (1600m)
The Sydney card closer on Saturday has 17 hopefuls facing off over the mile including the promising Gai Waterhouse-trained High Chaparral four-year-old Fabrizio who saluted first-up over 1550m at Canterbury in the wet carrying 60.5kg. Classic Uniform was runner-up in the same race and has claims going up in class for this, as does the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Tower Of Song looking for his third win on the trot. He carried 59kg to victory over the Warwick Farm mile last start and is down to 56.5kg here.