Ballot-free entry into the Doncaster Mile goes on the line when a capacity field contests the Group 2 The Ingham at Randwick on Saturday.
With the likes of Gringotts, Duke De Sessa and Yorkshire all engaged, The Ingham looms as a fascinating contest and a great betting race to boot.
You can find my Ingham Tips and complete Randwick best bets below.
FEAR NO EVIL looks well placed to win on The Ingham Day.
Having returned to action with a fine effort to score in BM70 company down at Bendigo, the Russian Revolution gelding was last seen finishing sixth behind the likes of Meridiana and Rotagilla on The Hunter Day.
I like that he’s been back to the trials since that race and he can make all of his own luck up on the speed this week.
| 1. Fear No Evil (5) 59kg14×16 |
LADY OLENNA is the one for me in this week’s Highway race.
Lady Olenna won two of four starts during her debut prep, while she returned to action a fortnight ago with a fine performance to only just miss behind Shenandoah River in a similar race at Rosehill.
With natural improvement, I can’t find a reason why she won’t be in the finish this week.
| 17. Lady Olenna (1) 55.5kg110×2 |
This is arguably the most open race on the program and at publish, we’re faced with $6.50 the field.
FIORENZA has been charged with overcome a wide draw, but after recording a hit-and-run victory at Wyong in October of 2024, she returned from more than a year off to only just miss at Canterbury.
She’ll take plenty of improvement for that run, Rachel King is a bonus and the $19 about her at publish is a touch of overs in my opinion.
| 15. Fiorenza (14) 54kg6x1x2 |
SNACK BAR looks well placed on The Ingham Day.
It has been a short while since the Frosted gelding has won a race, but he was consistent in contests not dissimilar to this one last time in, while he was only denied a head by a fit and in-form Lyles at Rosehill when resuming.
He’s a winner at this point of his preparation previously and has an ability edge over most of these rivals.
| 4. Snack Bar (10) 58kg423×2 |
Just five of the eleven confirmed starters in this Inglis Nursery field have race day experience including INTERNAL AFFAIRS, who I’ve put on top.
By Home Affairs, Internal Affairs showed some ability at the trials prior to debuting and worked home well to finish on the placegetters’ heels at Rosehill.
He’s got plenty of upside and is drawn to receive every chance this week.
| 3. Internal Affairs (3) 56kg4 |
We were with ROTAGILLA when he struck at Rosehill a fortnight ago and I’m eager to stick with him.
Rotagilla has returned to the races in improved horse this time, winning two of four runs back and finding form around some classy opposition in the process.
He’s in peak order now, the 1800m looks ideal at this point of his preparation and with Tim Clark keeping the ride, he’s going to be in the contest for an awful long way again.
| 9. Rotagilla (6) 56.5kgx4121 |
ASTERIX takes winning form into the Christmas Cup.
He needed his first few runs back this time to find condition and form, but after hitting the line with a vastly improved performance in the Group 3 St Leger in October, Asterix returned to winning form in the Listed Beauford Stakes at Newcastle last month.
He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial, the mile and a half suits and even with topweight, if he holds his form, he’s clearly up to winning again.
| 1. Asterix (10) 59.5kg00051 |
Ballot-free entry into the Doncaster Mile goes on the line in The Ingham and in my opinion, GRINGOTTS is the one to beat again.
Having saluted in Group 1 company during his autumn campaign earlier in the year, Gringotts has continued to impress this season by successfully defending his wins in both The Big Dance and The Gong.
He has been charged with carrying topweight and overcoming a wide draw, but he’s more than up to the task again.
| 1. Gringotts (20) 61kgx5211 |
BARBER is fit and well placed in the Razor Sharp Handicap in my opinion.
The talented sprinter dusted off the cobwebs with a fair effort in The Warra at Group 3 level when resuming and took plenty of improvement into a near miss in the Starlight Stakes a week later.
Fitter third-up, weighted and drawn well this week, this looks his opportunity to strike in black type company.
| 3. Barber (6) 54.5kg53×52 |
I’m going to give BOJANGLES one last chance when he steps out in the last on The Ingham Day at nice odds ($15 at publish).
He’s yet to strike in five runs back this time but rarely is Bojangles far away, and he has placed in decent races a couple of times.
There’s no doubting his fitness this week, he’s drawn to receive every chance from barrier 5 and we can have a small each way play once more.
| 4. Bojangles (2) 58.5kg45273 |