2025 The Championships Day 1 Preview

We’ll be treated to a feast of Group 1 racing on Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick!

It has already been an incredible Sydney Autumn Carnival, highlighted by the performances of many local and international stars, and that will continue in races like the TJ Smith Stakes and the Doncaster Mile on Saturday.

You can find Randwick tips for all ten races this weekend, including one at a huge price in Doncaster Mile betting.

Read on for all of my Royal Randwick best bets and full The Championships Day 1 preview.

North England is third-up and primed to strike in the Kindergarten Stakes.

The Farnan colt finished midfield in the Todman Stakes when resuming and worked home well to finish a credible sixth in the Golden Slipper last time out.

With further improvement and dropping in class this week, this looks like a lovely feature race for him to kick off Day 1 of The Championships.

3 Units North England

Win and you’re in the ATC Oaks field next weekend, and I’m happy to be with Inevitable truth in the Adrian Knox Stakes.

Inevitable Truth is still a maiden, but she’s turned in some excellent performances in strong black type company since debuting, and she has only just been denied at each of her first two runs back this time.

She’ll relish getting out to 2000m this with and with even luck in running, she can claim some valuable black type.

1 Unit E/W Inevitable Truth

Alalcance has returned to the races in career-best form and looms as the one to beat in this Chairman’s Quality field.

The Mastercraftsman mare has been a consistent performance since debuting over in Ireland, but she has so far won the Randwick City Stakes and the NE Manion Cup this time in, the latter by just under 5 lengths.

She’ll eat up the 2500m trip this week and she won her only other start on the heavy so far.

5 Units Alalcance

Evaporate returns to action in Australia after running second in The Kiwi and he’ll take plenty of beating in the Carbine Club Stakes.

He didn’t beat a runner home in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at the conclusion of his spring prep, but Evaporate has found form around some good horses this time in and was savaged the line when he offered clear air over in New Zealand.

He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since that race and a mile looks perfect for him this week.

4 Units Evaporate

The Ladbrokes Racing Club will saddle up Know Thyself in the Country Championships Final field and the horse is primed for a big third-up performance.

Having dusted off the cobwebs with a fair effort to finish fifth in the Tamworth Qualifier early last month, the four-year-old son of The Autumn Son kicked clear to record a dominant win at Scone last time out.

Fitter third-up, he will need some early luck to find a nice position from a central barrier, but I am confident he has a lot of these rivals covered for class.

2 Units Know Thyself

Wodeton was a beaten favourite in both the Silver Slipper and the Todman Stakes two and three runs back, but he was outstanding in the Golden Slipper last time out, and it took an outstanding performance for Marhoona to beat him.

The way he hit the line that day, I thought getting out to the 1400m this weekend would be ideal, while the booking of Ryan Moore is also an enormous tick for him in the 2025 Inglis Sires’.

3 Units Wodeton

This is a wide-open edition of the TJ Smith Stakes and there’s a case to be made for most of them, and I thought that Switzerland was one that appealed at an each way quote ($15 at publish).

It’s fair to say he hasn’t shown his best in two runs back from a break, but I like that Switzerland has been back to the trials since his run in the Canterbury Stakes and we know he’s up to this standard at his best.

The addition of Ryan Moore cannot be overstated, and he’s drawn to receive a lovely run this week.

2 Units E/W Switzerland

This is always one of the most open Group 1 feature races of the season and 2025’s edition stands as no exception – at publish, we’re faced with $7 the field in Doncaster Mile betting.

Tom Kitten is a fit horse and worthy of his early position on the top line of the current Doncaster Mile markets.

Having chased home and only just missed Mr Brightside in the Futurity Stakes fresh from a break, Tom Kitten charged home to win the All-Star Mile impressively, while he was a little too far back when ultimately hitting the line to finish fifth in the George Ryder a fortnight ago.

He’s fit, a mile suits, and he should receive every chance under Ben Melham.

The other horse I like at huge Doncaster Mile odds is the race’s first emergency, Rise At Dawn.

Rise At Dawn was an eye-catching winner in Listed company at Flemington when reusming in February, but he was luckless in the All-Star Mile and finished down the order.

I like that he has been back to the trials since that race, he gets into this with no weight on his back, and he won his only other start on the heavy going.

2 Units Tom Kitten
1 Unit E/W Rise At Dawn

This looks to be something of a weak edition of the Australian Derby and Willydoit is a standout top pick in my opinion.

Willydoit has hardly put a hoof wrong over in New Zealand and it all culminated in a dominant performance in last month’s New Zealand Derby.

The Kiwi raiders have a great record in this race, and I think Willydoit will carry on that legacy.

4 Units Willydoit

Clean Energy was an eye-catching winner of the Typhoon Tracy Stakes at The Valley last time out and is third up into the PB Bell Stakes field on Saturday.

The Zoustar filly has won three of four starts since debuting, finding form around some classy opposition in the process.

She’s fit, and she’s another horse whose winning chances are boosted by the booking of Ryan Moore.

2 Units Clean Energy