2024 The Championships Day 1 Preview

The Championships have arrived, and four huge Group 1 feature races headline Day 1 at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The first five gallopers past the post in the Golden Slipper have accepted into the Inglis’ Sires field, and shapes as one of the best editions of the race since the turn of the century.

Sole filly Zardozi will attempt to overcome Riff Rocket, Tom Kitten, Ceolwulf and Wymark in the time-honoured Australian Derby, while Imperatriz and I Wish I Wish will face off for the first time in the TJ Smith Stakes.

If that wasn’t enough, the $4 million Doncaster Mile has attracted an open and capacity field, rich with interstate and international Group 1 talent, and it continues to shape as one of the best betting races of the season!

I’m keen to stick with Espionage when he steps out third-up in the Kindergarten Stakes.

Espionage stamped himself as one to watch by winning the Breeders’ Plate on debut here back in September, and he returned from a break to finish second in the Silver Slipper.

Not a lot went right in the Todman Stakes last time out, but I like that he has been back to the trials since that race, and he can deliver Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott yet another two-year-old feature race.

2 Units Espionage

I’m going to have something on the lightly raced Circle Of Fire in Saturday’s Chairman’s Quality.

Circle Of Fire turned in some nice performances over in Europe at the beginning of his career, finding form around some notable stayers in decent black type races.

He’s had two starts since arriving in Australia, finishing fourth over a mile and 1900m respectively, and getting further out in this this week looks to be the key, while a big drop in the weights is also beneficial.

1 Unit Circle Of Fire

The ATC Carbine Club Stakes looks a perfect race for Les Vampires.

Les Vampires has hinted at ability since making his debut, but there is no doubt that he has returned an improved galloper this time in.

After winning in BM64 company at Canterbury first-up in February, the Pierro colt filled the minors behind Celestial Legend in the Hobartville Stakes before finishing just over a length behind the same horse in Group 1 company last time.

I thought that his most recent run for third in the Phar Lap Stakes was good without being brilliant, and the mile looks ideal at this point of his preparation.

1 Units Les Vampires   

Autumn Angel was a late scratching from last weekend’s Vinery Stud Stakes and will instead contest the Adrian Knox at Group 3 level on Day 1 of The Championships.

Autumn Angel has missed placing only once in seven career starts so far, and it was a luckless run over the 1400m of the Angus Armanasco Stakes when resuming this time.

Having returned to winning form with an eye-catching performance in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes last time out, the step up to 2000m looks absolutely perfect for her, while the booking of Mark Zahra doesn’t hinder her chances either.

4 Units Autumn Angel

Bandi’s Boy beat home some genuinely outstanding sprinters in last weekend’s Star Kingdom Stakes and will take a power of beating in the Country Championships Final.

Bandi’s Boy has made just ten appearances at the races so far, but has won half of those, and has continued to improve as the bar has been raised.

He was sent off at odds of $21 in last week’s Group 3 sprint but mustered an eye-catching turn of foot to finish over the top.

Anything close to that performance will be far too good for these rivals.

5 Units Bandi’s Boy

The first five runners past the post in the Golden Slipper have accepted into the Inglis Sires’ field, and it looms as the strongest edition of the race in recent memory. I’ve put Storm Boy on top, but be sure to check out my full runner-by-runner 2024 Inglis Sires’ Preview RIGHT HERE.

3 Units Storm Boy

1 Unit Manaal

For the first time, star sprinters Imperatriz and I Wish I Win will meet in Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes field.

I’ve put the latter of those two on top of my selections, which you can find in full in my 2024 TJ Smith Stakes Preview RIGHT HERE.

3 Units I Wish I Win

This is one of, if not the best and most highly anticipated editions of the Doncaster Mile since the turn of the century.

With many local and international stars engaged, it’s also building towards being the best betting race of the season, and there is value to be found around every galloper.

I’ll be having a couple of bets, including an each way play on Kovalica. Check out my full 2024 Doncaster Mile Preview RIGHT HERE.

2 Units E/W Kovalica

Zardozi is aiming to become just the fifth filly to win the Australian Derby, and she appears to be extremely well placed to do so.

The Kingman filly enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in the spring, peaking with a dominant victory in the VRC Oaks.

Having finished down the order in the Surround Stakes over 1400m when resuming this time, she returned to winning form with an exceptional performance in the Phar Lap Stakes before hitting the line to fill the minors in last weekend’s Vinery Stud Stakes.

I like that she is on the short back-up, she takes 2kgs from every other galloper in the field, and she can fight out the finish again.

2 Unitz Zardozi

I’m very keen to stick with Learning To Fly when she steps out in Saturday’s PJ Bell Stakes.

Learning To Fly stamped herself as one to watch during her two-year-old prep, but then spent nearly a year away from the races after dropping Chad Schofield in last year’s Golden Slipper.

Her fresh performance off that break when second, beaten a whisker by Kimochi was simply outstanding, while she was solid into fourth in Group 1 company last time.

I like that she has been kept fresh for this and she is drawn to receive a dream run.

4 Units Learning To Fly