2026 Randwick Guineas Day Preview

Randwick Guineas Day kicks off with another Midway Handicap, and I think that ICEMAN is well placed to win it.

Iceman ended his last prep with an eye-catching win in a race not dissimilar to this one back in September, while he was only denied by a smart Alabama State first up this time.

Having since filled the minors behind the likes of Starphistocted out at Rosehill, he steps out this week a fit horse and back to his pet conditions.

ALALCANCE resumes in a winnable edition of the Randwick City Stakes.

The Mastercraftsman mare returned to action in spring to finish third in the Group 2 Matriarch and was tipped out after finishing midfield in the Zipping Classic.

Rewinding to her autumn prep last year, she was an outstanding winner of her first three runs back, including this race.

Her fresh record is excellent, and I love that she’s being launched over the 2000m again.

AGRARIAN GIRL puts her unbeaten record on the line in the Reisling Stakes.

She has only made the one competitive appearance so far, but after trialling up extremely well, Agrarian Girl put the writing on the wall at huge odds when winning the Lonhro Plate.

I love that she’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since that race, and she can stamp herself as a serious Slipper contender by winning again this week.

STRETAN RULER was outstanding on his way to winning the Inglis Millennium and he looms as the one to beat again in the Todman Stakes.

The Victorian showed good ability without recording an elusive win at his first two career starts, and the decision to dodge the Blue Diamond and instead head up to Sydney early paid lucrative dividends here a fortnight ago.

He steps out this week a fit horse and has drawn ideally in barrier 4, with Chad Schofield understandably retaining the ride after their latest winning effort together.

RAGING FORCE is the one for me in the 2026 Fireball Stakes field.

We haven’t seen Raging Force at the races since November, but he was outstanding throughout the spring, winning the San Domenico Stakes most notably at this point of his campaign, while also finding form around the likes of Tentyris and Beiwacht.

He’s trialled up nicely and can hit the ground running this week.

PINITO is second up and in my opinion, perfectly placed in an Aspiration Quality.

She was a model of consistency last time in and has missed placing just once in twelve career starts so far, and that was her still extremely credible run for fourth in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes when resuming a fortnight ago.

With natural improvement and out to 1600m, Jame McDonald jumps into the saddle, and she is my best bet on the program.

GIGA KICK steps out in Sydney this week and I am confident it will prove to be the correct decision with the multiple Group 1 winning veteran.

He proved that he is still well and truly up to the level when winning both spring starts, including the Group 1 Champions Sprint, but it’s fair to say that Giga Kick was a little below par when resuming in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning.

With the benefit of that run under his belt, in what is undoubtedly a weaker field and getting back to the scene of his greatest ever triumph, I think he gets plenty of ticks in the 2026 Challenge Stakes.

There is just one filly engaged in the 2026 Randwick Guineas field, and I think she’ll be winning it.

SHEZA ALIBI kicked off her career in central Queensland and was clearly a few levels above her rivals, and she has just continued to go from strength to strength since joining Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman’s Pakenham stable.

Having won both The Vanity and the Sandown Guineas in spring, she returned to action last month to give them a galloping lesson in the Group 2 Angus Armanasco, and she’s yet to be beaten second up from a spell.

She gets into the race better than every other horse engaged and I just can’t find a reason why she won’t be in the finish of this.

JOLIESTAR can add another Group 1 victory to her CV at Randwick on Saturday.

She’s one of the best sprinters and indeed horses in the country, you certainly don’t need me to tell you that, and she’s won many of the biggest sprint prizes on offer.

Her fresh performance to get up in the Expressway Stakes over 1200m here last month was bullish, and I’m only expecting improvement for that performance.

James McDonald rides – tick, tick, tick!

GANGSTA GRANNY returns to action in the last on Randwick Guineas Day.

The Written Tycoon mare hasn’t missed placing in nine trips to the races so far, winning four times, including the Group 3 Nivison last time in, while finding form around some excellent sprinters like Autumn Glow and Stefi Manetica.

She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials leading up to this race and the Wenona Girl Quality shapes as a perfect campaign launchpad for her.